2015 Boston Marathon Thread (Read 689 times)

xhristopher


     

    I haven't seen the jacket live.  I have the storm half-zip, which looks purple on the website and in the booklet we got this week, but I would say it's blue.  I'm waiting to see it at the expo.  My wallet might be safe this year.

     

    Here's a recent shot of the jacket on a Boston office worker walking and reading his phone while on his way to catch the commuter rail back to his suburb.

     

     

     

     

    In case you didn't know, this year's colors are inspired by the Swiss Guard uniform. They claim it's dark blue.

     

     

    mikeymike


      It's April. How the eff did that happen??

      Runners run

      KMB


        saw a runner wearing it running the course Sunday.  It's purple.

        northernman


        Fight The Future

           

          None of my marathons have had locusts.  I'm predicting locusts.

           

          Doesn't look all that bad, you know

           

          locust run

          Julia1971


             

            Doesn't look all that bad, you know

             

             

             

            (Shivers).  I couldn't.  I could barely leave the house during the week of Cicadas Brood X a decade ago.  (Shivers).

             

            Cool temps and a little sun would be nice. 

            mikeymike


              So I broke up with Pfitz last night for good. It wasn't him it was me.

               

              Had a great 20-miler last Sunday, felt easy. So I'm confident I can execute a sub-maximal effort from Hopkinton to Boston on Monday the 20th. Becoming more confident I'll be ready to pop a good one at VCM 34 days later.

               

              Still not sure how I'm getting to Hopkinton on race day ... details.

              Runners run


              Sayhey! MM#130

                I find obsessing about the weather is always good to start up along about now:  [Accuweather for Hopkinton]

                The forecast only goes through the 18th.  What you see for Sunday and Monday is just the historical averages.

                 

                 

                12

                 

                Plenty of sun

                61° Lo 38°

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                57° Lo 34°

                 

                 

                13

                 

                Variably cloudy with a shower

                62° Lo 35°

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                57° Lo 35°

                 

                 

                14

                 

                Rather cloudy with a shower

                59° Lo 37°

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                58° Lo 35°

                 

                 

                15

                 

                A couple of showers; colder

                50° Lo 35°

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                58° Lo 35°

                 

                 

                16

                 

                Sunny and warmer

                57° Lo 39°

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                58° Lo 36°

                 

                 

                17

                 

                Cloudy with a few showers

                54° Lo 33°

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                59° Lo 36°

                 

                 

                18

                 

                Mostly cloudy with a shower

                58° Lo 37°

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                59° Lo 36°

                 

                 

                19

                 

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                60° Lo 36°

                 

                 

                20

                 

                <abbr>Hist. Avg.</abbr>

                60° Lo 37°

                https://agratefullifedotnet.wordpress.com/  (for a piece or two of my mind)

                lagwagon


                  So I broke up with Pfitz last night for good. It wasn't him it was me.

                   

                  i was pretty true to him this time round...except for the tune up races, havent done a one.

                   

                  did a hard tempo today in lieu of racing tomorrow, felt good over hills, and almost on race pace.  last longish outting with 17 tomorrow am, then a couple days off at the family's request.  i'm thinking PR could happen in boston.

                   

                  would love to do the VT race, have many friends up there.  but mostly magic hat.  maybe next year if my lifetime ban gets lifted.

                   

                  btw pfitz said he's sorry and can he have one more chance.

                  lagwagon


                    btw, just started reading "26 Miles to Boston" by M. Connelly.  a few chapters in and its an easy read with some decent anecdotes about the history of the race.  thought i'd mention it in case anyone is looking to get oriented.  also, Bill Rodgers latest book contributed to my interest in running Boston and was a good read with a lot about the race/scene and i found it motivating.

                     

                    if anyone with experience in boston has any favorite course advice (race reports, articles, etc) pls point them out, i'm trying to get mentally prepped and i'm sure others would enjoy.

                    FSBD


                      I'm reading the Connelly book right now too. I'm In Framingham at the moment I've definitely been enjoying it.

                       

                      btw, just started reading "26 Miles to Boston" by M. Connelly.  a few chapters in and its an easy read with some decent anecdotes about the history of the race.  thought i'd mention it in case anyone is looking to get oriented.  also, Bill Rodgers latest book contributed to my interest in running Boston and was a good read with a lot about the race/scene and i found it motivating.

