Back to Baltimore

Staying in Baltimore for a few days. Get to see 3 Red Sox games. Visit old firends & stomping grounds. Good times. This place has changed so much since I first came to town in 1992. And something new is added every year!

Great run this morning from downtown to Fort McHenry. One of my favorite runs when in town!

The Long Brick

I'm sure some will see the title of this post and assume some sort of massive 5 hour workout. Sorry to disappoint. This is a simple, but highly effective brick workout I've done the last couple weeks. The ride portion is 30 miles with the option to for 10 additional moderately flat miles depending on how one feels. This is a pretty big workout that helps me build a lot of confidence as well as fitness.

Summary:
Ride - 30 miles (or 40 if you're ambitious) Boonesville Loop: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/map.asp?routeid=91484

Run - 8 miles hilly, dirt road Ridge Rd: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/map.asp?routeid=97218

The ride is fun in that the second half is mostly downhill & fast. Of course the downside is that you have to go up the hills first in order to comeback down. The run is a dirt road the whole way, but it's rolling hills, so a great workout. Good stuff.

Use a wetsuit when you can

Back in May, I raced in the Kinetic Sprint Triathlon. It was a fun event. At some point, I may even get around to posting a RR on that one here too. But for now, I want to note something interesting I found while looking around at some recent race results. After the Kinetic, I was quite surprised at how poorly I ranked on my swim time - #35. Now, many folks would be happy with that placement - but how many of them were NCAA D-3 All Americans? I certainly wasn't trying or expecting to win the swim that day. I hadn't done any swim focused anything in a long time. Heck - I'd just come off a serious marathon cycle. Still, I was quite surprised that 34 people showed up who could swim faster than me - OK, my ego took a bruising. At the time, I simply chalked it up to a bad day & left it at that.

Today, decided to compare this with some previous races. I found a couple others who had done both races so I had something of an external basis for comparison. Here is a summary:

My Results

Culpeper Sprint Tri 0:11:30 0:50:02 0:20:49

Kinetic Sprint Tri 0:10:45 0:48:39 0:19:33

% Improvement 7% 3% 6%

Competitor #1

Kinetic Sprint 0:11:45 0:45:46 0:20:27

Culpeper Sprint 0:13:54 0:45:07 0:20:38

% Improvement 15% 1%

Competitor #2

Kinetic Sprint 0:11:57 0:46:55 0:21:03

Culpeper Sprint 0:16:13 0:48:18 0:22:01

% Improvement 26% 3% 4%

First, my own internal comparison is quite favorable. I improved substantially in every discpline. The swim was the same distance in each race - 0:45 improvement there. The bike leg was done 2:00 faster even though it was 3 miles longer - huge gain by a wide margin. The 5K run was 1:13 faster at Kinetic. Also, the run & bike rankings support the improvement in times. So, I improved relative to the competition.

But how to explain the swims? My swim at Kinetic was 0:45 faster than Culpeper, but I dropped in placement from 13 to 35. Did no one show up to swim at Culpeper? Possibly, however, my other previous results are consistent with Culpeper - the Kinetic result is the outlier. Did a bunch of great swimmers show up at Kinteic? Also possible, this is where the comparison with other competitors comes in. Competitor #1 had basically the exact same bike & run splits for the two events. But he was 2:10 faster in the swim. Competitior #2 improved everywhere, but a full 4:16 improvement in swim time seems almost unheard of. On percentage basis, Competitor #1 improved by 15% and Competitor #2 by 25%! It is difficult to believe that these types of improvements are simply a result of training - something else must be happening here.

The only thing I can think of is wetsuits! At Culpeper, wetsuits were not legal - water temp was too warm. At Kinetic, pretty much everyone wore a wetsuit - except me. I chose not to, thinking that any time I saved on the swim would be negated by a slow T1. I now suspect this was a mistake. I think competitor #1 is the most interesting comparison in that, there is no evidence this person was in better shape in the second event. So, it is possible that the entire 15% improvement was in fact due to wearing the wetsuit. Based on this, it is entirely possible that I could have saved 15% or about 1:20 seconds on my swim time. In other words, with a wetsuit, that day - all else equal - I should have swum 9:25. Interetsingly, that time would would have given me a swim rank of 9, which would have been consistent with my other results - namely close to, or in the top 10!

