Did anyone have as bad a day as me? I was +47:00 over my goal time. From the people I spoke to, most were +30:00. 80+ degrees at the start, 85+ at the finish, it was awful. After training all winter I was well-prepared to have a cold weather marathon PR, but not a hot weather marathon meltdown. After mile 4 I knew it had become just a question of getting to the finish line. Anyone else have an ugly day?
I think everyone did…it was a hot hot day…I will post more later when I get time.
I had several friends running Monday. From the Live results it looked like they ran 10-40 minutes slow as compared to their Philly times from last November. I haven’t talked to them in person to get the full scoop yet, but I heard cramping was another major issue along with the heat, windy conditions and stirred up dust. On the other hand, I’m running the Jersey Shore marathon this Saturday. Forecast is holding at mid to upper 50’s for a high with or without scattered showers. Keeping my fingers crossed.
I had a tough day too. About 35:00 off my goal. Puked at mile 9. Cramped at mile 20. Ugly ugly ugly. Happy to have finished.
Ugly is an understatement. I dropped out just after mile 17 (right at the Woodland T station) and pulled a “Rosie Ruiz” to get back into Boston (but I didn’t cross the finish line ).
I cruised through the first six between 6:30 and 6:50 but I died by mile 8. Even though I was slugging down two or three cups of water/warm Gatorade at each water stop, I could get my core temperature down. By mile 11 I was basically running from water stop to water stop. I crossed the 1/2 marathon point at 1:37 (almost 10 minutes off pace) and I was slowing dramatically.
Once I hit the first of the four Newton Hills (most people forget to include the climb over Rt128/I95 as a hill), I was shot. I was definitely NOT having fun (not that running marathons, even in the best weather, are “fun”). I stopped at the medical tent right at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and had the best tasting cup of COLD Pink Gatorade I’ve ever had. I grabbed a trolley back to downtown Boston. Of course, the air-conditioning in the car was busted so I continued melting until I hit Arlington St. station.
Of the running group ran with when I was living in Boston, the fastest finisher was almost 20 minutes of his best. Most others were 30, 45 or many more minutes off.
All in all, Boston lived up to its reputation as a difficult race.
Martin
+45 minutes off my goal time, 1st minute in and pull a calf muscle, heat, 2 weeks post flubug,…ugly!!!
1st Boston and yes I will do it all over again!!
ugly day indeed…ran the damn thing and was so hotfelt like I could cook an egg on my head. Well got through 13.1 at good pace…1:35 but fell way off after that and by 22miles was battling overheating big time. No amount of water could get me back on track. Weeble wobbled to the finish 30 minutes slower than usual…not pretty. Felt very very very very bad for a couple of hours afterwards. Decided that I had to pat myself on the back for finishing, and then decided being that tough would help me mentally prepare for what might occurr IM Wisconsin…thats my way or rationalizing the whole thing…otherwise ugly day…ice onthe head didn’t even feel cold at all…melted or sizzled in a couple of seconds. I wonder how manybrain cells I cooked that day…LOL
I guess it would only be fair to come clean with my story of failure… I bet my friend $150.00 that I would break 3 hours this year at Boston. Therefore my strategy was to stay on pace no matter what. It turns out that once your body runs out of salt it begins to malfunction. I continued on my pace until the top of heartbreak hill. At that point I began having cramps all over my body. I stopped by the medical tent at mile 21 and was told that I should go to the hospital because I was suffering the effects of hyponatremia. The symptoms included dizziness, nausea, headache, cramping, and irregular heartbeat. The EMT said that I could refuse treatment if I wanted but he strongly advised against it. I told him that I was going to continue the race. I walked about ten feet and laid down on the ground. While I was laying there I managed to eat a Powergel. After 1/2 hour I got up and began walking the final 5 miles. Apparently the fans in Boston are not impressed by walking in their marathon. I do not blame them for their response to my pathetic effort. I made it to the finish line around 5 hours 10 minutes. It is a new personal worst by 1 hour and 43 minutes. Due to my slow time, I missed my flight out of town and had to pay another $400.00 for a different flight. I have decide to go double or nothing with my friend on the Flying Pig in 10 days. Lets hope for some cooler weather in Cincinnati!
