Article reposted from The Enterprise
Author: Anna Burgess
After 30 years at the Boston Marathon, it’s impossible for Brockton trainer Jeri Connor to summarize the collapses, comebacks, breakdowns, and victories she has seen.
Connor, who was at the marathon finish line Monday morning waiting for the first wave of runners, said Patriot’s Day always stirs a lot of emotions.
Throughout the day, Connor finds the marathon inspiring, sad, interesting, and exhausting — but in a good way.
“It’s just a fun day,” she said. “The mood, the whole atmosphere is fun. There are so many positive things you see.”
Connor has been an athletic trainer at Brockton High School for more than 20 years, and has been volunteering for the marathon even longer.
She was at the finish line in 2011 when Geoffrey Mutai ran the fastest marathon ever, she was there in 2013 when the bombs went off, and she’ll be there next year, for the five-year anniversary.
On Monday morning, as the wheelchair participants zoomed across the finish line and the elite runners approached their halfway point, the temperature climbed into the 70s and the sun beat down.
Connor said she was most worried about treating heat exhaustion on a day like Monday.
“The finish line is pretty hot,” she said.
The worst conditions Connor has seen were about five years ago, when the temperature neared 90 degrees.
Connor’s status as a medical volunteer at the finish line is now coveted–there’s a long wait list.
Connor won’t be giving up her seniority for a long time, she said.
“I don’t plan on not doing it anytime soon.”