Competitive Jerks Racing and Training - 2023 (Read 574 times)

 

Well, you did technically walk with your cramping, right?

Technically, no...as soon as it made me stop I withdrew.  So I was running the whole time I was in the race, albeit at Mikkey's walking pace from back in the day

Miles 13-17 (Washington Hill) (6:38.3, 6:39.4, 6:41.1, 6:37.7, 6:47.8. 25k 1:43:45 total)

The entire focus of my race was on the hills. Get to the fire station (I looked this up on Google Earth), hang a right hand turn, and hit the hills. The first, but technically second according to some people on the internet, is the steepest. Fitting since it’s the part of Boston everyone seemed to talk about. “If you don’t have it when you get to the hills your day is done.” My race day strategy was to get to the hills “with it” because I fucking HATE hills. I’d done a workout at work, not scheduled until I was actually running that day, with some hills in it as a test. I wanted to see what it might feel like to run race pace up some hills, and figure out how much I’d have to back off. Nothing new on race day, right? So as I cruise past the baseball fields at Mile 14, and the runners are more spread out all I’m thinking about is the big downhill coming. I pass by some cool looking buildings, mostly cool because they look nothing like what I see daily, all I’m thinking about is the fire station ahead. I’m wondering if the group I’m with went out too fast, or if I’ve conserved too much, while also thinking “run by feel, NOT pace. don’t even look at pace.”

From research I’d done I new there was a BIG downhill before mile 16. Like…MASSIVELY OBVIOUS downhill even Ray Charles could tell you was downhill. It’s a dead giveaway the hills are coming. Everyone starts speeding up and enjoying this downhill while I’m thinking “we’re here” and wondering why so many people are going faster. Why aren’t you holding pace? Do you not know the hills are coming, or are you trying to bank 5 seconds so you can lose 30 on the hill? It reminds me of the Mt. Charleston (REVEL) downhill marathon where everyone is leaning back and letting the hill control their pace. We zig and we zag through town until the aid station at mile 16, which reminds me of the average CIM aid station, and I’m again annoyed by all the runners ahead of me. To accompany the crowd of an aid station, we now have a SLIGHT incline so everyone who took off down the hill is now slowing to grab something at the aid station before storming up the hills AND they’re slowing down like everyone else I’ve passed when any sort of incline exists along this course. All I’m thinking is how insignificant this is for a hill, how fucking annoying it is there are so many runners not giving a fuck about anyone behind them, and how shit is about to get real (uncomfortable) in a mile when we take a right hand turn. As I go up the first hill (Washington Hill/freeway overpass) I think about people who don’t live where I do. People who live in Florida and run a freeway or bridge to get some kind of hill training. These are the people I’m passing. People who don’t get rolling hills fed to them on a daily basis and how this is significant. It’s longer than I expected for a freeway overpass/hill and my entire focus is on what’s about to come my way. “Run by feel. After every hill there is a recovery portion. Use the recovery portion to recover for the next hill. To finish fast first you must finish. If you have it when you’re done with the hills you can drop the hammer. That’s your reward. Just make it through.”  I fucking HATE hills so as I crest the top of the first one and pass the hospital all I think is “CIM has a hospital in the final miles. I wonder if it’s by design. Great place to pass during a marathon.” Something my friend Mark had pointed out 7 years earlier when I never paid attention to what is along the course of a marathon. There is some more climbing after the hospital and it’s again reminding me of rollers at CIM. I can see people ahead, and I know the sign is coming for Mile 17 along with the right hand turn I’ve been focused on the entire race. As if this wasn’t enough, the course hides the actual turn from you behind some more false summits, and an actual turn. As I get closer and closer to the fire station I know is coming I can just tell it’s coming. Not by the distance. By the crowd. As if they’re here to witness the blood bath about to happen, and encourage the dumb souls taking this journey to continue on like some scene from Gladiator. “HELL YEAH WE WANT TO WATCH THIS!!!!” is what I imagine they’re thinking. They’re probably thinking “if we yell really loud it will keep these runners encouraged and show them we’re totally psyched for their abilities like they’re a professional sports team.” I’m also thinking “okay, so my next gel is at 18 which is in the middle of the hills. This is the half-caff one I talked about taking. Fuck it. I’m not eating in the middle of the hills. Full thing right now. Get me through the hills. Let’s go Wade. FI-YA STAY-SON! Yeah buddy. Lets go. Nothing to it but to do it. Here we go.” Its exactly how I’d imagine a blind date to go. You have absolutely no idea what you’re in for until you’re there. You can Google Earth it, YouTube it, question it, measure it, ask people about or whatever else you want. Until you’re there you won’t know.

