(STEVEN SENNE / AP)

We are so in awe of our teammates, friends, and all of the runners we saw yesterday at our support station at the top of Heartbreak Hill. You guys kicked the heat’s ass and gave us a chance to be a little part of your inspiring day. So for that, we thank YOU!

There were many highlights from yesterday; here are our top ten:

1. Hearing 150 orange vuvuzellas at once.
2. Turning our water stop into a “car wash” sponge squeezing station at the last minute.
3. Getting heartfelt “I love yous” &  marriage proposals from runners (we love you too!)
4. Squeezing icy cold soaked sponges on each other by mistake.
5. Meeting Ethan, the awesome neighbor who let us use his hose when we ran out of water.
6. Spotting every one of our Team RaceMenu runners, whether in their bright orange singlet or their charity team gear.
7. Turning away just as ultra marathoner Dean Karnazes reached down his pants with a handful of ice.
8. Seeing everyone from Team Hoyt, especially our good friends and race partners Dick & Rick.
9. Accidentally squeezing water onto photographers with really expensive cameras.
10. Witnessing the positive attitude and determination each of you needed to reach the finish line.

Yesterday, we published the RaceMenu Guide to Marathon Weekend, which is a list of events to check out in the Boston area, and we heard back from many of you about other cool things you thought people should know about. Never fear! Without further ado, we’ve got PART 2 of our guide right here!

ONGOING – All Weekend

Twitter/Instagram Map
John Hancock is offering an interactive Twitter/Instagram map and contest through their Facebook page. All Tweets/Instagrams with #bostonmarathon hashtag are added to the map.
Link: John Hancock’s Facebook Page

THURSDAY – April 12th

Grand Opening Event – Spaulding National Running Center
Learn about the latest research in gait training and running mechanics and tour the clinic and running lab. See live demos of biomechanical evaluations of running and enter a drawing for a free SNRC Running Injury Clinic Assessment! Featuring Dr. Irene Davis – the “Barefoot Running Professor,” Ernst van Dyk – 9 time Boston Marathon Champion, Chris McDougall – Best Selling Author of “Born to Run.” Light hors d’ourves and refreshments will be available.

When: Tours from 4-6PM; speaking program 6-7PM.
Where: Spaulding National Running Center, 1575 Cambridge Street, Cambridge
Cost: Free! Must RSVP via email – SRopEvents@partners.org
Link: www.spauldingnetwork.org / Flyer (pdf)

MapMyFITNESS Group Run & Hospitality Event
Join the folks from MapMyFITNESS for a 2.82 mile run starting at the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common and ending at Dillon’s for some food & drinks.

When: Group run meets at 5:50PM, 6:30-9:30 at Dillon’s
Where: Boston Common (Parkman Bandstand), Dillon’s, 955 Boylston Street
Cost: Free!
Link: Register Here

SATURDAY – April 14th

Barefoot Running Symposium at the BPL
Head over to the Boston Public Library in Copley Square near the finish line of the marathon for some info on barefoot running. This event showcases well known international speakers who have been studying running biomechanics for years!

When: 1-4PM
Where: Boston Public Library (Rabb Lecture Hall), 700 Boylston Street
Cost: Free!
Link: Symposium Bios

SUNDAY ONE DAY TO GO SUNDAY! – April 15th

No additional events to offer; instead, some shameless self promotion and this video from our friends at Reach The Beach of the first 21 miles of the marathon course from a training run just a few weeks ago. It’ll be sure to get you amped!

2012 Boston Marathon Practice Run

MONDAY, PATRIOTS’ DAY, RACE DAY, LET’S DO THIS! – April 16th

Where to watch
Join us to motivate runners up Heartbreak Hill; RaceMenu will be setting up shop to ease broken hearts on the way up the most popular hill in running. Look for the orange RaceMenu tent, or just listen to the sound of hundreds of orange vuvuzelas blowing sweet nothings in your ear. Heads-up Wellesley, we want Heartbreak Hill to be the loudest cheering section out there on Monday!
Where: Heartbreak Hill, between mile 20 and 21
When: We’ll set up around 9AM
Cost: Free! In fact we’ll give YOU stuff for coming.

