You would not think Lindsey Nelson is all that far removed from those self-invented, self-mapped out, 26-mile courses she began running in middle school.
The ones that left her old house off Lakeview Road in Foxboro and stretched to Plainville and back again. The ones where she would run the first 16 miles with her mother, Wendy, only to then plead in hopes she could run another 10 miles. Her mother would agree to follow her in the car.
On Marathon Monday, however, the 18-year-old Foxboro High senior was far removed from those unofficial races. Nelson was a qualified runner taking part in the 123rd Boston Marathon with the best from around the world, running 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.
“It’s been a goal of mine for so long,” said Nelson, both a cross-country and swim team standout at Foxboro High. “I started long distance running in seventh grade so that’s when the dream started.”
Her dream came to fruition. In her third-ever marathon, the youngest Foxboro runner was the first to cross the finish, hands high above her head in triumph. Nelson earned an official time of 3:36.44 as she ran at an impressive 8:16 per-mile pace.
Nelson’s experience, while a long time coming, was worth the wait. Notably, her qualifying time from the Providence Marathon in May 2018 was actually the second time she earned one for Boston. Nelson did so in May 2017 when she was only 16 too, but due to Boston Marathon age restrictions was not allowed to participate until 18.
She said she did not get discouraged, but instead it helped fuel the fire.
Lindsey Nelson raises her arms over her head as she crosses the finish line on Monday.
“The anticipation has just been building because it’s such a historic race and so inspiring,” Nelson said. “There were so many people around you at all times. It felt like you’re doing it all together. It’s a race that’s bigger than yourself so all the other runners are getting you through it too.”
Like many others who took part both Monday and in years past, Nelson said the hills in Newton, specifically ‘Heartbreak Hill’ as it’s known, was the toughest part of the course. She said she underestimated them and started out too fast, finishing her first 3.1 miles in 24:14 and the first 6.2 miles in 47:34. And while the fast start caught up to her on the hills, she was able to push through with the support from spectators.
“After the hills and with a couple miles left, my legs were shot,” Nelson said. “But there’s an incredibly energy in Boston. You can’t put it into words. The crowds are deafening and hearing everyone from strangers to family and friends, I knew I couldn’t stop.”
Nelson said one of her favorite parts was her own ‘Boylston Moment’ despite it feeling like “it was still so long to get there,” she joked. She also “loved every second of” the ‘Scream Tunnel’ as she ran past the Wellesley College students. At that point, it helped pump her up to conquer the hills.
Nelson said her decision to race this year, the first year she was eligible, was due to some unknown factors in the near future. She will be attending New York University while competing in both cross country and track and field so she was not certain if she would be able to put it the time it takes to train for Boston. And then again, there’s no time like the present.
“I just know it’s such an incredible race, so historic, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said. “With going to college next year, and my goal is to do school beyond those four years, so who knows if I’ll have the opportunity beyond that. So, I wanted to take the opportunity as it came.”
Nelson trained for seven weeks after competing on the Warrior swim team all winter. She would take part in long runs every weekend, including her longest of 20 miles, while also sticking with some cross training like yoga, weight lifting and swimming.
Nelson said taking part in the race on the six-year anniversary of the marathon bombing was something she thought about while running as well.
“I was kind of running in remembrance of them too,” Nelson said. “It’s ironic how a couple people tried to tear us down, but it actually made Boston a lot stronger.”
Most importantly, however, Nelson noted the support from her family, like her parents Eric and Wendy and sisters Pam and Lexi, along with friends who joined her at Mile 10 as well as her cross country and swim coaches and teammates.
“I was kind of overwhelmed by support, the amount of people rooting for me was really overwhelming,” Nelson said. “I just can’t get over the energy. It was insane.”