Mile 18 (Brae Burn Hill aka Fi-ya Stay-shun) 6:47.0, 30K 2:04:51

As I hit the right hand turn I’m HOPING to see multiple fire trucks decked out with flags or colors or something cool but all I see is one or two firefighters chatting, they ARE working after all, and this big bitch of a hill. Youtube told me this was the steepest. It is. I felt it for sure. Brae Burn Hill and the Mile 18 marker are ahead. I notice a sidewalk path and imagine people running on it with their phones out trying to record the elites, and other people trying to keep pace with runners on race day. All I do is look down and compartmentalize the hill. I go back to what I know. “Ah. This is the lunch run. We’ve done that. Just get up it like the video says. It’s a false summit too so just hang on through it. It goes down, then up then down then up again. Just get to the Heartbreak running store at 20 and you’re done. There is another one after this.”  Second one done. I felt it for sure, and I’m still feeling okay. One don. Three to go. Take them one at a time. Run by feel.

Mile 19-20 (John Kelly Hill) 6:39, 6:38. Mile 20 2:13:51. 11 seconds behind 6:41/mi pace)

The next ones seem more like CIM again. Just rolling. Not a big deal. I think back to my imaginary friend (forum buddy) telling me he made it through all the hills without even knowing it. I’m looking for a hill, but I’m just met with rollers and an S turn. People are lined along the streets. I’m patiently waiting for the next hill and controlling my pace. Its like an intermission where I know something is coming and I’m just waiting for the movie to start again. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, and almost helps me relax because it’s just so common to any run I’d do it’s easy to see how someone coming from flat land would find any sort of incline massive. I’m remembering my 50 miler and pacing Western States and calling these “baby bumps.” If you think this is a hill and slow down you’re going to be in BIG trouble when you hit a REAL hill. “Zolezzi/Wedge. That’s all this is. Damn…why didn’t we run that more? It would be the PERFECT run.” As we pass by Newton City Hall I think “man, that’s a cool City Hall. Why don’t we have one like that? Where did this style die? That thing just LOOKS cool.” Everything just feels so normal like the calm before the storm or my brain is mentally preparing to put in more work. Next thing I know I’m at the Heartbreak Hill Running company. On my way up here I’d lightly touched a volunteer with his back to the runners helping an elderly woman into a wheel chair as a sign of “race is still going on. In case you’re unaware you’re kind of on the course but also thanks for helping and volunteering.” This place is PACKED with people. There is a massive sign overhead with something about Newton Hills on it. Everyone in the crowd is so stoked. Runners are taking off when they get to the store. “FUCK YEA!!!!!! LETS GO!!!!!!!!” I’m totally stoked yelling out loud because I just made it through the hills. That guy was right. Now I know how he made it through without really noticing they were there. I had the advantage of running so many hills in training now I can run! Just check your pace (6:19-21/mi). okay, maybe not drop the hammer in the FIRST mile. Yeah I’m behind PR pace, and I did say at the start 5 seconds per mile from here is 30 seconds overall. Let’s maybe contain this. And then I see it. Something I’ve only seen in live streams online and vividly recall seeing runners walk. “oh fuck. Well, glad I controlled pace on that last one. I guess I missed the statue. I tried looking for it but it’s kind of off course and behind you.” This is the bloodbath everyone came to see. Heartbreak hill. The last hill? Oh that was John Kelly hill. The same John Kelly who helped immortalize Heartbreak Hill. The same John Kelly who got a little cocky on race day and had his ass HANDED to him like a little bitch because he didn’t expect the unexpected. I don’t have time to think about it because if I think about it I’ll stutter. I’ll flinch. I’ll think, and when I think bad things can happen. This isn’t the time to think. It’s the time to do.

