So I haven't posted in a long time, but here's a race report from Boston this year.
My own race report is as follows.....Came to Boston with what felt like impossible-to-run-with hip flexor and hamstring pain aggravated, I think, by three hours of what I thought was LIGHT yardwork on Friday. I limped over to the expo on Sunday morning and after sitting through a demo, decided to buy a TENS unit for $200 and alternate treatments with my ice for the rest of theday I had left to try to get runnable. So except for meeting up with my friend Darryl Stanbrough for a few minutes for photo op at the Finish Line, that's what I did the rest of Sunday....TENSing, watching the Sox and updated weather reports and Marathon news on TV. Woke up Monday at about 3;30 feeling at least 60% better, but still sensing major possible body problems. My guess was that good solid training had me prepped to go the distance endurrancewise, but would I breakdown muscularly somewhere and with the forecasted early rain and 40 degrees(which I was fine with) turning to steady rain and extremely windy by 3 o'clock, would I end up in a hypothermic repeat of my Venice, Italy marathon that was such a painful, hypothermic disaster.
I ended up leaving the hotel for the Baumann bus in two long sleeved shirts, a punched out plastic bag they had given us at the expo, shorts, calf compression sleeves, armwarmers, gloves, rainproof jacket, sweatpants sweatshirt and two hats and an extra plastic bag. Had thoughts of wearing lighter weight racing shoes but decided to stick to my trainers. Ate a bit of breakfast, took an Aleve and felt slightly better after the walk to the bus. Meeting up with Darryl and his running partner Lori , I sat beside Jim O'Brien for the ride out to Hopkinton catching up with him. He had spent most of the weekend at the hospital with his friend Carole (sp) who I think Dave and Susi may know from the DWD team from a couple of years ago. (Jim told a Gary Lake story of his recruitment of her). Jim and Carole had gone for a little jog on Saturday, tripped and ....compound fracture of....now I can't remember what....but Oh, man. Hopefully she mends quickly.
We had about 2 1/2 hours to kill before we could think about heading for the start line so there was fidgetting with food, drink and clothing while I chatted with Robin Linfield from South Lyon for awhile and met Peter Polidori, age 75 and Dave Dugger, age 76 behind me. It wasn't raining as we headed down to the Start line for Wave Three. I shed the the plastic bag and my sweatclothes, but as rain started falling again decided to keep everything else on. I thought about start at the very tail end of the wave for an uncongested stretch at the beginning like last year, but decided the further down the course I could get before the hard rain came, the better and started in my 4th corral in the middle of the wave. Most of the start line talk, both official and amongst runners seemed to be much more about the running and the weather this year, rather than the bombing and security as things seem headed toward a new "normal". So off we went in the rain.
Boston's downhill beginning is a great thing for sketchy legs and to my surprise, as things loosened and the adrenaline kicked in, holding things tamped down, I felt okay. The miles started piling up, one by one and somewhere along the line, the rain let up and I stuffed my wet gloves in my jacket pockets. Just beyond Wellesley and all the commotion, I HAD to find a toilet, ended up in a potty behind the spectator fence, couldn't get back through the fence for a stretch and missed the 13.1 timing mat. Oh, well.
Usually by 16 miles, I'm really starting to fatigue, but the effort level had been so moderate to this point that I was starting to think I stood a good chance of making it to the finish. Up through the hills is usually a major problem for me, yet I found myself actually passing lots of people, if not moving fast. Mile 21 is still such a relief as you head down toward the city and I had decided after about mile 18 to try for no more refueling and just go for it. Even with all the clothing, I still didn't feel at all overheated, but by mile 3, jettisoned the soggy gloves, the soggy armwarmers, and the large extra plastic bag. Just feeling lighter seemed to help me mentally, too. With still the heavy rain holding off I pressed to Boylston Street and the finish in my best pace of the race and finished as strongly as I think I ever have a marathon and actually feeling like I could have run more. Crazy. Nothing like low expectations to make you feel extra lucky. So So 3:47:36 41st in age group of 403 avg HR 153 are the stats
With the strong east wind off the ocean, even with no rain, the post finish line air was biting cold and I was very grateful for all my clothing and the relatively short walk back to the hotel. An hour later, by my family's arrangement, a massage therapist came to the hotel and was that a wonderful gift. I'm sure it's helping with recovery.
The Boston crowd was impressive given the weather and for my money, Boston and New York are just the best.
On the flight home, I ended up in the same row as Robin Linfield. She had had a good run in 3:50. Jim O'Brien had 3:41, Darryl a 3:49, my friend Harold Wilson, age 82, a 4:18 and of course Graham, with a screaming 3:32. Cab ride home to Brighton when Chris, my wife, was picked to sit on a jury at the last minute and couldn't fetch me from the airport.
Hope to see everyone soon.
Tom
