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Did you PR at Boston? (Read 1050 times)

    How do you people PR at a marathon that starts after 10:00 AM Shocked Confused By the time my wave goes I will have been up over 6 hours(4 AM). I am thinking < 4 hours. The knee will decide. BQ 3:37:28.

     

    10 AM eastern is 7 AM for us left coasters.  Perfect starting time. Wink

    ccallendar


      10 AM eastern is 7 AM for us left coasters.  Perfect starting time. Wink

       

      Haha good point!  Well it will definitely be a course PR for me since it's my first time running it.  But I appreciate the comments in this thread, there is always a lot to learn about a course before running it, and these little details can make a big difference during a marathon.  In my previous marathons I've always made sure to check out the biggest hills a day or two before, and run up them just to see what they're like.  I definitely plan to go jog up Heartbreak Hill too.

       

      Oh, and bhearn - nice pacing last year.  Your 5K splits are incredibly consistent - 21 minutes every time until the end when you picked it up.  Impressive.

      bhearn


        Oh, and bhearn - nice pacing last year.  Your 5K splits are incredibly consistent - 21 minutes every time until the end when you picked it up.  Impressive.

         

        Thanks. This will be my 8th consecutive Boston; I've got my pacing there down to a science.

         

        My first Boston was a disaster. I thought I had studied the course thoroughly, and was prepared for the hills. Maybe -- but what I wasn't prepared for was the heat; I went out too fast for the conditions and blew up big time. If it hadn't been my first Boston, I would have DNFed.

         

        Also I wore one of those Boston-specific pacebands Nike will generate for you at the expo. Don't use those. They have you going out too fast. They are adjusted for local topography, but not for the global effect of 16 miles of downhill, 5 miles of hills, 5 miles of downhill. It is counterintuitive, but you want to negative split that profile.

        runnerclay


        Consistently Slow

          " 16 miles of downhill, 5 miles of hills, 5 miles of downhill. ",.,

           

          My knee is not going to be a happy camper.

          Run until the trail runs out.

           SCHEDULE 2016--

           The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

          unsolicited chatter

          http://bkclay.blogspot.com/

          xhristopher


            " My knee is not going to be a happy camper.

             

            Hasn't anyone ever told you running is bad for your knees?
              Hasn't anyone ever told you running is bad for your knees?

               

              And your uterus.

                I'll offer up some different advice. I believe a positive split of about 30-60 seconds will give you the fastest time possible on the course. Why? You still have to run up 4 pretty big hills from miles 16-21. Those miles (typically 17,18,20 & 21) should be slower than any other mile on your race, so therefore this leads to a positive split, but not a big one, because:

                 

                1. Mile 16 will most likely be your fastest mile.

                2. Miles 22-to-finish are basically all downhill and flat.

                 

                If you push it too much up the 4 Newton hills you'll be dead by the top of Heartbreak.

                 

                Also, mile 19 should be fast, it is pretty much downhill all the way.

                 

                gmaclin makes a great spreadsheet that I know many people have used with positive results.

                 

                I was the race pretty evenly last year, though I am most disappointed that I probably left a 2:47 out there in the last 5+ miles...

                 

                5K: 19:55 (6:24.23/mile) - 19:55 (6:24.63/mile)
                10k: 19:49 (6:22.70/mile) - 39:44 (6:23.67/mile)
                15k: 19:39 (6:19.48/mile) - 59:23 (6:22.27/mile)
                20k: 19:50 (6:23.02/mile) - 1:19:13 (6:22.46/mile)
                25k: 19:47 (6:22.06/mile) - 1:39:00 (6:22.38/mile)
                30k: 20:12 (6:30.10/mile) - 1:59:12 (6:23.67/mile)  <- This has two Newton Hills
                35k: 20:31 (6:36.22/mile) - 2:19:43 (6:25.46/mile)  <- This has the other two Newton Hills
                40k: 20:12 (6:30.10/mile) - 2:39:55 (6:26.04/mile) <- This was a tad disappointing
                42.195k: 8:46 (6:25.66/mile) - 2:48:41 (6:26.02/mile)

                 

                1:23:30-1:25:11....


                  5K: 19:55 (6:24.23/mile) - 19:55 (6:24.63/mile)
                  10k: 19:49 (6:22.70/mile) - 39:44 (6:23.67/mile)
                  15k: 19:39 (6:19.48/mile) - 59:23 (6:22.27/mile)
                  20k: 19:50 (6:23.02/mile) - 1:19:13 (6:22.46/mile)
                  25k: 19:47 (6:22.06/mile) - 1:39:00 (6:22.38/mile)
                  30k: 20:12 (6:30.10/mile) - 1:59:12 (6:23.67/mile)  <- This has two Newton Hills
                  35k: 20:31 (6:36.22/mile) - 2:19:43 (6:25.46/mile)  <- This has the other two Newton Hills
                  40k: 20:12 (6:30.10/mile) - 2:39:55 (6:26.04/mile) <- This was a tad disappointing
                  42.195k: 8:46 (6:25.66/mile) - 2:48:41 (6:26.02/mile)

                   

                  1:23:30-1:25:11....

                   

                  Those are some amazingly consistent splits, the difference from your slowest to fastest 5k is 3.77 seconds per mile.  I probably just suck at pacing, but, I doubt I could jump out of an airplane and free fall at that consistent of a pace....much less run 26.2 somewhat hilly miles.  Nice job.

                  Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

                  ccallendar


                    Thanks. This will be my 8th consecutive Boston; I've got my pacing there down to a science.

                     

                    My first Boston was a disaster. I thought I had studied the course thoroughly, and was prepared for the hills. Maybe -- but what I wasn't prepared for was the heat; I went out too fast for the conditions and blew up big time. If it hadn't been my first Boston, I would have DNFed.

                     

                    Also I wore one of those Boston-specific pacebands Nike will generate for you at the expo. Don't use those. They have you going out too fast. They are adjusted for local topography, but not for the global effect of 16 miles of downhill, 5 miles of hills, 5 miles of downhill. It is counterintuitive, but you want to negative split that profile.

                     

                    Thanks for the advice.  Looks like we're in the same corral this year (I'm 2849).  Should be a blast! 

                      Some thoughts from Greg McMillan, who, I find, offers succinct, practical advice.

                      "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                      runnerclay


                      Consistently Slow

                        And your uterus.

                         

                        Not my uterus!

                        Run until the trail runs out.

                         SCHEDULE 2016--

                         The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

                        unsolicited chatter

                        http://bkclay.blogspot.com/

                        runnerclay


                        Consistently Slow

                          Some thoughts from Greg McMillan, who, I find, offers succinct, practical advice.

                           

                          Thanks

                          Run until the trail runs out.

                           SCHEDULE 2016--

                           The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

                          unsolicited chatter

                          http://bkclay.blogspot.com/

                          xhristopher


                            Some thoughts from Greg McMillan, who, I find, offers succinct, practical advice.

                             

                            With my leg issue I've been going easy on the downhills. This is going to be entertaining, especially when I go out down the first hill slower than my entire corrall.
                            ccallendar


                              With my leg issue I've been going easy on the downhills. This is going to be entertaining, especially when I go out down the first hill slower than my entire corrall.

                               

                              Just make sure to get your elbows out and take up as much space as possible Smile

                               

                              I was doing some hard downhill training to prepare for Boston a few weeks ago and injured my quad.  But luckily it's healed quickly, and I'm hoping that it actually strengthened the quad as that Greg McMillan article suggests (using DOMs to your advantage).  

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