Mile 21 and beyond (Heartbreak Hill tracking says 6:56/mi) 6:50.4, 6:37.5, 6:37.6, 6:34.2, 6:38.9, 6:38.5 final sprint 0.38 miles in 2:17 for a 6:03 pace)

Total Time 2:55:22

First half 1:27:32

Second Half 1:27:50

Its lined with white barriers, cheering fans waving signs, grass, and volunteers. People are already walking and I stay on the left hand side. Head down for the most part I just find a gear, feel it in the legs, and know this is where people die. I remember telling my friend “I’ll DIE on that hill if I have to” and I absolutely will. It is absolutely leg muscle the entire way, and I’m again thinking of training. “College. Zolezzi. THIS is Zolezzi.” It’s long, you can see the end, and it will absolutely crush your soul if you let it. I notice hoses from the live stream I watched previously and see people walking. “don’t be one of those people. Just get up the hill. This is the last one. Just fucking do it. Everyone is watching online. Cross a timing mat, let my friends know I’m over it, and tell myself “it’s all downhill to the finish, except for that one down/up Des said to just get over.” and the journey to Boston College begins. It kind of comes out of nowhere, and looks like a castle. I’m still trying to recover back to race pace while also reminding myself “a lot of this is actually uphill and NOT all downhill like everyone wants to tell you. I come around a corner and the next thing I know there is this massive opening in the road and college kids are everywhere. Signs. Fatheads. Sweatshirts from schools I could never get into even if I bribed someone. Kids staring at their phones. “huh. Cool. Oh look, another hill. I remember seeing this from the video. There are the train tracks. Boston Strong sign, Citgo sign. Right on Herford left on Boylston, 600m to the finish. Don’t sprint the finish.”

The road is wet, there are small potholes with puddles in it, and I’m starting to worry about getting the spray from the runner ahead of me soaking into my feet. Four miles is a long way to get splashed and could REALLY impact my day. I’m behind pace for a PR by about 40 seconds and I’m okay with it. This isn’t a PR course. If it stays like this I’ll be just fine for a New York Qualifier which is the goal. Just hang with the group. Execpt the group is changing. The guy in the multi-colored shirt I’ve hung out with isn’t here. I haven’t heard “Go NAVY!” in a while. I never picked up a group of friends like I did at CIM (shoutout to the Wolf Pack girls who let me tag along for a few miles before dropping me in spectacular fashion) and it’s finally broken apart enough to feel like a normal race to me. I’m also still able to keep pace so just keep going until the finish. Take a right, hang a left and it now feels like most “big city” street views do. Broken roads. Nothing much interesting. No turns. Just straight running ahead which was fine. Until it wasn’t. because there are hills. CIM like hills but at the end of the race. Where everyone said “it’s downhill to the finish” 20 minutes ago. More of this bullshit. “this is just getting annoying.” I distract myself by noticing a cool house/apartment/building thing. It looks like someone put a castle on the side of the road with the pointy spikes and round parts up front. Google earth says it is the “Knights Moves Café” (I did this AFTER the race so we’re clear) and then two of the dumbest fucking things I’ve ever had happen occurred during a race where everyone is again packed into a two lane road. I’ll never understand ANY of this for ANY fucking reason ESPECIALLY with how big this race is.

First….we’re rolling through town. Barriers on both sides of the roads. Spectators outside these barriers. 23-25 miles into the race. As I’m running I notice everyone is being pushed to one lane. “what the fuck? Shit!” we’re bunching up for some unknown reason. Maybe there is a pothole. Maybe there is a dead body. No? There is a volunteer holding a blue and white rope. Thick one. Like what you’d see on a boat. Similar to the one they had at the corrals behind me. It’s probably 5 feet long and it’s attached to the metal barrier on my left. There is a crowd behind this rope pushing into the course. “the fuck? Is he seriously looking for an opportunity to let these people cross the course? FUCK THAT!?! What the fuck???!?!?! Fuck no. Good fucking luck.” It happens a second time but not as “in the lane” as the first one. We spread back out and take our course over. Just in time for the second dumbest fucking thing ever, and something I would say shows you how little people care about YOUR race here. A guy stops. He’s done. Puts his arms over his head and starts walking. Right at the pinch point instead of 4 steps farther, and he DOESN’T fucking move over. Just walks forward as if this is the local 5k with lots of space. Another runner yells at him and I agree. Sorry your day turned to shit, but dude at this pace you should know there are some fast people behind you and should have given some thought into where you’re going to blow up. We get around him. I’m embracing a 2:56x and “well I can’t PR EVERYTHING. I was told this isn’t a PR course and it’s hard. Its still a 2:57 and that’s well below a NYC Qualifier, but I also have to get to the finish line.

