Notes
Boston 2015
A month ago I seriously doubted being able to do this race. I was having recurring knee pain for the past three months. Physical therapy helped me strengthen my core, but the knee was still funky... being fine for a 12 mile run then hurting after 3 miles. An MRI diagnosed the issue as a torn meniscus which recommended surgery to remove the the tear. As an interim I had a cortisone shot in the knee two weeks before Boston and was able to get in one run three days later only to be followed by a sharp stabbing pain the next day. It didn't seem like I was going to be able to do the race, let alone finish it. On top of that my training up to now was only about 390 miles with only 1 long run of 16 miles!
On Saturday two days before the race I stop at the KT Tape exhibit and had them tape my knee for a torn meniscus. I actually had the guy from KT who does all the training videos do my taping. I'm not sure if it helped or it just helped my head think it might make a difference.
Planning for this race was tough... predicted cold, heavy rain and wind. I debated tights and even had them on until just before the race. I wore a lightweight long sleeve tech shirt, the Winner's Circle singlet over it, and my old Nike orange windbreaker. Lightweight green gloves and my Great Bay Half cap. Had my race ready shorts on, loaded with 4 eGels and few Jolly Ranchers. (Plus a $20 bill in case I needed a cab!) Vicki Miller had brought large clear trash bags and I used one of them as a poncho by cutting a hole in the top for my head.
This year they kept the 4th wave from last year and divided the waves into groups of 7500. That in turn moved me back a wave this year to wave 3, but corral 1. The waves used to be 9000 each. I was concerned that being in corral 1 it would be too fast given the low expectations I had for the race. Just as we got to the starting line it started pouring. COLD too. I kept the poncho on for the first 5 miles tossing it at a spectator to catch, but it hit him in the face! Nice thing about being in corral one is the times on the course are for your wave including the finish.
My plan was to run this for a BQ + 5 minutes to ensure next year. (Actually a vertical finish was my main goal.) That would require a 3:50 time for the race or about 8:48 per mile. Experience has shown me to be very conservative in the first 10K. Keep your head down, and keep your pace 10 secs above goal pace. I planned on running 8:50 here. The gun went off and I just started running what I felt was a slow run. My rule is don't pass anyone the first 10K. Look at their shoulders don't look ahead. With the downhills its easy to get going too fast, which indeed I did. Looking at my splits now I am surprised I pulled off the times I did. My goal pace was 8:48, but I was way too fast. I guess it was some time in the bank, but way too often you pay big time for this error. It was like my legs were saying we can run faster than this, let us fly! After awhile I got more on target but still all below 8:30. At that point I said, it feels comfortable at 8:30 or below, so go with it. NO KNEE PAIN. None whatsoever. At the half I noticed the right calf getting tender. My cadence was pretty much 88 spm per foot, which tends to put my more flat footed. To compensate I purposely would do some heel striking to ease the pain.
At mile 9 I was worried I might not be able to do this. I doubted my training...there wasn't much. As I ran along a guy had a large speaker on his from lawn blaring out "Sweet Caroline..." I guess it was providence, as that's my daughter's name. It was the kick in the butt I needed. Thanks Caroline! How did you know!?
I started the race with the Superintendent from Hampden Maine, Rick Reynolds. He's about 6 months older than me. He took off pretty quickly and I never saw him again after mile 4. More on that later! It was raining pretty hard throughout the first 20 miles of the race. We also had a quartering head wind from the ESE. The wind breaker was the perfect thing to wear allowing me to unzip when warm and zip up tightly when the wind blew. My gloves were soaked and my hands really started getting cold around mile 16. Through the tunnel of screams at Wellesley - mile 13 I shifted over to the right side of the road and high five and slapped about 30 hands from the ladies. No kisses for me. It helped break up the run and gave me a bit of a lift. The big down hill into Newton I ran well with chin tucked into my chest, body lean forward and quick cadence. This is important because this was one of the first Bostons that I had no Quad pain from the downhills. I also think training on the TM with -3 helped some, along with all the core exercises from PT (Thanks Jared Buzzell!). The first hill into Newton is always a killer and no one ever gives it credit. Windy and long. As I rounded the Newton Fire Station at mile 17 the crowds were intense which helped. I had taken an eGel at mile 6, 12, 18 and one more for good measure at 24 though not needed. I did not take as much water during the race as it was cold. Mostly drank 2 miles before the eGel and then took another cup with the eGel. I don't use Gatorade.