Admittedly, there are a number of weaknesses in this analysis. 1) Only two comparison points in hardly conclusive. 2) I do not know for 100% sure that the competitors did in fact wear wetsuits, but from my memory, I don't recall seeing anyone else choose not to wear a wetsuit. 3) I have not controlled for the effects of training & simple improvement in the comparisons. So this isn't definitive & does not prove that if you wear a wetsuit, you will have a swim time that is 15% faster. However, it clearly makes a difference - so wear one when you can!

What I've learned about marathon training

Someone recently asked me what my training looked like to get ready for this year's Boston marathon. Oringinally, I started talking about the mechanics of what I did - which you can find a good summary of in my Race Report. Then, I started thinking about what was important - beyond the simple mechnicacs - to try to extract some basic pricinciples. This is what I came up with. Enjoy.

Why run long? Because you enjoy running and you want to run faster. If you don’t like running and even going for a simple 6 mile run in the early AM feels like work, I wouldn’t recommend getting into a high volume running program. Life is too short for your hobby to feel like a job (after all, we’re not pros). So, if you do enjoy running, high volume running is a way to make you a stronger runner and ultimately, I think it will make you faster. There are of course lots of ways to train & get fast, high volume running is only one path – one I happen to like & believe in. The advantage of higher volume running I believe lies in strength. High volume running makes you really strong – not big muscles, pick up a car strong – but it builds a workhorse foundation in your physiology that lasts a long time. It makes your bones, joints & tendons, muscles and aerobic systems all stronger and develops the foundation those things are built on to a deeper level. Will high volume running make you faster? I suppose the true answer is – it depends – there are no guarantees. What I do know is that I am much faster at 55 MPW than I was last year at 40 MPW, and much faster than 2-3 years ago at 20 MPW. I also know that some folks at Running Times & Runner’s World have done informal surveys and studies of entrants to marathons & half marathons. These have shown a strong correlation between higher mileage and faster times at those distances. Finally, I think there are some unique benefits for triathletes simply because the run is last. You always run tired in a tri. Even in a sprint distance race, you have already been racing for at least 45 minutes before you even start running. Running at longer distances teaches your body how race when already tired (the idea is similar to brick workouts). Of course the trick is managing a higher volume of running while still managing enough cycling time to have a solid bike leg as well. Honestly, I have not figured an answer for that issue yet, something I have to keep working at.

How Long is Long? I think the answer depends on each person. It depends on time, priorities, desire & also on physiology & run mechanics. I don’t think triathletes need to put in 100 MPW & if anyone tried, their legs might drop off. All that time spent cycling and swimming is going to do a lot to develop your aerobic & muscular systems – stimulating the amount of glycogen your muscles can store, increasing the efficiency at which your body recruits fat for energy, improved oxygen –carrying capability of your blood, increased mitochondrial density, etc (to the medically inclined, please forgive me, hopefully I haven’t mangled these concepts too badly). So, all those hours of low impact activity is great for developing those muscular and aerobic system, and I think those benefits cross over to running. However, the skeletal adaptations your body makes as a result of run training are unique and only come from running decent miles. How much is enough? Not sure exactly. However, I think the RT guys have as a good a point of view as any I’ve seen here. Based on this, I would say for triathletes putting a lot of cycling miles, I would say 60 MPW might be a good maximum with an optimum mileage in the 40 MPW range. But this is going to vary by individual.