We hit mile 25, I look at the buildings some more as they remind me of Chicago (where I had PLENTY of time to look around) and recognize a few buildings from the drive to the start. I kind of try to see Fenway (at one point I thought we ran PAST Fenway) and maybe I did but thought it was something else, and I’m calm…and then it happens. I had no clue it was going to happen. It just did. I didn’t PLAN for it to happen but I’d thought about it maybe once or twice. The last time it happened was Mt. Charleston and we all know how THAT went. I see a spray painting of the Boston Marathon logo on the ground with “25.2 1 mile to go” under it. I check the watch knowing I’m about to finish Sub-3 Boston marathon. Except….it says I can still PR. OKAY. CONTROL THIS. It’s one mile. 6 fourty. “Push the gas but don’t floor it. Accelerate through it. It’s a long way to the finish. Am I going to sprint the finish? Okay it’s a LONG finish. This isn’t CIM. It’s 600m so like …… point three two miles. 90 seconds.” I pass the Boston Strong bridge. I get through the “down up” Des told me about in the official Boston Marathon Course video, and I see a turn. I turn. “FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?! SHIT. This is as bad a Chicago. (eyeroll) whatever. It’s a hill. Get over it.” Left turn. Fire Station. 600m. “okay…accelerate THROUGH the finish line. See how far it is. Run THROUGH that. Wife? Nope. Don’t see her. I said I’d be on the left so just stay over there.”

As I’m running the final two turns of my first Boston Marathon emotions hit me again. Just like when I’d first paced Mark at the Western States Endurance Run. It’s like a punch to the chest where I want to cry, I want to be excited, I want to record it, I want to enjoy it, and I also want to finish my race in PR pace feeling fucking amazing. “Is THIS what it takes? Fuck man.” By “this” I mean the sense of euphoria I imagine is what people think of when they describe runner’s high. I mean the feeling I got when I watched the video Kofuzi put up of HIS first Boston marathon and saw his dedication mirrored mine. We’d both started slow, got faster, failed at Chicago, failed at more than one BQ attempt (Chicago was the worst because they’d changed qualifying times by 5 minutes), and finally got our day. He just has like two MILLION more people who know who he is and did a WAAAAAAAAY better job than me at documenting his success and failures. By “it” I mean multiple marathons, multiple failed BQ attempts, a sub-3 marathon, shitty sleep, a dying smoke alarm battery, wanting to drop out at mile 6, a kiss to a stranger, 300 mg of caffeine, plane flights across the country all night long, years of work, seemingly impossible goals being crushed again and again all to just get these few brief SECONDS of euphoria? Well fuck man, now I know why people chase it.

I don’t see my wife, I cross both timing mats of the finish line and stop my watch. “Am I going to vomit? I think I’m going to vomit. Where is a trash can? It was a dick move to vomit at Mt. Charleston, and this is the finish line. I don’t think I have to vomit. I’m not going to vomit.” The lovely volunteer request we keep moving. “oh yeha…because like 600 more people are coming in about 4 seconds. So my calves decide to lock up. both of them. Because they’re fucking done with this shit and it’s MY turn to suffer. “OWWWWWWWWW huhuhuhuhuhuh *crying face emoji*” I think as I wobble hobble away from the finish line with the herd of cattle looking for decorated aluminum foil (you’re fucking RIGHT I want that space blanket). I pull out my phone and call my wife. Yeah I had my phone on me the whole time and yeah I read a text message along the way on my watch saying “OMG *shocked face emoji* BOSTON…you maniac.” We iron out the details of meeting back at the hotel, and then I call my mom. Twice. Because she doesn’t ever answer her phone. My step-dad answers and he’s happy for me and says “yeah we were watching until we left.” Huh? You LEFT?? Left where? The fuck?? He’s saying something and then I realize “ah…you were tracking online and decided you’d seen enough so you straight up walked away from the computer because you had better things to do with your time than watch the kid succeed. Probably because this isn’t something you’re into and had better things to do with your time. Aight. Talk to you later.

