Not so good. It was a pretty cold morning, but buy the first mile, I felt pretty good, warmth wise. This was my shot at a Boston Qualify. I'd trained for a fast time, but I've also been training longer miles for a 100 mile ultra in July. So walking this line of speed and high mileage with a small taper was taking a big chance. By mile 3 I knew this was probably not going to work. I was running with a girl and another guy at the same pace...about a 7:14, exactly what I had been training for, but my legs were already feeling tired...like 18 mile tired...not 3 mile tired. So the question was how long could I hold on. Should I slow down and just try for a BQ, or keep going at the pace I trained for and also try for the PR? A battle between my heart and by brain. My head KNEW I should slow down, but my heart said to push until my legs fell off. So I ran hard....until mile 12, when I say my first split time begin to fade and the girl I was running next to begin to pull away. Damage control began. Could I hold on to a Boston Qualifying time? Each mile split was looking a bit slower, and my legs just didn't have the speed I demanded from them. With 5 miles left to go, I calculated that sub 8 minute miles could get me the BQ, so I pushed hard...for a 8:15. The question answered itself then. It would be close, but it would not happen. I blew it. If I had just gone for the BQ, would I have made it? Who knows. With just 6/10 of a mile from the finish, I saw my qualifying time come and go...but I was so slow by then, it took me over 8 more minutes to finish. I had blew up long ago, and had come to terms with it, so my last 4 miles were me enjoying the day. Looking at the other runners and encouraging them as they blazed by me. Being happy that I was able bodied enough to even be doing this. I have more things to be happy about than not. Boston will always be there, and in a year or 3, perhaps I'll try again. It's taken me 2 weeks to write this, and the day after this run, the Boston bombing took place and the world changed again. I'll go back to Boston....I'll certainly go back.

Nothing. I gotta push things to the limit, and let the cards fall where they may.

Hobbled back to my car, zoomed back to my shitty hotel room to take a shower so I could drive for almost 3 hours back home.


Going to fast, to soon.