Basic Underlying Proposition I am not a doctor or an Ex Phys type. However, from what I have read, the important systems in running adapt at different speeds – aerobic systems develop relatively rapidly, muscular systems slower and your skeletal system (joints, bones, ligament) develop quite slowly. Compared with swimming & cycling, running is unique in because of the relatively high impact – as the Tick would say “Gravity is a cruel mistress”. Running beats the hell out of your skeletal system, but given MODERATE stresses over enough time, your body will strengthen this system and will leave you a stronger runner. I’ll say more about moderation later, but I have to also say a little more about time here because I suspect that time requirement for the greatest benefits of high volume running is misunderstood. The greatest benefits from high volume running are seen only over months and years, not weeks. This is simply how long it takes for your body to adapt and for the benefits to accrue. A simple 10 week cycle where you build to 40 miles is good, but if you just go back to 25 MPW after that, the benefits will be fleeting. I once heard someone smart say (I think it was Mitch Thrower) that people tend to overestimate what they can accomplish in the short term – 6 months – & underestimate what they can accomplish in the long term – 3-5 years. Point being, you have to give the program lots time to take hold, but over time, you will get stronger and faster. Consider Lance Armstrong’s experience. Ten days after Lance’s first marathon, a shin splint that first surfaced in training turned out to be a stress fracture and Lance spent 3 months rehabbing. The guy is one of the fittest athletes on the planet and a huge stud, but his skleteal system was not equipped to handle the pounding of a marathon. I suspect the training plan Lance implemented was probably the best plan that could be put together given a relatively short time frame in mind and his aggressive goal – sub 3 Hours (I claim no inside knowledge of Lance’s run training program, only what is documented in sports news. So it was built on relatively low mileage and lots of cross training. Know any triathletes that fit this bill?

Principle #1 – Know Thyself/Heal Thyself First things first, you can’t go into any program injured or with major mechanical defects. Get yourself healthy first. Get to where you can run maybe 20 MPW – all of it easy, pace doesn’t matter - over 5-6 days without pain and can do that consistently for a number of weeks. When you’re doing this – I’ll call it background work – you should be getting comfortable with your running mechanics & equipment as well. If you have mechanical issues that might lead to injury down the road, it’s a good idea to identify those. Be sure you have found several pairs of comfortable running shoes that fit your running style and will support your feet, ankles, etc. This is a good time to go find the Ragged Mtn dudes and get a gait analysis and some quick coaching to ensure that you are solid in these areas & that you have a plan to address any issues they might bring up. Think of this as getting your car ready for a coast to coast road trip – before you leave, you want your car in good working order with fluids topped off, brakes good, engine tuned up, etc. This time it take build this foundation is irrelevant, for me I spent about 2 years running 20-25 MPW before I was even interested in running longer distances – again, leave lots of time for your body to adjust.

Principle #2 – Build Mileage Gradually I’m sure you’ve heard all about the 10% rule, which says that one week should only be 10% more mileage than the last week when you are adding miles. Personally, I don’t always follow exactly 10%, but the spirit behind the rule is correct. When you’re embarking on a cycle to increase running mileage, you should do so with caution. When you add miles, you are by definition adding more pounding on your joints and ligaments (in the form of more miles and more hours on your feet). So, if you’re at about 25 MPW right now, you might build a plan than adds a couple (no more than 5) miles each week for a few weeks – maybe 3 or 4. I can’t stress enough to BE CAREFUL when adding miles to your program. I believe the #2 reason (#1 is in the next section) runners get injured is because they add too many miles to their schedule before they’re ready. So, when doing this, also keep in mind Principle #4 – utilize mileage plateaus.

Principle #3 – Speed Kills Whatever pace you do your runs at for your 25 MPW, slow down while you build mileage. Most people I speak with who go through significant injuries, seem to go back to running too fast for too much of their training. I don’t have a good scientific basis for this myself, I can only offer my own anecdotal experience & what I’ve heard from others. However, I am convinced the #1 reason runners get injured is from running too many fast miles. So slow down during build weeks! Don’t do any fast stuff, just get the miles done at a pace that is comfortable. The ideal pace in my mind is one that when you’re finished running, you could go for a few more miles if you had to. For folks who are used to doing lots of fast running, this might be disturbing at first. However, the collective stresses that are applied build hugely when you do a week that is 12 miles, 10 miles, 15 miles, 8 miles, rest day, 18 miles. That’s an average week I did in early March during my Boston Marathon prep – and that 8 miler mid-week was tough – I felt no need to do anything other than just make it. During my build cycle, I do exactly zero speed work. Once I reach a plateau, I will start to carefully insert some tempo work. For example, last year I spent the first 3 months (Jan – March 2007) building to a 40 MPW average. Once I reached that plateau, I stayed there and remained consistent throughout pretty much the rest of the year (leaving out a few weeks of vacation and other things where mileage went way down). Around June, I started adding a weekly tempo run every Wed I would go 10 miles – first 5 easy, second 5 at half marathon race pace. That was my speed work. So out of a 40 mile week, 5 miles were “fast”, but fast in this case is HMP.

