Boston Marathon - Run


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Boston, Massachusetts
United States
Boston Athletic Association
55F / 13C
Overcast
Total Time = 4h 26m 44s
Overall Rank = 16632/
Age Group = 40-49
Age Group Rank = 40150/
Pre-race routine:

got a good nights sleep, tried and true oatmeal and cran juice for b-fast. packed up and double checked stuff. Caught track club bus just in time. No stress!!
Event warmup:

lol...what a way to warm up!! Caught a good (gallows humor here) house fire the night before the race!! brought my son so he got some good pics.

oh uhmm...the marathon warm up. Nothing really, just checking out the venue, trying to figure out the system for corrals. Keeping in close proximity to the 3 ladies I was running with.
Run
  • 4h 26m 44s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 10m 11s  min/mile
Comments:

Keeping track of all 4 of us in a field of 20k was a challenge!! Nicole, danielle and lisa were great buds to run with. Not much talking, just taking in the scene.

We hit the 1/2 way point at around 2 hrs which felt good.

Around mile 15, I noticed nicole had faded back so I dropped back to see what was going on. Her knee was really acting up on the downhills so I hung with her a bit. We stopped and got her knee wrapped at an aid station and tried to work back into a rythm. Unfortunately, the pain was too much, nothing seemed to help. At mile 18, her parents and fiance were waiting so she decided to stop and prevent further injury.

So, after that, I felt like one of those team horses without it's partner. I kept looking over to my right to see how she was doing but no one was there. Ah well. Suck it up, buttercup!! However, the best was yet to come!! Amazing how friends and family pop up when you most need them.

At mile 19 or so, I was greeted by a gaggle of track clubs peeps who were spectating!! Lots of hugs all around!! Isis was at mile 21 with a BIG sign!! of course we had to do pics!! :) Another friend was at mile 23 with a very cool sign and pics there too!! Then at mile 26, my older brother was there with a high 5!!

The day was wonderful. The course was challenging but not too hard. The wellesly hills were a challenge but I love hills. :) Crowds were racuous!! Physically I felt fine. Tired but not injured. Emotionally and mentally, I felt the best I have felt. Amazing, truly amazing, the difference supportive and positve people can make on a persons life.

Never did hit the 'wall'. Strange thinking back to it.

Thank you to all the support and encouragement that all of you have given. My thoughts did wonder to my firefighter friend mark, and to scuba-punk and all to ya'll.
What would you do differently?:

nothing at all. no regrets. Nicole stood by me at cape cod marathon a few years back, no way was I going to leave her.

For me, its all about a good time, not the clock.
Post race
Warm down:

walked and walked trying to figure out where my bag was and back top the Lenox hotel.


Event comments:

organizing 20k plus runners is a herculean task. Boston does it right.




Last updated: 2006-04-19 12:00 AM
Running
04:26:44 | 26.2 miles | 10m 11s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Course: The Boston course is, without a doubt, is one of the best venues. The course itself does present a few hilly challenges (cape cod marathon is harder, in my opinion), has some wonderful veiws through smaller, rural towns and onto smaller cities and of course into Boston herself. Fantastic spectator groups all along the way. One biker tavern was hootin'!! The wellesly girls were there in all their glory!! Just a wellspring of support from the communities.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 5