Forde deals with different kind of wall

Mystic resident survives first Boston Marathon

Right about mile 18 of his first Boston Marathon, Matt Forde wondered what he had gotten himself into.

A Manchester, England native and Southeast Soccer Club coach, Forde is more accustomed to the kind of wall that he bends a ball around than one a marathoner hits.

It certainly didn't help that heat and humidity rolled in after heavy early morning rain showers.

"I would have preferred the wind and rain, absolutely," Forde said. "That's my kind of weather, not the heat and humidity. It went really well until the second hill and then the cramps set in. I was able to fight through the hills and finish

somewhat reasonably well."

The 45-year-old Forde, who lives in Mystic, made a solid Boston Marathon debut, finishing in three hours, 13 minutes and 33 seconds to meet the qualifying standard for next year's race.

A very stiff and sore Forde talked about his marathon adventure during a phone call Monday evening from Boston where he stayed the night.

"An amazing experience," Forde said. "I was nervous, excited and a little worried about what's coming and just in awe of the event. Having run it now and finished it, to say I've done it is incredible. What a fantastic event. I'd do it all over again and hopefully I will do it again."

The day started off on the wrong and wet foot, as the skies opened up as the runners boarded the buses to the starting line.

"It was a complete mess," Forde said.

The rain faded but uncomfortable conditions moved in as the race started.

It's a good thing Forde was in terrific shape, thanks to a 20-week training program and some friendly and wise advice from fellow runners Jim Roy and Stanley Mickus. Forde traded his soccer cleats for running shoes a few years ago and began running competitively.

"I needed something to fill my life," said Forde, who qualified for Boston at the New Jersey Marathon last April.

That seemed like a great idea until Forde started cramping at mile 18. But he survived and fed off the encouragement of the large, enthusiastic crowd that lined the historic route. He also drew inspiration from friendly race volunteers.

He soaked in the atmosphere during the race, especially down the home stretch on Boylston Street where his family — wife Jodi and children Thomas (15) and Emma (11) — waited for him. His parents, who made the trip from England, also were on hand.

"It's just fabulous," Forde said. "It's something that I'll remember for the rest of my life making the turn and the noise level was incredible. I was struggling a little bit and just seeing my family and hearing the noise on Boylston Street picked everybody up."

Once he finished, Forde had an emotional reunion with his family. Thomas is already talking about running the Boston Marathon in a few years.

About the only thing that Forde regrets about his experience is drinking a beer right after the race.

"I thought it would be a good idea but it wasn't," Forde said. "It wasn't the right thing to drink right away. You think it is, but it's not."

Don't worry, Forde eventually felt well enough to raise a pint or two later.

Forde was just one of several local runners to complete the race. In her Boston debut, Kris-Anne Kane of Preston finished in 3:54:48. Kane overcame a series of setbacks while training for the event, so it was a tremendous accomplishment no matter her time.

"It wasn't a very good race," she said. "I learned about the hills of Boston. I think I made a beginner's mistake of going out a little too fast on the first part. I had to do a little walking here and there. I didn't hit my goal but I was under four hours. I qualified to run Boston again next year and got the medal. "Overall, it was a good day." Kane hasn't decided if she'll run Boston again. Odds are the competitor in her will convince her to return. Experiencing the thrill of heading down Boylston Street toward the finish in front of a cheering crowd may be enough to pull her back to the starting line in Hopkinton next year.

"It was an amazing experience," Kane said.

In another interesting story involving a runner with local ties, David Barnett, 62, who's from Ledyard but now lives in Boxborough, Mass., ran his 25th straight Boston Marathon. He has raised money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in his last 22 races. He finished in 3:26.37.