The topic of speed is controversial and often misunderstood – I will confess that I don’t understand all of it. I think it is more complicated for triathletes because you can train injury free at much higher intensities for cycling and swimming than you can for running – it’s that gravity thing again. I suspect many tri dudes who come from swimming or cycling backgrounds simply assume they can train for running the same way they do for the other two sports – namely very fast & very long. Gravity makes running a different beast with some unique problems – you can only run fast AND long for so much without risking serious injury. I won’t claim what I do is the best way, I suspect that I could benefit from some additional speed work properly planned and placed. But I do strongly believe that when you are trying to build to a higher mileage plateau, speed is the first thing that should go on the shelf for a while.

Principle #4 – Use Mileage Plateaus Your body needs time to build stronger joints, ligaments and bones. As I said, according to the science types, the skeletal system takes the longest to adapt. It’ll happen, but it’ll take time. So building to a weekly mileage number is really just the start. Your body will continue to adapt as you stay at that on a weekly basis – for months & years. The good news is that after several weeks or months, that weekly average will start to feel much easier. So, when you build to say 40 MPW, you’ll be tired after that first week. But then hold it there at a weekly average of 40 MPW for a few months, over time that weekly average will start to feel pretty comfortable. You will find you will be moving beyond “survival mode” – where you’re just trying to get the mileage in and don’t care about pacing. You’ll start to speed up and want to add some faster stuff in. That’s how you know your body is getting stronger.

Principle #5 – Listen to your Body About 75% of all my running is done with no stopwatch at all. When I leave the house, I’ll check what time it is, then I’ll check again when I return and an estimate for the total time. I almost never check my pace during a run. Nor do I ever use an HRM. I run based on how I feel. Running this way requires some faith and some experience. But it is not necessarily difficult to get to. The idea is to be comfortable for the entire run. Then when you’re finished, you should feel like you could have gone for a few more miles if you had to. I’m not advocating that everyone should put all their gadgets away forever (OK, maybe I am), but I do think that it is incredibly important to learn to listen to your body. Running based on feel is a great way to do this. After a while you start to get a feel for your running based on your breathing patterns and effort level. You start to know almost at an intuitive level when you can push it a little and when you’re tired or achy and need to back off and jog for a while. I know that numbers jocks will have a hard time with this – I was an engineer once, I know all about the love of tracking and graphing progress. But I also know that an intuitive feel for your own body and its capabilities is much more valuable than the worlds prettiest graph. You then of course need to act on what your body is telling you. Learn to know the difference between tired or achy muscles (which are normal) and truly sore or painful tendons – unfortunately I suspect experience is really the best teacher between these two.

I’ll close this with something I once heard Marc Allen say – “the guy who wins Ironman isn’t the fastest guy - it’s the guy who slows down the least”. This is exactly what high volume running is designed to do. You are developing your systems so that you can go all day and not slow down. This is the best way I know to describe how I approach running. My goal is not necessarily to get blazing fast, my goal is to slow down less than the other guy.

Boston Marathon Race Report

The Training Plan & Prep

The 2009 Boston Marathon was my first time at Boston & my second overall marathon. My first marathon & Boston Qualifier was done at the Charlottesville Marathon in April 2008 (3:04:xx final time). I spent pretty much all of 2008 putting in an average of 40 miles per week running, in addition to 3-4 bike and 2-3 swim session per week. I began my Boston specific prep in mid December 2008. My training plan was to ramp my weekly running to 55 miles per week while also remaining consistent with my cycling (3 weekly sessions) & swimming (2-3 weekly sessions) schedules. My training plan was based on the Pfitzinger 18/55 schedule (outlined in the book Advanced Marathoning by Pfitzinger/Douglas). I modified the base plan to allow me to get the mileage in using 5 running sessions per week (the original Pfitzinger plans are based on 6 days running, with some days of double running sessions and 1 day of x-training). This modification plus my plan to maintain a regular cycling & swimming schedule meant that most of my training runs were longer (average run length for me was around 12 miles) and also less intense than called for in the plan.

