I am not the fancy report type... but here goes my report.
This was, if I counted correctly, my 19th Boston. I know this sounds dumb, but mentally I have a complicated relationship with this race. I ran it almost every year from 1980 to 1995, 2003 and 2004 then 2009 and 2010. My PR ( 1995) and PW ( 2004) are both at Boston. I am both drawn to it and annoyed by it ( see tramps report; he got it about right).
In the early years, I finished mostly between 3:00 and 3:10, twice dipping noticeably below 3 hours. For a variety of reasons, some medcal and some plain old age, that ship has sailed.
Both this year and in 2009, I had significant injury issues in the fall which delayed and limited my training, plus as I have mentioned, my DS is a ski racer, so winter long runs are hard to do, or at least to do enough of them. Last year I came to the realization that Boston had to be for fun. I was never again going to run my old times, and that was ok. DS' ski racing is at this point in our lives more important than my finish time at Boston. .. but in my heart i am not really a slacker, so I still worry.
Heading into this race, I had also had some bad flare ups of rheumatoid arthritis ( the other RA ), so I had little idea what to expect and much concern about a train wreck. I decided respectable was enough, no drama, no death march.
Along with a few others from Manchester, I car pooled down to Boston; we made good time and parked right across the street from the Four Seasons.( that would turn out great later....). We got on the old school bus and made our way to Hopkinton., where it was cool and windy.That whole process takes a long time. We were not really at Athletes Village that long though. I liked the F-16s.
Those of our group in Wave 2 eventually made our way to our corral; one of our friends was with me in Corral 17 also and it was nice to have someone to start with. We ran together off and on for parts of the race too.
I tried to start slow, really slow, but I found myself running 8:10 or so pretty regularly throughout the first half and although I figured I would slow or crash, I started to hope maybe I could pull off a 3:40 or under. Maybe it was too fast to start, but it did not feel it. The training ultimately was not enough for that though...
Oddly, for me, I had to pee almost from the start . By mile 15 I could not take it anymore and found a porta potty. First time ever in a race. Cost a minute or two but worth it. I was also by then feeling some fatigue, not bad, but it was early yet. Feet and ankles were starting to get annoyed.
I made it though the hills strong, but I was tiring more, and started to do somewhat self defeating time calculations and figured I could hit respectable if I just kept running. By mile 22 I was sick of running, my feet hurt and I was ready to be done ( this happens when you don't do enough long runs....). I forced down a final gel at 23, tried to use the downhills and soldiered on. Feet and akles very annoyed but not compleely rebelling.
Without drama I reached the Citgo sign and eventually Hereford Street. I still hate the long stretch on Boylston after the old days, when it ended right after Hereford, but I tried to speed up slightly. Finished in 3:49:19, well inside BQ for next year ( age 50) but nothing spectacular. I met the goals of finishing in one piece and respectable. The last few miles hurt some but there was no big wall.
After the long march through the finish area I popped out just a block or so from the car, where we had agreed to meet. Our faster first wave drvier had already snagged at table at the Four Seasons and started ordering beers. I am normally more of a wine drinker but after a marathon a beer is great. Despite our looks and smells, the Four seasons staff were extremely gracious. One of the best parts of the day.
Got home without difficulty and then performed my seemingly annual crippled basketball shooting with DS 10. No rest for the wicked as we say up here...
My feet, ankles and lower back have been sore but legs ended up ok. Trying to stick with swimming and pool running until the weekend or at least tomorrow...
Fashion report: Guava ( it said on the tag) new Moving Comfort short sleeve stretch top, black Saucony shorts with pocket, new Champion turquoise sportsbra ( good to wear clean undies you know, in case there is an accident...), short white socks with Holstein cow ( just for fun) and my regular training shoes with orthotics now.
If you look at photos you will see that a high percentage of female runners, for some odd reason , wore pink or maybe guava shirts and black shorts. I bet there were not many with Holstein socks though. In 2003 I wore Peace sign socks as my personal protest against Iraq. The holsteins had no political message...
Cheers, thanks for reading.
Hi LR,
Given what your winter was like, running "respectable" enough to BQ for #20 is wicked good! As your holsteins might say, you were mooooving!
Topping off your marathon with beers at the Four Season's was a nice finish. Shooting hoops - not so much...
Congrats!
Jay
Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.
"During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."
I know Boston is a marathon you care about and I am so glad you made it through and with a good showing indeed. One of these days I want to do the Manchester marathon and your involvement with that race no doubt makes a great difference. Our work with UNHM concluded awhile back, but I'll be sure to stay in touch.
Nice running there lamerunner and with style---guava AND cow socks. swish!
SteveP
basketball after running a sub 3:50 Boston??!! i'd say you are pretty AMAZING!!
thanks for sharing a great report!!
denise
"drawn to it and annoyed by it"--I like that and think I understand (in my newbie sort of way). You, on the other hand, are no newbie. I picked up from earlier posts that you are a serious runner but I had no idea you had this amazing record at Boston, including a couple of sub-3! Yowsa!
And that continues this year as you nonchalantly BQ again. Very impressive. And capping it all off with beers at the Four Seasons; how cool is that!
I'm not sure what a "fancy" report is, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading yours.
One of these days I'm gonna get to meet you. I visit family in NH a couple times a year and, like Karin, vow to run Manchester one day, though I didn't realize you were involved in organizing it. That's even more incentive.
I also learned something else: I had no idea "Guava" was a color.
And I like your 2003 socks, too.
Be safe. Be kind.
Mr. Chip & Mizz Rizzo
~Mary
"My sunshine doesn't come from the skies,It comes from the love in my dog's eyes."
~unknown
http:www.rawleypointkennel.com
Carolyn
I agree with some of the other folks: we didn't know a whole lot about you, so this RR, in addition to being a good read, was very informative! I'm impressed with the 19 Bostons and the sub 3's, too. So how many total marathons have you run? Are you a maniac?
I like your line "but in my heart i am not really a slacker." (I think in my heart, I really am one. ) You're a speedy 50- y-o, and I"m sure you win lots of AG awards. Congrats!
I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.
Running out of mistakes!
Good job, lame. Nineteen Bostons and another BQ is quite an accomplishment. You are a tough and speedy marathoner. Congratulations.
TomS
Marathon Maniac #957
By mile 22 I was sick of running, my feet hurt and I was ready to be done ( this happens when you don't do enough long runs....).
This happens to me even when I do enough long runs.....
"I met the goals of finishing in one piece and respectable. The last few miles hurt some but there was no big wall."
In my book, this makes it a highly successful race, especially given your inability to fully train for it. You are a fast and talented runner - even with minimal training, you will always kick my butt at my best. Great job!
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."