I bonked at mile 21.  This is the first race I have bonked at since 2018.  I thought I had figured out all the pacing and nutrition, so I expected to be able to run strong to the end and to feel good after crossing the finish line but that was not the case.   Despite a 9-minute positive split I still pulled off a sub-3 hour time so I guess you can bank time.  I wouldn't ever recommend it though.  The last 5 miles were painful and I felt half dead after finishing.  

I went back and analyzed my race data so see what went wrong.  I can't really say.  My pacing looks to be on point with other races.  I did get an upset stomach which required some adjustments to the nutrition plan, but I am not sure that was the problem.  I think I may have just been undertrained.  

There two things that really stood out to me.  1) there was no room to pass anyone for the first 12 miles.  That was pretty crazy to be boxed in for that many miles.  2) the last five miles I was passed by more than 1,000 people.  That was when it really hit me what it meant to be at the Boston Marathon.  At my qualifying Marathon a year ago I passed about 20 people after mile 18.  That was half the field that was in front of me so it was huge.  I felt like I was picking off people right and left.  No one caught me in those miles.  The same was true for the half marathon I did in March.  In the last 5 miles I just pulled them in one by one passing half the field that was ahead of me.  This was the opposite.  I had about 2,500 people ahead of me then had half that many people pass me at the end of the race. I was getting passed by rows of people 4-5 people wide and they were all going a minute a mile faster than me.  I felt like I was drifting wood floating in white water rapids. There was a furious flow moving passing all around me.  

So...this was defiantly a cool experience.   Next time I go to Boston it will not be for the experience.  It will be to race. 

Despite your feelings on how the race played out (and I get it), it is still hella impressive to have made it there in the first place AND to come in under 3 hours!  Wow!!  Like you said, you learned some possible areas that could be improved upon and I can't wait until you cross this historic line again.    Big congrats!

I'm with Melanie on this, Curtis.  I was half-expecting to see a 4-hour time after reading your report then saw sub-3.  Nice work managing through all the obstacles and I'm sure you learned a ton for next time.

Thanks! 

The truth is I was surprised myself.  The last time I walked at the end of a marathon I finished in 3:14.  I needed a 3:10 that day to BQ that day.  I was expecting to be something like that at Boston too.  All those long & hot afternoon run legs in triathlons have taught me something. If you keep those walk breaks short and strategic you can still pull out a good race if you have banked some time. 

I think there is about a 12 volume encyclopedia on racing Boston.  I skipped all of them because I had no frame of reference for anything on the course.  Now I have done it once I think that the race intel from others would be more helpful.  Around town all people talked about were the years when in was really hot and how lucky we were to have a cool day.  I just wish they would have had a drop bag at the starting line because I didn't have any throw-a-way warm up gear.  Sitting for 2 hours in 48 deg F would have been more fun in long sleeves and pants. :-)