I also found that the higher intensity cycling (esp the Saturday morning all-out effort to stick with the fast dudes) impacted my ability to complete all my runs as planned. In particular, I struggled with maintaining enough energy to execute faster tempo runs. In addition, planning necessitated scheduling my weekly long runs on Sunday, often the day after the Saturday long ride. In order to keep with the training schedule and avoid injury, I made some additional changes to my original plan. First was to back off slightly on the Saturday Morning long rides. I decided to let the fast pack go and stuck with the Development group. Second, I eliminated all speed work from my running schedule. After some reflection, I decided that several solid efforts on the bike with higher RPMs as well as decent pool work would translate to the speed I would need for the marathon. I felt it was more important to a successful marathon to maintain the mileage than to worry about doing fast training runs. My early season race times – Colonial Half Marathon, MJ8K seemed to validate this approach as I was able to turn in fast times at those shorter distances.

The final important factor in this training period was my health. In May 2008, I was diagnosed with sub-clinical Hyperthyroidism. While I can think of many things that are much much worse, treatment for this condition (radiation therapy followed by Synthroid medication, for which I am still trying to find the right dose) definitely affected my energy level & thus my training efforts & runs.

Getting to Race Day – Marathon Weekend

We arrived at Logan Airport in Boston on Saturday evening, flying in from Newport News. Logan was buzzing with very fit looking folks, many sporting Boston Marathon apparel from previous years. My cousin Gina met us at the airport. She had kindly allowed us to stay with her while in Boston. We had spent the previous 2 days attending the UVA Student ASCE Student Chapter Concrete Canoe & Steel Bridge Contest. The contest was a blast by the way. I could spend a page just on that, but I’ll save this for another time.

Sunday morning was spent picking up race bibs & stuff at the Expo. Then Gina had invited most of the Boston clan over to her house in the afternoon for a big send off party. The party was a combination Marathon send-off and 60^th Birthday for my Uncle Manny. Needless to say, there was ridiculously good food and drinks had for all, including 2 kinds of lasagna, pork & clams (oh so good), 2 cakes and on and on. The temptation to go overboard on the food & booze was overwhelming, but I steeled myself against my more bacchanalian side.

Race Day

The Boston Marathon is unique in many ways. The first of which is the point to point route. The start line is located 26 miles west of Boston in the town of Hopkinton, Mass. The route runs through 7 different towns on the way in to Boston and results in road closings throughout the Boston area. The BAA (Boston Athletic Association) is kind enough to arrange buses for all the runners to ensure that everyone makes it to the start line with minimal hassle. The buses leave from Boston Common between 6 and 7:30 AM to order to have everyone set for a 10 AM race start. As long as you are on the bus, you’ll make it to the start line on time.

So, we get up just before 6 AM and after 2 cups of coffee & a bowl of cereal, we head in to downtown Boston. Getting over to the common was easy & I was on a bus just after 7 AM. Had a great ride up to Hopkinton and met a very interesting group of people – including one charity runner who was doing his first marathon ever! I finally got off the bus in Hopkinton at about 8:30 and headed straight to the line for the port a potty. Waited in this line for a solid hour! At about 9:15, the announcer starts telling everyone in Wave 1 to start heading to the starting corrals. Or course at this point, I’m still looking down a line of about 10 people to use the port a potty and start to freak out! As the minutes go by, I get more and more anxious. 9:30 comes and goes – still waiting. Finally, I decide this may be for the best after all since my bladder will be empty quite close to the start. I also decide it’s time start my warm up routine. So I sit down in the port a potty line and start getting my race gear all set up – fuel belt & GUs, hat, shades, race number all check. Then I go ahead and start stretching out. Now the folks waiting in line think I’m some sort of nut case. Of course they are all in the Wave 2 start, which doesn’t go until 10:30 – plenty of time for them! Finally, I get my turn high tail it out there at about 9:40.

The second challenge of the Boston Marathon, I’ve already alluded to peripherally. You usually have a couple hours to sit around in Hopkinton between the time the buses drop you off and the race start at 10 AM. I was annoyed that I’d managed to spend most of that time in a stupid line for the bathroom, but I guess it kept me busy. The third challenge at Boston is the trip from the athletes village (which is really just a few huge tents at the High School football fields) to the start line about 2/3 of a mile away. So, I drop my warm clothes in my labeled BAA bag on the bus bound for Boston & head off at a slow jog over to the start. The jog served as a brief warm up to shake out the legs after waiting in line so long!