The first Newton hill is easy and I remembered to keep my head up and look up focusing on using my arms. I really helped. I saw a girl doing the same thing and we passed all sorts on the hills. After hill one there is a flat section with another minor hill. At mile 19 comes Heartbreak. I was ready. Gu'd up, but both calves really started to scream. I began to worry if that what would take me out. It was obvious to me that the lack of training was hitting my calves the hardest. At the bottom of Heartbreak Hill I saw my old friend and former colleague from Lincoln, Judy Reed who shouted, "Go Mr. T!" I turned and gave her a thumbs up and she snapped some pictures. I slowly started the run up the hill with head up and arms swinging. Heartbreak is funny because when you think you are done at the top all of a sudden there is this really long gradual climb to Boston College that really taxes you.
The run past Evergreen Cemetery is always lonely and you're pretty spent. Just after that is a downhill and the turn to Cleveland Circle where my daughter used to live. I actually felt recharged. I had made it past mile 21 and was now heading into downtown Boston. My pace moved from 9:20 for the last mile through the hills, to 8:14. I was flying again. Even with the rain the crowds were huge cheering you on. I would occasionally raise my arms to get them to cheer and the response was energizing. With 5 miles to go, calves screaming at this point I knew I could do it as long as I didn't stop. If I did, I knew the calves would cramp and I would be toast. Luckily the rain had let up at this time, but it was was windy.
It was fun running the last 5 miles as I started passing lots of people who had gone out too fast. I remembered the shirts of the many that passed me the first 6 miles. I felt bad for the people walking and struggling, and by this time everyone was freezing. I kept the pace as steady as I could saying keep it below 8:30. At mile 25 I saw Rick Lyons again and he looked tired. I yelled to him to move his "arse!" He looked over and sped up. We ran together for about a half mile and I was getting tired. We hit the underpass right before Hereford and I cut the tangent staying to the right. My quads were still feeling great so I charged down the hill into the underpass and up the other side. I heard him shout go for it. I saw my friend Richard Sherman at the corner of Hereford which helped push me for the last .6 miles. As I turned the corner onto Boylston it was surreal. The crowds are screaming but it all becomes a blur. In the last few miles you find yourself saying make it to the next stop light. Get to that crosswalk, make it to the Citgo sign. Over that last uphill over the highway. I could see the finish line and I just kept running. I was going to do it and I could see the clock saying 3:41! I only needed 3:55 to prequalify. I did it!
They give you water, your medal and a nice mylar poncho. I gave each volunteer a hug, thanking them, but also stealing some heat! The walk back to the Lenox took about 15 minutes and the medical staff keep asking you if you are ok. Other than shivering, I was. I was psyched. My calves made me walk like an old man... which I guess I am becoming! When I got to the Lenox the staff there cheers you as you enter the hotel. Warmth... ahhh. A hot shower, some food and water.
They say if you remember the pain of the marathon you would never do another. Hmmm, I will be back next year!
Name Theoharides, David (USA)
age group Male 60-64
bib number 16678
State/ Province ME
totals
place (M/W) 9368
place (ag) 154
place (total) 13930
time total (net) 03:41:37
time total (gun) 03:41:53
splits
Split time of day time diff min/mile miles/h
5K 11:15:31AM 00:25:13 25:13 08:07 7.39
10K 11:40:58AM 00:50:41 25:28 08:12 7.32
15K 12:07:02PM 01:16:45 26:04 08:24 7.15
20K 12:33:22PM 01:43:05 26:20 08:29 7.08
HALF 12:38:58PM 01:48:41 05:36 08:13 7.31
25K 12:59:47PM 02:09:29 20:48 08:35 6.99
30K 01:27:00PM 02:36:43 27:14 08:46 6.85
35K 01:54:15PM 03:03:58 27:15 08:47 6.84
40K 02:20:34PM 03:30:16 26:18 08:28 7.09
Finish Net 02:31:54PM 03:41:37 11:21 08:19 7.22