There are a bajillion people handing out a bajillion blankets, and we’re all looking for the very first one. “ah…yeah I could probably walk down farther and get one. Maybe I’ll have some pro runner hand me one like that time I missed Shalane Flanagan at Chicago. Ah…I wouldn’t recognize them anyways.” I get my blanket and the heard of sub-3 marathoners are now walking my usual walking pace. I’m not because my calves fucking hate me, I’m shivering, and it’s a far walk. I get my blanket and continue forward progress. Two women are sitting on what resembles a lifeguard tower with a megaphone yelling out cities. “reno” I say. “RENO NEVADA!” cool. Glad I did that. Oh look, a photographer. I guess I’d better get in line since I paid $90 for the photos and this one is kind of important. As I stand in line my calves hate me more and I kneel down in pain. I kind of want to cry. I hand my stuff to a volunteer, take my photo trying to look happy and walk off in the direction of the bag drops. Oh thank GOD I’m fast and they’re close. Slower runners really get screwed. I find my lane (organized by the 100s and 1,000s) of red bibs and wait. I call a buddy and ask how he did. “2:54?!?!?!?! FUCK YEAH!!” we’re both getting bags and I don’t want to be the douchebag yelling on the phone in a group of tired people who don’t want to hear my shit. I’m listening to people talk about races and they sound dejected. “well I broke 3” sounds as if it’s to be expected. As if it’s easy, or there is something unworthy about being a 3:13 or a 3:25 or a 3:56 marathoner. At what point do you get so good a sub-3 is considered “meh” as if you could roll out of bed and do it in a week or two? Fuck that. I’m never becoming one of those people. I had the fucking race of my life. My dream came true. Everything I could have wanted just happened. I just PR’d at Boston after being told I’d run a 2:59 (I believed this whole heartedly) and Boston wasn’t an easy course. I had 20 text messages congratulating me by people who were tracking me all day long, and I haven’t even uploaded it to Strava! My wife got to see me cross the line at the race I told her I’d quit running once I finished it! My buddy kicked my ass and I’m excited for him as well! I’d pushed through some shit and have people who haven’t ever met me feeling happy for me! So why the fuck are these guys sounding so displeased about breaking 3 hours in the marathon?!?!?? I’ve just served up crow to people who are going to smile when they eat it knowing “this is what he does” and laugh about it because they’d probably be happy to eat crow every time I put up some seemingly impossible goal like “6:40/mi pace” and achieve it. Fuck these guys they’re not going to rain on my parade.

Then it DOES rain on my parade. Literally the coldest rain I’ve ever felt, and it was the coldest 10 minutes of my life. As I’m standing there someone yells

Runner: “HEY CAN WE GET SOMEONE AT THE WINDOW?!!?”

Me: “dude…calm down. They’re volunteers.”

Runner: “yeah but this is the ONLY window with no one there.”

Me: *looks around* we HAVE been standing here a while..

A volunteer appears about the time I actually look at the sign a third or fifth time and comprehend I’m in the wrong line. “Oh. This ain’t even my line.” I flash my red belly, get my bag, and am SOOOOO grateful I listened to my buddy Kyle about putting warm clothes in the bag. I’m literally shivering trying to get dressed, and pass the “warming bus” in the finish line. It’s so full there are people standing in the doorway trying to get warm while other ask if there is any room and all I’m thinking is “how the fuck are you going to get off if you’re in the middle?” The hotel room is less than a mile away. I find the exit as some woman is trying to enter the runner meet up area and is informed it is for runners only. “I mean, I’ll give you my bib if you want to go in there.” I think then quickly realize “no I wouldn’t.”