                       

                      if anyone with experience in boston has any favorite course advice (race reports, articles, etc) pls point them out, i'm trying to get mentally prepped and i'm sure others would enjoy.

                      We are the music makers,

                          And we are the dreamers of dreams,

                      Wandering by lone sea-breakers,

                          And sitting by desolate streams; 

                      World-losers and world-forsakers,

                          On whom the pale moon gleams:

                      Yet we are the movers and shakers

                          Of the world for ever, it seems.

                      northernman


                      Fight The Future

                        For any of you who are familiar with Boston, what would you think will be the best way to get back to my hotel at the end of the race? I'm staying at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge, Overlooking Boston, which unfortunately is about 2.5 miles or so from the race end. The only other time i ran Boston, I had to get off the subway after the explosions and there were no taxis so I walked 2 miles to my hotel. Would be great to avoid that this time! Think I can catch a cab at a hotel near the end, or do they only work for staying guests? Or make a try for the red line (maybe the Park street station), then get off at the Central station and somehow get over to the Hyatt? Wish I'd found a hotel closer to a T station.

                        mikeymike


                          Uber.

                          Runners run

                            Hopefully there are no explosions this time and cabs are easier to come by!

                            2018 Goals

                            Figure out the achilles thing...... and THEN try to get running regularly again.

                            No racing goals 

                             

                            Julia1971


                              I ran 18 miles this morning.  I've been having high hamstring issues since a few days after RnR DC when I probably ran my medium run too hard.  Today's run wasn't too bad.  I ran rolling hills at the end in an effort to simulate Newton and the downhill into Boston.  I'm happy with how it went.  I'm feeling very positive about running the course well.

                               

                              Lagwagon, I don't really have any advice on running the race.  I haven't run Boston very well but am intent on running it better this time.  I usually just watch Spirit of the Marathon to get inspired...  I think my favorite parts of Boston include:

                              • The kids in the crowds.  They really want you to high-five them or take their cup of water or orange.  It's really hard to resist and even though I have a heart of stone, I end up engaging with them.
                              • Boston College.  Maybe because I'm female but I find it so much more fun than Wellesley.  Plus, it's all downhill from there.
                              • Boylston.  It seems to recede as you get closer but it's hard not to get chills running that home stretch.
                              • Strangers after the race.  That medal makes you a celebrity.  Strangers will come up to you and ask you how you did.  I'll never forget my first Boston when some ne'er-do-wells congratulated me and asked me how I did.  Last year, a random stranger hugged me and thanked me for running.  Okay, maybe those were also because I'm female.  Smile

                              I would say the one thing that always surprises me is the anti-climax at the finish.  There isn't a post-race festival that you see at a lot of races.  You walk a very long way, grabbing fluids and food along the way and that's it.  Off you go.

                               

                              Northernman, I don't have any advice.  I've always stayed about a mile from the finish so I could walk.  And, even that felt like a lot.  I would take a cab (or Uber) if at any point I thought I might have to walk more than a half mile.

                              doctorjen


                                Hopefully there are no explosions this time and cabs are easier to come by!

                                 

                                "Hopefully"?  Yikes.

                                 

                                I'm heading in to full on taper this week.  Did 16 miles yesterday day quite comfortably, so that's good.  I have one more speed work out tomorrow, and then mostly easy miles with some strides until race day.

                                 

                                I have apparently entered the race anxiety dream phase of the taper.  Yesterday I dozed off on the couch and dreamt that I started the race, and then a few blocks in discovered I was running on clogs instead of running shoes!  I round a corner just then and see a friend, who tells me she is there to volunteer.  I toss her my car keys and beg her to go find my car and my running shoes.  She takes off.  Just then, the course turns and we all run in to a YMCA.  So we are running hallways, and staircases, and I'm lost and can't figure out where to go, especially because there are swim team parents standing around everywhere taking up space.  Luckily, then I woke up.  Whew.

                                 

                                I have the running inside dream a fair amount before an important race.  Don't really know what that's about.

                                 

                                My big goal for the next 2 weeks is just not to fall down the stairs or anything stupid.  Otherwise, I feel as ready as I guess I'm going to.