I'm Rachel Swayby, and this is Human Race, a podcast from Runner's World.

Each week on Human Race, we tell a story about runners and the world of running.

This week, a sprint, so a short story.

We'll be back with a longer piece next week.

For now, well, hold your nose, because we're going to dive right in.

We put these borderjons out for all the runners because obviously they're anxious, they're hydrating,

and they have to go multiple times during the course of leading up to the race. Well, so do those

working the race. This is Dave McGillivry. Dave has been the Boston Marathon Race Director for 15 years.

Recently, I went to Boston to interview Dave for our story next week.

He's not the main subject, but he does play a part.

And while I was there, he told me this pretty surprising, very unfortunate story about a porta potty.

As Dave says, even race officials need to use them. And for Dave, timing is really important.

Because once the race starts, he's away from relief for a few hours.

And so I, because I'm going to jump on a lead motorcycle, whatever, and beyond that

bike, after the gunfires and everything else.

Again, Dave is the race director.

He plans for everything, including the fact that he won't have time to stand in line with

runners to visit the porta potty.

He has too many other obligations at the start of the race.

So? We set aside a Port-A-Jon right at the start, not just for me, but for those working

the start, and we put it underneath a pop-up tent so no one else can see it because we don't want

to attract people, and we lock it. They put a padlock on the outside.

...