1st mile: There is a lot of people! Ok go ahead and pass some runners but don’t go crazy. Pace 8:18min and HR 151 avg. (perfect!)
2nd mile: pace 7:51. I feeling ok, I am passing people and I am getting into a rhythm, though my HR is a bit high:159 avg. (Probably is due to the heat and excitement. Nothing to worry)
3rd mile: I am passing more people and settling into my pace, though I am running slower than usual… is probably due to the amount of people. Let’s not worry and play with the people giving high fives. Pace 7:53 and HR 169 avg. (wait what?) Again is probably the heat.
4th mile: ok let’s get the pace closer to my goal. Men it is getting hot! Something is not right though my pace is better 7:37, my HR is booming! 165 avg. Ok time for some cytomax.
5th mile: pace 7:51, something is not right my HR keeps climbing 169 avg. and I am not even running faster than usual! My long run pace was always between 7:50 and 8:00. What’s going on?
6th mile: pace 7:46 but HR is up yet again to 171 avg!!! My speed is around 7.5mph. I am definitely not pushing myself hard. Ok let’s focus on counting steps… 31 steps with left leg on 20 sec. Perfect that’s 93 in a minute and 186 for both less… Same as my long runs. Could it be my sore throat? It is not bothering me now though…
7th mile: pace 7:55. I can’t speed up because my HR is SUPER high… Ok Jorge, let’s calm down and continue enjoying the crowd. Let’s give some more high fives. It is time for a GU and drink cytomax. HR 169 avg.
8th mile: pace 8:04. What? My HR is now 173 avg??? OMG, what’s going on? I just hit a max HR of 181. I usually do that when I am doing speed work at the track and running 6 min miles. Let’s grab some ice to cool and calm down.
9th mile: pace 7:50, ok I feel a bit better but some how uncomfortable. Maybe I am focusing too much on my dam HR but why now my avg is 174? I think I am going to switch the strategy and drink fluids every 15 min. Maybe because of my throat I am getting dehydrated faster. cytomax
10th mile: Pace 7:54, I am definitely running at the same pace as my long runs and I just cover the 1st 10 miles but hell I am not feeling as always. This HR thing is messing too much with mi mind…WHAT! 176 avg. That’s it the chest strap is coming off. I will base my run on speed and pace. Maybe that will calm me down.
11th mile: Pace 7:55, ok I think I am doing a bit better. I’ll keep my speed between 7.5 and 7.8 mph. some more cytomax
12th mile: pace 7:35, wow it is the first time I can actually bring my pace somehow close to my Goal. But there is something terrible wrong! It can’t be, it really can’t, right? There is a water station and… what? I want to stop and walk? This had never happened to me before. Ok calm down. Keep a steady pace until the next mile and water station.
13th mile: pace 7:47, I am still worry. Ok suck it up. Let’s do this. There is the ½ marathon mark and cameras… let’s chill and smile. Water and another GU
14th and 15th miles: pace 8:00, I am suffering way too much. There is no way I can go faster than 8 min miles. You know what let’s just focus and enjoy as much as possible. Don’t worry about times.
16th and 17th miles: pace 16:20, Hell alley here we go. just jog the hill. Whatever happens don’t walk now just don’t. The big hills are coming and if I walk now it will become easier to walk later. Oh no, my calves are cramping, Dam it!
Wow there is a guy on a wheelchair pushing himself with only one leg! That’s courage. Ok Jorge you have both of your legs so keep running! Water & Gatorade
18th mile: pace 8:44, ok I just passed the steepest hill. I want to walk so badly. Now I am beginning to feel cramps on my hamstrings. Use the cheering of the crowd. Come one!
19th mile: pace 8:29, ok another couple of hills and you are money baby! Whatever you do don’t walk; just don’t walk the hills…cytomax
20th mile: pace 9:13. OMG I can’t do this anymore. Why I am in such a pain and agony. I had done this several times. I trained my ass off. I ran this hills at least 10 times all during my long runs. Why? Wait till next water station to walk. Wait a little more!
21st mile: pace 8:55. Ok I passed the hills, I survived that, but am I going to be able to finish? Now even my squads are cramping. I have to keep my strides short and slow. Just keep one leg in front of the other. There is no point on stopping now. Cytomax and GU
22nd mile: whatever you do don’t look up for the Citgo sign… Dam it! There is it! Hell that means I have to run another 3 miles on this street. Come on Jorge just jog/run. You are close
23rd mile: pace 8:39. Ok don’t worry about pace. Just focus on finishing…. This is weird; I just remember someone at the BT site had a quote about finding Nemo or something… I think I am loosing it, hahaha. Oh yeah I remember it is something like, Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. Well Jorge, just keep moving!
24th mile: pace 11:35. My legs are cramping so BAD. Oh no, I can’t move my left leg. Let’s walk for a bit. Agggghhhh I can’t move my right leg! I can’t walk, I am falling down! There are 3 people next to me on the sidewalk: Guy “are you ok?” Jorge laying on the ground. NO! I can’t move my legs or stand up! Please stretch my legs! Girl “let me pour some water over you legs” Jorge “I can’t do this, I am done, I am done” Girl “what? Yes you can…I am sure you had run 2 miles several times before! That’s how much you have left!” Jorge (smile) “help me to stand up” Girl (pads me on the back) “Ok, come one Jorge 2 more miles. You better start running before I get upset” Jorge “Thank you guys, you are the best!” Just push me towards the finish line.
25th mile: pace 10:00, I am so close, I am running as straight as possible. Let’s high five the crowd and pretend I am ok.
26.2 mile: pace 9:34, OMG, I am going to finish! I can’t believe it. I don’t feel my legs and I am exhausted, but hey the crowd amazing! Wait a minute… there are some friends on the crowd, “Come Jorge you did it!” I want to cry! Just keep moving, just keep moving, so close, so close…YES! I did it


Train more on the heat, and regulate better my fluid intake

I was about to faint a couple of times so a sat down and drank a coke. Our running team offered complementary food, drinks and massages after the race. IT WAS HEAVEN!
My stomach was so updet after the race I couldn't eat anything until later that night.


I don't know if the heat affected me that much. I don't know if it was my sore throat. I don’t know if I focused on passing too much people at the beggining, I don’t know if I drank to much fluid or what. But none of them are excuses. It was a humbling and awesome experience and I can’t wait to do it again. Though the next time I get to run the Boston marathon it will be when I get to qualify. So I will be working vey hard on that in the mean time.


Boston Marathon. I promise you will see me again!