I get back to the hotel, get blown back by the greeting volume, and get to the room. Soak in the tub, clean myself off, chat with the wife and try to open the window. It’s limited on how far up it can go so you don’t jump, but it isn’t opening. Maybe it’s just crammed with crap from winter. Nope. Someone drove a self-tapper into the fucking frame so you CAN’T open it. Why the fuck would you have a window….whatever. Expensive hotels suck. I’m too acclimated to Sacramento and budget motels with a free buffet and space to do more than stand. I wrap my medal up, put it next to the bed, and head out for food. There is an Irish bar thing next to the hotel. I walk out of the elevator and see another runner who just finished and looks cold. There is also a line. I tell her “congratulations. Now, tomorrow…don’t just lay around. Go jog or something. It doesn’t have to be fast, but don’t be sedentary. Trust me. It helps.” “How about walking around the mall?” “PERFECT. Take breaks, and don’t go fast. Just don’t be sedentary. Again, congratulations.” It makes me feel good to pass on information. I realized she’d finished maybe an hour or two after me because I’d already gotten dressed and was heading out for a walk. Yeah…a walk. Right after a PR marathon. On a hard course. Because training works, and this will help, and I’m not wobbling any more. I walk into the bar and it is PACKED with runners and Boston 2023 jackets. Fuck…as if I hadn’t seen enough already. Oh and medals. Wife and I decide to walk a mile away. Her shoes aren’t really comfortable for long walks, and I told her we’re going slow. I see another runner from Reno who already posted their run online and had a bad day. We talk briefly, I meet his parents, and we part ways. I see maybe 2 people who ran today at dinner. Perfect. Runners are annoying enough already, and the ones who run Boston can be even worse. I should know. I’m one of them.

So what worked? What would I do different? More importantly ‘would you run Boston again?’

I said Boston was a “one and done” for me. The logistics of flying across the country, the COST of flying across the country, and just the SIZE of the race aren’t really enjoyable to me. Big cities are cool, but big marathons aren’t. It was crowded almost the entire time, and no one really felt connected to another person. It was just a bunch of individuals running together. The whole “experience of Boston” most people want was lost on me. I didn’t go early and try to see all the pros and Olympians at guest speaking/appearances while also trying to make all the group runs for every brand of everything everywhere. I didn’t care who had a book out or a group run, or even how much crap I could find with “Boston 2023” on it. All I wanted was the medal and I have one. I don’t need another. The only way I’d run Boston again is not as a race. I’d get a qualifier and sit farther back in the group and look around at things. Maybe give out more high 5s (I did give them out for probably the first 8 miles to any kid I could reach) or chat up some other runners but this isn’t a run I’d want to race. Two reasons. Training all winter in Reno sucks because the weather is unpredictable. Second, the weather is so unpredictable in Boston showing up to race it then having the weather keep all the spectators inside would suck. I’d come back to take a selfie with the girl at the college or make laps to get as many kisses as I could. I’d take photos in front of “run faster” signs the cops put up. I’d try to find the coolest YouTube guy (Kofuzi I was a corral behind me) and jog along with him. I think it would be more enjoyable to not worry about time. If I did it as a non-race I’d stay away from the finish area and commute to the bus pick up. Knowing what I do about the race, and fancy hotels, I’d like to be away from the race.

What would I do differently?

I’d get there Friday instead of Saturday.

I’d run more hills during training. Long runs and non-long runs. Even though I did well on them (like REALLY well) I’d still want to feel stronger on them. I would do the last 10 mile training run more frequently because I believe it mirrors the effort/feel of Boston well. I’d also do Zolezzi 8-10 mile runs more frequently than “never” because the Newton hills reminded me of it so much. I have plenty of running loops I COULD have run more frequently and just didn’t because “convenience” was a factor in my training.

I’d actually do my TRX cross training. I just think it would have helped and maybe given me a little more power up the hills and through the finish.

I’d test out the Maurten drink mix. It’s pretty much equal to 3 gels which would get me through the half where I could grab one, MAYBE two gels for the rest of the course. This only works if Maurten continues to provide gels for the race.

