Forums >Racing>2018 Boston Marathon Thread
I've been checking Accuweather every couple of days for the past two weeks. It went from 43 on race day to 57. Not a good trend.
an amazing likeness
It's April.
In New England.
Anything beyond 48 hours is a guess.
Ocean water temp is 41F, an onshore breeze (E, SE, NE) is what you want
Except if you want a tailwind.
Oh well.
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
Will Run for Donuts!
For some of us, a great trend! Boston is just going to be a "fun run" for me, so I mostly care about having pleasant temps while I'm waiting. Last year was about perfect, IMHO.
At least we can agree that we'd like it to be dry!
I would welcome 57 degrees! Although 43 would be great, too. Over 65 I might start to worry.
Has all the snow melted up there?!
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
It's snowing.
Runners run
BOOOOOOO!!!!
Okay, I've been watching Youtube course rundowns, studied several different pace calculators and "how to run Boston" articles and am starting to get dialed in. (I hope). Even thrown in a few downhill runs on the treadmill.
I haven't had my best ever training cycle but it has been decent. Ran a half marathon last week to check my fitness and I'm right around where I was kind of expecting.
I think I have my pacing set, right now my current pace band has me with a whopping 8 second positive split. 1:43:02 first half, 1:43:08 second half. I read a few posts by bhearn where he recommends about a 20 second negative split, but my hope is that I might actually end up with a negative split by planning for a tiny positive split. (By beating my goal). I could manually adjust my first mile up 7 seconds to an even 8:00 and that would require me to run a negative split to hit my goal, I think the key is to go out slow and easier than you would think and reap the benefits on the hills and even more on the last 5 going in.
My big question for everyone would be where I should plan on starting. Would you back up a few corrals to where you were expecting to finish if you qualified with a faster time? I qualified with a 3:14 and that puts me in Wave 2 Corral 2, but I am planning on pacing for a 3:26 on race day. Should I back up into corral 7 or even 8 so I'll be more closely running with the folks at my expected finish pace? Or should I take advantage of the earlier seeding placement and start where I was assigned so I don't have to deal with as much congestion at the start?
Thanks, Nathan
Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)
Current PR's: Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)
I think the key is to go out slow and easier than you would think and reap the benefits on the hills and even more on the last 5 going in.
Nathan, I think this is a great way to run the race. I think it is the conventional wisdom. However, I have a friend who always banks time at Boston [and he is not a newb -- he has run Boston at least 15 times by now]. I think he is crazy, but he runs the first half aggressively and then just hangs on for dear life the last 10 miles of the race. Still, it works for him, so I've concluded that it must be a fairly personal thing. I find that I do best when I "stay within myself" the first 16 miles, attack the hills, and then hang on.
I would not move back to a slower corral. I think you'll have less congestion and be better able to run your race if you start in corral 2. You just have to be okay with people passing you.
Mother of Cats
but my hope is that I might actually end up with a negative split by planning for a tiny positive split. (By beating my goal).
Doesn't it usually work out the opposite? People who plan on a negative split frequently end up with a tiny positive split. (while those who target a small positive split end up with a big positive split )
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And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
Yes. It all comes down to whether you guess correctly on your fitness level when you start the race doesn't it!
My only negative split was my first marathon and it had a decent size hill in the first half of the race.
My last marathon had a 30 second positive split but it was very downhill the first 1/2 and only moderately downhill the second 1/2.
I've had a blow up as well when I was running too fast for conditions.
That's the hardest part, completely throwing out your expectations if the weather doesn't turn out good on race day.
From Mario Fraioli's Morning Shakeout:
“I’m going to be running the Boston Marathon in 3 hours as an honorary member of the MR8 team,” - Meb
I'm sure many of you have heard already that Meb will be running for Team MR8 to help raise support for the charity.
I don't see him on the official entry list, but I'm planning on shooting for sub 3 - how cool would it be to be paced by Meb, or even just get to run alongside him!!??
not bad for mile 25
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to say "I'm going to run a 3 hour marathon" as casually as "I'm going for a walk in the park."?
Yes. My first Boston, second marathon, I paced for 3:09 and ran a VERY painful 3:43. I had actually never run in the heat before, and didn't have much of a clue.
Out of 11 Bostons I've negative split I think 8 of them, including 3 PRs and 3 of my 5 sub-3s. I still think it's the best way to run Boston. But even if you disagree, it is SO MUCH FUN to blast past everyone in the last 5 miles if you started slow and saved it.
So I am seeing temps of 57 for the high and 44 for the low with possible showers and 12 mph winds. Does the wind ever stop there?
Anyway, doesn't seem too bad. Last time I ran this I pretty much was dropped off by the starting line and stayed up there but it was out in the open. Can you get into the highschool to stay warm if it is chilly outside on race day? Any suggestions of what to bring or have while waiting for the start. I've been wondering if I want to catch a later bus so I don't have to wait around so long outside.
Any suggestions?
2014 Goals: (Yeah I suck)
No, sadly you cannot go in the high school to keep warm. Bring clothes you don't mind donating to charity!