Chicago / Boston Marathon double race report, part 11: Departure day traditions (including food porn, part 3)

While I really like Thornton's for breakfast (thanks to Robert Wang for having introduced me to that place a few years ago), my toes were still bothering me enough where I didn't think I'd really be able to be moving fast enough to make sure I got there early enough to have breakfast and then get to my first traditional stop of the day on time, so I partook in the hotel's complimentary continental breakfast. While no great shakes, it was still pretty good.

Check out and have my main bag held by the front desk, I slowly make my way back to the T station, off to Marathon Sports -- right by the finish line area. Every year on the morning after the marathon, they set up a tent outside their store and offer free medal engraving -- your name and finishing time engraved on the back of that year's medal. The line builds fast, so getting there about 90 minutes early is worth it, especially when the rest of the day is often a bit compressed.

This day, the store was a bit behind schedule, and even told everyone they would be starting at 10:30am -- which is 30 minutes later than the information that everyone had been given. Thankfully they caught up a bit, and only started about 10 minutes later than the expected 10am start.

Here's the "pentagram of time" photo that we took.

Starting with my medal at the bottom and going clockwise from there, we have the five of us pictured below, left to right (me, Sagirah Norris, Kelly Wrobel, Jonathan Howse, and Laura Walker).

Whereas the others had a stop at Lindt and several other stores ahead of them, I was on my traditional mission to get to the lunch I wish were open on Mondays, to be able to partake in immediately after the marathon. Alas, I always have to "settle" for going there on Tuesday. And I make sure that my flight is late enough in the afternoon to accommodate this jaunt to the best burger joint in Boston: Mr. Bartley's -- a Harvard Square institution that I was introduced to during one of my trips with my parents to visit my brother when he was in college nearby and attending law school there.

Each year, they revamp their menu to some extent, at least choosing prominent politicians and other celebrities to name their burgers after. 

This year, I got the Joe Biden -- a BBQ bacon cheeseburger (though I subbed in cheddar cheese for the standard American cheese). Change the standard french fries to onion rings, and add on a chocolate shake (that's a small shake, pictured) -- and you've got a GREAT lunch. So tasty, and my goal is to arrive as close to their 11am opening time as possible. Get there after they've been open for a while, and you might have a hefty wait on your hands to get a seat. I got there right after they opened -- first person in the door. Friendly staff, amusing tchotchkes and memorabilia line the walls, good music playing on their sound system -- it all adds up to a great time. If you do go (and you really should), make sure to bring cash, since they don't take credit cards.

This year I wound up having a relatively late flight, so I went back to the hotel and hung out there for a while before taking the shuttle to the airport. Back at the same departure gate as my first day, and that same blast modem-like static noise is still blaring. What the hell is it? And why haven't they done anything about it? Sigh.

Finally back home -- and it's only 6 months until Boston Marathon 2022, and only about 3 weeks until registration opens up  for it. I know that I will be able to get in, so I've already got my hotel reservation made. Thankfully I'll be able to go back to enjoying everything surrounding the marathon a little bit more, since I won't be jetting off to a different city in the middle of the Boston weekend.

Next up, I've got three more marathons this season, every other weekend. Stay tuned for more details about those.