An avid runner since middle school, Dr. Jonathan Moody has run over 3,000 miles per year in the past five years and participated in over 30 marathons, both on roads and trails.

Recently, he decided to celebrate his 40^th birthday by running the Boston Marathon. Dr. Moody also looks forward to successful seasons in Cross Country and Track & Field next year.

Why did you decide on this race to celebrate your birthday?

"The time required to qualify for the Boston Marathon is based on your age on race day, so having a birthday of April 13^th is perfect, since the race (Patriot's Day) is a few days after that each year. Qualifying times change every five years for those of us of a certain age, so running the time needed was five minutes easier when I attempted to qualify in 2018 for this year's race."

What were you most excited about leading up to the race?

"I was most excited to visit Boston for the first time. I was lucky enough to head up a week early to be part of a site visit to Ursuline Academy of Dedham, Massachusetts on behalf of the Ursuline Sisters. It was fun to see the similarities and differences between our sister schools. It also gave me a chance to explore the region before the race."

What was the energy like in Boston on race day?

"It was storming early that morning before the race, but thankfully conditions improved a little before the start. I was in the first wave, but still had to wait several hours after arriving near the start line before we began. The course was lined with spectators and supporters almost the entire 26.2 miles. The enthusiasm and energy were awesome; I gave little kids more high-fives than I could count in the second half of the race when I was struggling a bit mentally and physically, so that was wonderful. Stopping to hug my wife at the top of Heartbreak Hill was worth the slight slowdown it produced. It was wonderful to have her up there supporting me during the race and to explore Boston together afterwards."

Did the race live up to your expectations?

"I headed into the race expecting a challenge and got that and then some. The experience was certainly one I would want to repeat again someday, but not necessarily every year. I was sad to miss the District Track & Field Meet while away."

What made this race different?

"This marathon was point to point, which meant 25,000+ runners were bussed from Boston to the start line out in Hopkinton. I had never been in a race that large and was essentially running in a crowd of people for the first 10-12 miles before space opened up. I have also never run a marathon with as many runners of similar abilities.