I make it to the start line at about 9:50 – the National Anthem had already finished playing by the time I get there. Good news is I’m there with only a few short minutes before the start, so no time to stand around and get cold again. At this point, the excitement is palpable. I share a couple of nervous words with others around me as the announcers get the crowd pumped. The elites are brought to the line, of course everyone cheers for Ryan Hall, Brian Sell and some of the other American favorites. Then comes the fly-by from a pair of F-14’s – just amazing! They are so low I think I can reach out and touch the one nearest me. I feel the roar of the engines and my adrenaline levels redline.

Now it’s time to rock and roll. One by one I tick off my fears – did I do the right things in training? Do I have the right nutrition and hydration strategies? Did I use up just a little too much energy in the build up over the past couple days to this race? Is my timing chip secure? Do I look cool? Then I let them all go – they don’t matter. What matters is the next 3 hours.

The Race

My qualifying time of 3:04:xx had me in Corral 3 with other runners around the 7 min/mile range. Given my full year of training since then and recent race times (Colonial Half Marathon in 1:22:xx), I had selected a target pace range of 6:30 to 6:40 per mile. My plan was to shoot for 5K splits right around 20 minutes until the hills, between 25K and 35K, manage the hills with an even effort & then bring it home over the final 7K with whatever I had left.

5K - 20:32 (6:37 per mile)

We’re off. The sizeable crowd at Hopkinton lets loose with a rousing cheer and the runners are underway. Within a quarter mile I hear my first boom box playing Eye of the Tiger – this will become a theme throughout the day. I think the entire town of Hopkinton must be here because the road is lined with people right from the start clapping and cheering.

One of the best parts in this early section is the families that line the road cheering on the runners as they head on their way to Boston. As you run along this section, gangs of kids are out, offering their hands out, just looking for a high five. After every slap, you a chorus of “Yes!” and “Mom, did you see that, I got a high five!” Great support for these future marathoners!

I go along with the pack for the first mile – my watch had it about 7 minutes. Too slow. I wanted to be conservative, but this was ridiculous. If I’m going to find my rhythm, it was not going to be with the pack. The first half of the race follows what is essentially a two lane country road. So the early part of the race is highly congested as 26,000 some odd runners head in to Boston. I start to pick it up, but of course in the crowded, narrow course this required endless bobbing and weaving. I’m sure I wasted some energy navigating the crowds through the first 15K of the race. I would say I didn’t get into a good rhythm until the half way point of the race.

10K – 19:58 (6:32 per mile) Total Time: 40:30

I’m still looking to find a decent rhythm in this section. Bob & weave is the theme here. The simplest way to do this is to stick to the left edge of the course & go by runners. But the crowds still require this to be more start-stop than anything. I also notice that my legs don’t feel great. No real problems or anything, but not a smooth and confident as I had hoped.

15K – 20:19 (6:32 per mile) Total Time: 1:00:49

Just before the 15K mark is the only section where the spectator crowds are sparse. We run along Lake Cochituate for about a mile. Midway through this section I finally feel free to run my own unimpeded pace. I’m running along with a good group & we’re finally all going at about the same race. This is the group that – barring disaster – will likely take me the rest of the way. There are a few characters in this group – Dreadlock guy (got lots of cheers from the kids); Captain America (yes, he’s there, and holding up pretty well considering the heavy outfit).

20K – 20:31 (6:34 per mile) Total Time: 1:21:20

Pretty uneventful here. We pass through Natick & get great fan support coming through the center of town.

25K – 20:27 (6:34 per mile) Total Time: 1:41:47

As I pass the 20K mark, I begin to hear a distant rumble emanating from somewhere up ahead. My senses actually don’t notice it right away. I’m more focused on my running stride, my steady even breath. Then the sound starts to invade my consciousness. I notice it first as a steady chorus of voices. I exchange some glances with the runners around me, most have a knowing – dare I say mischievous – smiles on their faces. The voices grow louder with each step. Finally, as I come up a slight rise and bear off to the right I see it – Wellesley College. I had heard of the Wellesley Girls, but experiencing them is another matter. I become convinced I must be running alongside Bruce Springsteen - surely someone famous is out here to cause such as mad frenzy. Of course the famous people are the runners. I watch one runner make a beeline for a young lady holding a “Kiss Me, I’m a Democrat” sign. He claims his smooch and is off with barely a hitch is his stride – I think he practiced that move in training. Yes, god bless the Women of Wellesley!

