Runner from P.E.I. is Boston bound

Charles Reid

Published on April 16, 2011

Jen Nicholson of Cornwall crosses the finish line at the
Hamilton Road 2 Hope Marathon in November.
(Submitted photo)

Cornwall’s Jen Nicholson will run among the elite runners
at the prestigious marathon

You might consider Cornwall resident Jen Nicholson in the front row for the 115th Boston Marathon, which goes Monday.

That after the 42-year-old marathoner’s times qualified her for a place in the women’s Elite Division.

She’s way up there in the race, thanks to the complimentary entry, wearing bib No. 111 when her start time at 9:32 a.m. comes around on Monday.

Nicholson, a masters runner and a mother of three, is in the same field as contenders like Kenya’s Sharon Cherop, Tey ba Erkesso of Ethiopia (last year’s winner) and Tatyana Pushkareva of Russia, who finished second last year by three seconds.

“It’s once in a lifetime. I’m a little bit in shock,” said Nicholson, who leaves today for Boston with fellow entrant Alexandra Keedwell of Charlottetown. “(They’re) people I read about in magazines.”

Nicholson, a two-time P.E.I. Marathon champion, was the top female at the Hamilton Marathon last November in a personal best time of two hours, 50 minutes, 18 seconds.

She’s one of 34 Island-based runners making the run to Boston.

Included is last year’s P.E.I. Marathon winner Scott Clark of Summerside and perennial Boston competitor Leo McCosham of Charlottetown.

This will be Nicholson’s second Boston Marathon.

She has improved considerably on her 3:06:31 Boston time recorded three years ago.

This year she has another mark in her sights.

“The 2:50. I’d like to go after that, (but) I don’t want to jinx myself. I want to feel like I left everything on the course.”

To prepare for Boston's hilly course, Nicholson trained in Cornwall and Bonshaw, focusing on going up and on the downhills, which for a runner can be tougher.

She said the pounding a runner’s legs take on the downhills can drain energy as the race progresses and leave a runner legless and weak down the stretch.

Nicholson, like the bulk of the Island’s runners in the Boston Marathon, is over 40.

Only four of the 34 entrants are younger, but Nicholson isn’t worried, as she thinks she’s gotten better with age.

“I don’t feel limited. It’s very motivating,” she said, referring to Clark, 47. “A lot of it is mental (strength). A little experience doesn’t hurt.”

creid@theguardian.pe.ca

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Runners listed as being from P.E.I. for Monday's 115th running of the Boston Marathon:

Jules Aucoin, 46, Summerside

Paul N. Baglole, 50, Meadow Bank

Kimberley Bailey, 46, Cornwall

Diane Boswall, 50, Charlottetown

Elaine G. Burkholder, 53, Charlottetown

Robert C. Burt, 37, Summerside