Forums >Racing>2019 Boston Marathon Thread
I hadn't raced since my qualifier in Sept so I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought 3:50 was a reasonable goal. I ended up running 3:34 - a PR by 4 minutes. So I had a really good day. I used to race bicycles in my 20's to my 40's and I always liked races when it was really hot as I felt it gave me an advantage. So I think my body tolerates heat better than most.
My pace was as even as it could be. Start to end. I started to feel a little woozy in the last half mile - and it seemed to take forever to finish - but I made it.
There was a row of wheelchairs at the finish and I asked if I could sit down for a minute. The woman said yes, but if I did I would have to go to the med tent. So I declined. I recovered in a few minutes.
I took three cups of fluids at every aid station after mile 8. Two to drink and one to pour over myself. I think that really helped.
I couldn't believe the number of people walking by Newton hills. And ti got worse from there to the end. I had to bob and weave more than I would have liked. Saw 7 people on the ground being attended to by medical personnel.
I had to drop out last year with hypothermia so I guess I do a lot better in the heat than the cold.
I was in wave three and it was raining for me getting on the buss. Then no rain by the time we got to the athlete's village. No rain the entire time I ran - and part of the time: sun, I have a slight sunburn!. And then it started to rain just after I finished.
not bad for mile 25
I hadn't raced since my qualifier in Sept so I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought 3:50 was a reasonable goal. I ended up running 3:34 - a PR by 4 minutes. So I had a really good day. I used to race bicycles in my 20's to my 40's and I always liked races when it was really hot as I felt it gave me an advantage. So I think my body tolerates heat better than most. My pace was as even as it could be. Start to end. I started to feel a little woozy in the last half mile - and it seemed to take forever to finish - but I made it. There was a row of wheelchairs at the finish and I asked if I could sit down for a minute. The woman said yes, but if I did I would have to go to the med tent. So I declined. I recovered in a few minutes. I took three cups of fluids at every aid station after mile 8. Two to drink and one to pour over myself. I think that really helped. I couldn't believe the number of people walking by Newton hills. And ti got worse from there to the end. I had to bob and weave more than I would have liked. Saw 7 people on the ground being attended to by medical personnel. I had to drop out last year with hypothermia so I guess I do a lot better in the heat than the cold. I was in wave three and it was raining for me getting on the buss. Then no rain by the time we got to the athlete's village. No rain the entire time I ran - and part of the time: sun, I have a slight sunburn!. And then it started to rain just after I finished.
Congrats on a great performance on a tough day! Training in Tejas for a warm race is a good thing.
I didn't run it this year, but I remember how tempting those wheelchairs looked at the finish when I did. In fact, they were kind of urging me to take one, but instead, I went and laid down on the grass, drank the protein drink and a bottle of water, and that was sufficient recovery, without medics.
If anyone's interested, I just finished my race report. Hope everyone's recovering well!
My blog is JT Running DC. It's awesome. Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes. Guide to the New York City Marathon. Guide to the Boston Marathon. Guide to Running Gear. Guide to Running Clothes.
That was a great read. Congrats!
Runners run
Julia1971, thanks for the fantastically written race report! What a find!
The humidity and heat just steals a bit off most everyone's times. But it does seem like, given that, you managed it well. So you were off your goal pace by a little bit, and you nicely express how you managed that development at every stage of your race, but you didn't panic nor give up, but allowed for a little slippage without a larger impact.
Thanks for sharing, and your methodology and rigor you bring to your running is inspiring.
Hope to hear more from you in your upcoming adventures.
Julia - I'm amazed that you remember that much detail from the race. Everything blends together in my mind at the end of a long race and all I really remember was that it was hard. Nice RR.
Yeah - I just remember feeling good, starting to get hard, then freaking brutal. When my RR is finished there will be a whole lot more on the rest of the weekend than on the race.
Dave
Thanks, everyone! It is funny to me how I can remember so many details about races but have to think hard about things like how old I am. LOL! I think stress or exhaustion helps my memory somehow.
have to think hard about things like how old I am.
Some things we just choose not to remember.
Will Run for Donuts!
Cool read, and congratulations on a good run given the conditions. I'm impressed you remembered so many details! It's all kind of a blur to me!
Interesting that you remarked on the short taper period of the Hansons plan. I've used Hansons Advanced several times, including for my PR full, and if there's one complaint I've had with it, it's the taper. As a fellow masters runner, it seems like the Hansons taper could be a little longer.
Cool read, and congratulations on a good run given the conditions. I'm impressed you remembered so many details! It's all kind of a blur to me! Interesting that you remarked on the short taper period of the Hansons plan. I've used Hansons Advanced several times, including for my PR full, and if there's one complaint I've had with it, it's the taper. As a fellow masters runner, it seems like the Hansons taper could be a little longer.
Yeah, I get the theory behind the 10 day taper - getting quality workouts in to the very last minute - but, I think I could have used a little more time. My knees were killing me race weekend... This is my second time using Hansons - I was disappointed with the first result but thought I'd try it again. I actually like the training but I haven't had the success with it that others have had.
Ha! You could be on to something...
Nice report! Sounds like you had the same kind of day as a lot of us. Solid performance in those conditions.
I couldn’t help but notice your PR is 43 seconds faster than mine, and your Boston CR is 18 seconds faster than mine (although only one data point for me). I have my goals now!
Feel free to mosey on over to the B&B or L&O if you want to read my report.
Feel free to mosey on over to the Swamp if you want to read my report?
?
Nobody posts race reports over there.