30K – 20:49 (6:43 per mile) Total Time: 2:02:36

Up to this point, course has been largely downhill – I’ve descended nearly 300 feet over the first 15 miles. I’ve been able to hold a comfortable pace & still feel that my energy reserves are well stocked. As we pass the 25K mile marker, I know it’s time for the Newton Hills. For most runners (and many non-runners), the Newtown Hills are probably the single most studied 6 mile stretch of road anywhere on the planet. Entire books have been written dedicated to the 4 hills that now stand between me and the City of Boston.

What these books might not mention is the near free fall that drops runners down into Newtown Lower Falls, halfway through mile 15. This drop is probably one of the more critical sections of the course, it’s only ½ mile, but the drop is so precipitous, if not handled correctly, your legs are toast. I shorten my stride so as to save the quads and let the more aggressive runners fly by me down the hill – they’ll regret that move later. Then upon reaching the bottom of the hill – it’s right back up the other side to being the start of the first of 4 climbs. Time to go to work.

35K – 21:07 (6:49 per mile) Total Time: 2:23:43

After the 30K point, I’m about half way through the hills, still feeling good, my pace is holding up about as planned. I knew I’d give some time back on the climbs. As I reach the bottom of the famed “Heartbreak Hill”, final significant climb of the day, I see “Go Phil” painted on the road. Smiling, I begin to look around for any familiar faces – I don’t see any, but it doesn’t matter- I’m pumped to see someone cheering on Phil. Hopefully that Phil is having a good race too.

I dig in and run up Heartbreak Hill. Not too bad I think as I come to the crest. Then the wind hits me for the first time. The weather forecast was for very good marathoning weather – low 40’s & partly cloudy. The only concern I had from the start were the forecasted 10-20 mph headwinds. Up to this point in the run, they had not been a factor & I was beginning to think they would not show up. Oops. So much for that. Now I’m cursing myself for not giving proper respect to the ghosts that lurk on Heartbreak – demanding respect & exacting revenge on the disrespectful. All I can do is put my head down & run – so I do.

Coming off Heartbreak, most runners think they have the race made. It’s temping to think – looking at the map it appears to be a simple matter of 5K – mostly downhill. In my experience, that is a mistake. The steep drop off of Heartbreak Hill beats you up almost bad as the drop into Newton Lower Falls. I try to take this drop a little conservatively so as not to totally blow out my quad muscles. This is going to hurt in the morning!

40K – 21:23 (6:54 per mile) Total Time: 2:45:06

2.2K – 9:50 (7:01 per mile) Final Time: 2:54:56

I had passed through 35K pretty much right on plan. I take a moment to build my mental energy for a strong push over the final 7K. Suddenly as I’m beginning to pick up the pace, my lungs seem to stop working. Odd, I suddenly can’t get much air! Not really sure what this is. My chest begins to tighten ever so slightly in what feels to be minor asthmatic symptoms. Funny, never had asthma before, so this is what it’s like, that’s interesting. I slow down a little bit and that seems to do the trick, my breath comes back. So after another minute or so regrouping, I try to accelerate again – the legs are willing, the energy is there, the oxygen is not. OK, let’s regroup one more time.

Over this last 7K, I’m basically pushing the envelope ever so slightly to establish a pace I can run at and not keel over from hypoxia. I consider walking, but I just don’t see it happening. The Boston crowds really take over. At any other race, I might have decided to walk for a minute. Not here. Not in front of thousands for screaming Bostonians – yes I’d say the testosterone took over at this point. Finally coming down Boylston St, the crowds are lined 3,4 or 5 deep in most places. Ain’t no way I’m stopping in front of this crowd! A few people are passing down this final stretch to the finish as they tap whatever reserves they have left. Good for them for finishing strong. I’m giving it what I’ve got – which ain’t much. Finally, it feels good to cross the line waving & smiling – I stop my watch at 2:55:00 – a 9 minute PR, can’t complain about that.

I’ll definitely be back for more!