By David Fleet

Editor

April 17 marked four years since the Boston Marathon bombings.

The tragedy killed three people, injured hundreds of others and sent the city into hysteria— forever altering the iconic 26.2-mile run.

For Goodrich resident Rodney Reneski the race is a unique mix of pride, resilience and triumph.

“It’s Boston Strong all over town,” said Reneski, 50, how completed his second Boston Marathon. “It’s just a different feeling there—I’ll return.”

Reneski joined 30,074 racers this year and completed the trek in 3:44:35, placing 11,066 out of 14,448 male runners. It was his second run at Boston. In 2014, the year following the bombings, he completed the race in a brisk 2:57:26.

“The security this year was very prominent compared to three years ago,” he said. “There were police dogs and national guardsmen everywhere. They had weapons, too. Snipers were on the tops of buildings—you could see their rifles. I felt they were protecting me, like I’m the president or something. I felt very safe, but rather uneasy with all the guns at first.”

The atmosphere quickly changes, said Reneski.

“The walk to the starting corral is about a half mile,” he said. “I kept thinking it’s a shame they have be protecting you with guns. I’m glad the soldiers are there, but it just too bad it’s necessary. Then you stand there shoulder to shoulder ready to go with all those runners, they sing the National Anthem, the Air Force fighter jets fly low over the crowd and you just don’t notice the soldiers anymore. Then we start.”

There’s nothing like Boston for a race.

“There are six cities you run through,” he said. “The people along the course never let up either—26 miles of cheering for you. Every mile of the course the crowds are incredible. Runners come to Boston just for that experience.”

Reneski qualified for Boston via the Bay Shore Marathon in Traverse City last May with a time of 3:03:01—outpacing his 50-54 age group required time of 3:30 by about 27 minutes.

“Due to the popularity of Boston there’s no guarantee you’ll get to race even if you qualify,” he said. “They want the very best of the best runners out there so it now depends on how much past the qualifying time you make it. I was able to register on Monday—so I had first choice.”

“You really forget that Boston is a world marathon,” he said. “There were 99 countries represented. You can hear the crowd yell, ‘Go Argentina!’ or ‘Go Venezuela!’ as you run by and see the country’s flags. Honestly, no one yelled, ‘Go Goodrich!’”

The first 13 miles of the race is pretty flat, recalls Reneski.

“The last half you have to stay conservative,” he said. “There’s the Newton Hills and of course Heartbreak Hill is a difficult portion. It is a steep half-mile uphill at mile 20.”

“It’s a challenge running in Atlas Township with few significant elevations,” laughed Reneski. “About eight weeks prior I’m out for 56-70 miles per week. I hit the back roads in the evenings and head south on Hadley Road to the hills before the state park. It’s a decent run.”

Reneski, a 1984 Warren Woods Tower High School graduate, came from a running family.

“There are eight of us in the family,” he said. “They were all sprinters in high school. That was just not for me. So I chose distance running—cross country. Then after high school I quit for about eight years. At 26-years-old I decided it was time I got back in shape so I started again. I ran about a mile a day and felt better about my self.”

In 1999 he participated in the Detroit Free Press Marathon, and later Iron Man competitions in Florida and Wisconsin.

“I qualified many times for Boston, but did not go,” he said. “Then my brother Randy qualified and I went to support him. It was such a grand stage I was persuaded to try Boston.”

“Now the goal is to come back each year to Boston and qualify as many friends as possible,” he said. “It’s really a different experience, it just such an honor to run Boston.