Hopefully you’re not the person I heard was sick right at a water stop! 
I heard at least one person lost it right at the tables where everyone was stopping for water, instead of before or after the tables where fewer people would be forced to encounter it.
I hate to call someone dumb, but what were you thinking ignoring medical advice?
I’ll just call you lucky, instead of dumb…
Yeah yeah yeah…slow times…hot hot hot…but did you all see Peter Reid at the Expo?
Didn’t see Peter Reid, but Frank Shorter & his son were seated next to us at dinner on Saturday night in a little Thai place. Ended up having a short conversation with him after dinner and got his autograph on a map of Boston. What a nice guy!
Yes, saw Peter and if I knew how to I’d post a picture of him and my girlfriend at the expo!
Yes, saw Peter and if I knew how to I’d post a picture of him and my girlfriend at the expo!
Doing what?
I would love to run Boston one day. I have run bits and pieces of the course on training runs while in Boston. However, coming from where I live - southern Ontario, I would never make Boston a go-to race for a good marathon time.
Some points:
-
Unless you are in supreme shape, the course is very demading and can and will eat you alive.
-
It seems to be either cold and a head-wind the whole way or hot and a tail-wind the whole way. Niether set of conditions great for fast running!
-
It’s mid April and winter has just past. For the obviuous reasons my body is never near peak shape at that time of year. I would always target a fall marathon for a good time.
Just some personal thoughts.
…one second I’m talking tech with the reebok guy and the next thing you know I turn to see my chick dropping her drawers to show Reid her tattoo!!!
Well…now then…at this point we need pictures of your girl with Peter…as well as just her (as little attire as possible)…and also the tattoo in question.
Stay tuned!!! I will snap a digital of the tattoo and post they’re picture as well. Only question, how do I get it onto here?
Posting a picture of your girlfriend’s “under-drawers” tattoo on a web forum populated by tri-geeks. Hmmm . . . . I’m beginning to understand why she so willingly dropped them for Reid:)
Kidding aside, I’m bumping this because I like hearing the Boston stories. I ran my first marathon in Phoenix in Jan. (arrived the day before the event). My time sucked, but it was mid-80s midway through, and I’m a Michigan girl. These Boston stories are making me feel a little more confident that I could, under better conditions, run a better race. We’ll see in Oct.
Fleck,
It is tough to go from Canada/North East US after the winter and race fast at Boston. Here are some tips for those going from sub zero temps to potential >75 degrees in Boston and having an OK day.
-
Do one run per week, preferably an interval run on the treadmill. Get used to sweating a lot at high intensity. By doing the same weekly run on the treadmill, you can also quantify your progress over many weeks.
-
You can get used to the heat with indoor running, but you can’t get used to the sun. So cover your head on race day (it starts at noon) and also apply sun screen if you happen to be fair skinned (not me, but 95% of the field)
-
You need to run hills. Both hard uphill and fast downhill. As I said on this forum in the past from 5K to the finish, this course is pretty well net zero elevation. You have to have legs to go up the Newton Hills and then your quads have to be able to take the ensuing downhills with high speed turnover
-
Get used to running a headwind for long periods. Cold winter running into relentless headwinds will make you mentally tougher for a potential 20+ mile headwind day
-
On race day, always draft someone. With >10K participants, no excuse to push wind unless you are running sub 2:35. Any slower and there are enough folks out there.
Fleck, if the air temp in land is warmer than the ocean, expect a head wind. If the air temp in land is cooler than the ocean, expect a tail wind. Usually in the spring, the inland temps by mid day exceed ocean temps and then by 2 pm you have a solid headwind as you climb the Newton Hills.
Congrats all on your great races in the heat. I could not make it this year, but plan to be back next year…which means I have to get a qual time this fall !