If you can’t join us, check out BAA’s Spectator Guide.

Help RaceMenu advance in MassChallenge!
We’ve entered the MassChallenge $1 million startup competition and need your votes to help us advance to the next round.  If this guide is helpful or you just want to help a crew of fun athletes build a great company right here in Boston, we’d really appreciate a moment of your time to give us a 5-star rating over here.

Missed Part I of the RaceMenu Guide to the Marathon? Head back here. 

After last week’s hint of the warm weather to come, we are looking forward to running in April! There a tons of great events for you to sign up for, even if you don’t plan on running a marathon:

April Fools 5K – North Reading, MA 4/1

This is not a prank! The 1st Annual April Fools 5K Race in North Reading, MA will benefit The Hoyt Foundation. Prizes will be given to the top three male and female runners. The race starts at 10am, which should allow you plenty of time to put saran wrap over the toilets before you leave your “loved ones” at home while you get your run on. Note: T-shirts and race bags for the first 100 pre-registered runners. Check your running shoes before you put them on, you never know what those loved ones might have put in them.

Also – if you win your age group, you are the age group record holder. You do not need to tell anyone it is a first year race…REGISTER HERE!

Cambridge City Run – Cambridge, MA 4/1
 

The 26th Annual Marathon Sports Cambridge City Run, also held on April 1st, features a flat, tree-lined course, offering runners and walkers a brisk and scenic tour of Fresh Pond and its surrounding environs. Proceeds from the race go to the Friends of Cambridge Athletics and the Andrea Harvey Memorial Fund. To add to the fun, free short-sleeved race tees go to the first 1,000 registered, compliments of Saucony. The race starts at 10:30am, don’t be late!

Online registration has closed, but you can still register in person at the Marathon Sports Cambridge store during number pickup hours or on the day of the race. Check the race website for details.

Sweat Soul Inspiration Saturday – Franklin Park, Boston, MA 4/7

The Franklin Park Marathon Charity Team has organized a “Sweat, Soul and Inspiration Saturday,” just one week before the Boston Marathon. Start off the day with a guided run of 1-5 miles (it is up to you!) through historic Franklin Park – the gem of Boston’s Emerald Necklace, and the site of the 1992 World Cross Country Championships.

After the run, teachers from Sacred Seeds will be leading two separate yoga classes – one especially for runners, to give you extra tools and strength to power you from Hopkinton through Heartbreak Hill and to the finish – and one just for children and teens.

Finally, the family of Elizabeth Robinson will be on hand; Elizabeth was a true pioneer in women’s running, who won the first Olympic gold Medal for the US Track and Field Team in 1928! REGISTER HERE.

Miles for Michelle – Colt State Park, RI 4/21

This event, Miles for Michelle, sounds like a lot of fun. You’ve got your pick of distances to run (10K, 5K, even drop down to the 1K!) in a beautiful state park, with food & drink afterwards. Does it get any better? Actually, it does – the race is a charity fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Rhode Island. Gavin and Autumn are the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Boy and Girl of the Year – I sure hope they’re running the 1K! The 1K starts at 10AM, while the 5K & 10K are at 11AM…wonder if anyone is crazy enough to try two? REGISTER HERE.

Chelsea Chase – Chelsea, MA 4/28

The first annual Chelsea Chase 5K in support of the Jordan Boys & Girls Club will be run out of the new Dockside Restaurant in Chelsea. The Chelsea Police Relief Association is a beneficiary, so there will certainly be excellent traffic control!

I know I sound like a broken record sometimes, but if you win your age group, you are the age group record holder. You do not need to tell anyone it is a first year race… REGISTER HERE!