Are we there, yet?
It's considered an easy course by most, including me. It's just tricky to run, because of where the hills are on the course.
3 of my 6 fastest marathon times, including my PB, were at Boston. Unless you're a flatlander, the hills are not big. It's just that they come between miles 16 and 21, which is often a difficult time in the marathon anyway. The mild downhill start and running past Wellesley College at 13+ miles can also upset your planned pacing, which can then make the hills a real killer.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K, 9:11:09 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Runs4Sanity
Morning! I have an SRD but with us flying out tomorrow for the race, I might as well do Saturday's workout today. So, Pilates and 5 miles tonight. Basya, good news on the albuterol and the extra sleep. Dave, nice 8. I am glad to see your knee withstanding good miles. Little Blue, I want to know about the recipe as well, yum. Andrea, go to bed!
Morning! I have an SRD but with us flying out tomorrow for the race, I might as well do Saturday's workout today. So, Pilates and 5 miles tonight.
Basya, good news on the albuterol and the extra sleep.
Dave, nice 8. I am glad to see your knee withstanding good miles.
Little Blue, I want to know about the recipe as well, yum.
Andrea, go to bed!
Sadly I have to work today, so I'll be drinking 2 Black Mamba's (it's an energy drink) today and heading home at 3 and going to sleep.
Apparently Dorian's ears are fine today, no fluid and it seems that they are hearing fine.....ugh, but they didn't get a good hearing test on the left ear so the doc wants to see him again on March 6.
*Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*
PRs
5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace)
10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)
15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)
13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)
26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)
I am not used to running on hills. Is it best to stick to planned pace even on the downhill miles?
It's the effort, not the pace, that is critical. As I said, it's a mild downhill start. If you aren't looking for it, you may not even notice it until you find that you're running a lot faster than you should.
I don't know what would be best for you, but for me, I ran the first half in the low 7:40s and the second half in the 7:50s. The last 2 or 3 miles were 8:00 to 8:20. But that's normal for me.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
Run by perceived effort.
6 miles in palm springs (rancho mirage) this morning...and there was no snow in case your're wondering...enjoy your weekend everyone, and the super bowl (if you care)
marathon pr - 3:16
Just run.
Ok, I didn't know if it would trash my quads running downhill even if it felt easy.
I've been incorporating downhill 400s, alternating down and up 400s, rolling 800s, and hilly long runs, especially those starting more downhill and finishing more uphill. This shit better work.
Former Bad Ass
I am sure I would find the Boston course mountainous.
Don't worry LRB, I'll cover for you at the office. On my way!
Damaris
To answer the specific question, +1. The first 4 miles are downhill and it's ok to be a bit quicker, but don't go crazy (otherwise you'll pay for it later). Wellesley will pump you up, so be careful. The hills are from 16-21. You will lose a bit of time here, but guess what, it's all downhill to the finish from there! My splits weren't 100% ideal, but to give you an idea, check out 2010:
http://www.runningahead.com/logs/1f991d1e250741d89f9c1166a1b4a615/workouts/3dac487030b64b96b6cae91982539dc4
I do, and I might be attending my first ever superbowl party.
From the Internet.
Fly by check-in, I'll be back later on I came to work to use my SAD lamp and run on the treadmill at the university gym, and I promised myself that if I got my lazy butt out of bed and came in today I could buy a new pair of shorts. Shorts are ordered (these babies) so now I guess I should do some work and make my way to the gym.
I have never heard the words easy and Boston in the same sentence. I understand it's relatively speaking though and appreciate the perspective. As I said, I am enlightened.
I think another thing that gets lost is that it is sometimes eleventy billion degrees there on race day, which would require an even more drastic goal adjustment.