What worked?

One gel 10 minutes before, caffeinated gels along the way (6, 12, 17ish) and a final gel at the finish.

Resupplying with Maurten gels along the way. I didn’t drop any and I had enough. It was simply a test in the race to keep a skill sharp.

Volunteers. Thanking volunteers. I thanked as many as I could and it made them smile. It helped me somehow.

Hansons and my “fuck it” attitude. Like anyone is surprised. I was afraid of what I was trying to do yet kept telling myself I had no reason to stop until I had a reason to stop. Shit just works. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. At one point I’d considered doing something different and realized “that’s dumb. You’re going to do Hansons because it’s what you know and what your family knows.”

60 mile week averages. Yeah I hit an 80 mile week ONCE. Yeah I had a down week during the 5k (PR) and due to weather. 60 mile weeks just worked mentally and physically. I’d also say keeping weekend longer runs and my 50 mile weeks leading into training. Just mentally it was less of a jump for me from weekly training to marathon training.

Visualizing and compartmentalizing. Hitting Heartbreak thinking it was behind me could have ruined my day had I not had something to use as a “you got this. You’ve done this before.”

YouTube, RunningAhead, and asking questions from people who have participated in the spectacle. I’d watched the official course video and realized it’s about 6 miles of uphill from 17 to 23. This kind of put a fear into me while also helping me relax about it later on. The 85 minute video put out by Coach Kris R S describing a LOT about the race helped. From ideas of what to bring to the start (CIM sweatshirt, trash bag, and food because the race starts so late) to where spectators should visit you at, to the reality of the course being hilly BEYOND Newton. Also “10 Boston Marathon Tips! By On the Run // Harris Craycraft. This is where “just get over the hill” and “there is a reward after each hill” really hit home. I could relate it to what I know and had success at. At some point it was mentioned how the race would run THROUGH lunch time, and I’d found information about the bus ride taking an hour. Knowing the race starts at 10am, I’m called at 9:30, there are extra bathrooms near the starting line as well as clothing drop areas helped. I didn’t HAVE to be up at 4am eating breakfast so I set an alarm much later and actually woke up naturally. I didn’t HAVE to be on the 6:45am bus. I could take the 7:30 or even the 8am one to get there on time.

Prayer. All I asked for was a good race. Not to win. Not a PR. Just a good race. Yeah I’m not the most spiritual of individuals (see “I bet people are shocked at this saying ‘what the fuck?’ and now saying ‘yeah how did you know?&rsquo but it worked I guess. Yea I trained hard. Yeah I did well, and yeah I asked God to give me a good race because I know there are elements I can’t control and Mother Nature is one of them. My stomach is another.

NOT checking heart rate. During training it was something I’d focused on and constantly saw it was always about where I’d expected it. 160-165 for marathon pace. On race day I checked twice. Both early on when I felt sore/tired. It settled me in and had that “you’re fine. You’re okay. Don’t worry.” bullshit feel doctors tell you before they stab you. On the hills it was all feel and if I would have looked down to see 172 I would have ended my day. I know it.

Setting stupid ass goals that weren’t really goals. For training I just picked CIM paces. I had NO business doing this until I’d actually gone out and done it. Maybe it hurt, maybe it helped. The ONLY goal was 2:57:59 or faster. 6:40/mi was me throwing out some bullshit because I’d run it a bunch of times on a flat loop near my house for a few months. I had no idea I could ACTUALLY do it.

Pace band. I’d downloaded the Garmin Boston 2023 course and thought about using the PacePro feature to track my actual time. I used it once in training and didn’t like it. Too many alerts and I was afraid I’d miss a notice to eat (40 minute alarm….also worked) and have the watch playing music all day about ahead/behind. I went with what I know which is a pace band. This time I set it for a minute faster than my goal because the Garmin file showed a long course which then showed I had to “beat” my time by a minute to GET my time.

Sticking to a plan. The plan was “run to mile 17, get through the hills, and see what you have left. The reward is being able to run after. Too many people go out too fast and they pay for it in the hills.” I really wish I could “run by feel” sometimes just because part of me likes to think I had a faster run. I did EXTREMELY well pacing. Like “yeah, I know, it’s like you could put a ruler on my times and not see much difference” well. I don’t know how I can do this other than “it’s all I know anymore” and perhaps I’ve created a mental barrier between running a well planned race and “just going for it.” It worked because I PR’d and if you look at my times it’s amazing.  I don’t recall speeding up after Heartbreak. I remember during TRAINING I would say things like “make it to heartbreak and drop the hammer” but I never actually planned on DOING IT. I just went running and tried to hang on. Trust me when I say I had NO idea I’d actually made up time. When I saw the 25.2 mile painting, look at the watch to add 6:40 to total time and saw what the math worked out to I really DID think “HOLY SHIT I CAN PR!!!!!!” It was about as amazing as when I decided to “at least PR” at CIM 2021 the night before the race. It’s why this race became everything I’d imagined it would be and probably why I got the sense of euphoria as I climbed up Mt Herford and didn’t give a fuck cuz I was going THROUGH that bitch on my way to a PR.

Listening to people telling me to take it in and enjoy it. Over the course of the race, and even after is REALLY when I realized how BIG of an event this is. At first it was just another marathon but with more runners, then it became a Major marathon, then it became a marathon with 30,000 people in it…and their family along the course. Then I added in the people who live along the course and the volunteers. Cake. Layered cake. In your flavor. With icing. Also whipped cream. Add in some Ice cream. Sprinkles. The dot sprinkles. On a special plate. Like right after your birthday but seemingly better. With everyone around you smiling. Yeah. I took it in. I enjoyed it. I might as well since I don’t ever want to do this race again. Part of the “experience of Boston” was meeting new people I’d only talked to online (hi Scott) as well as seeing people walking around with previous jackets. I don’t know why I’ve never purchased a CIM jacket for as much as I love the race and I can’t recall seeing lots of previous CIM jackets walking around. Boston had them everywhere. Mix in with the purplish grey and yellow jacket this year were the jackets I’d seen online and maybe in person. Stitching. Blue. Purple. Red. “three color ice cream sandwich” colors. Dark blue (2006 baby!). It was cool seeing people show up with them and even cooler to see one with every year the person ran it. I DID get to see Des Linden walk into the Sam Adams bar about a mile away from the finish line. I kind of wanted to catch a picture of here, but she walked by me without saying hi and when I turned around to see her she was walking down the steps heading to her book event. Two time Team USA Olympic marathoner, and the baddest fucking Female Boston Marathon winner right there. Also a Brook Hansons athlete.

 

I’ve never quite got why any hobby joggers with a few years of running experience would actually pay money to have a coach and tell them what workouts to run. I’ve taken advice from a few people over the years…but money has never exchanged hands!

As someone slower than basically everyone on here, the #1 reason I would consider getting a coach is for the second set of eyes (also is a reason against it). I've seen zero progress over the last few years and at times think it would be helpful to get another opinion.

RP - Another enjoyable chapter.  I love the way you put it all out there.  That euphoria feeling sounds magnificent.  "You got to lose to know how to win".  The losses make it sweeter when it happens.

There are definitely some parts that sound less than ideal in the Boston experience that I'm sure will also apply to New York.  If I make it there I'll have to have a mindset not to get annoyed by any crowding issues like I usually do.  No point getting annoyed about something that is part of making the race right?

On that note, I've booked a session with a mental skills coach for next week.  Hoping to solve the next side of the Rubik's...

Steve how did the whole selling/buying house process go ? That would be very stressful especially during a marathon buildup.

It was reasonably smooth, although some hiccups along the way.  Was quite sick in moving week, not ideal 2.5 weeks out from race day.  No stressful events leading into Selwyn I hope

 

I'm really interested to hear about how this goes.  IDK if you wanna share specifics on here but just some of the overall principles would be really interesting.

You just get all the colors on each side to match

When will you be adding a race to the list at the beginning of this tread? You are not a Competive Jerk if you aren't competing....

I am registered for the hardest marathon in the USA which is on the 3rd of December!  I’ll be running a marathon before then to qualify for London 2024.