2018 Boston Marathon

Scroll all the way down to the end of the post for the tl;dr version.

 

Prologue

The 2018 Boston Marathon was going to cap a very long, and stressful training year!

Last May, I started building mileage for the 2017 New York City Marathon, which I finished in 3:28:53 (7:59 pace).  It was my fastest marathon since the 2015 California International Marathon and I was elated!  After two weeks, I began training for my first ultra-marathon – the 2018 San Diego 50 Miler.  I’d been thinking about attempting a stage race someday and I wanted the trail racing and ultra-endurance experience. Heat and poor pacing led to a disappointing 11:19:00 (14:37 pace) finish.  A week later, I started this training cycle.  I followed the 12-week, 70-85 miles a week plan in Pfitzinger Advanced Marathoning. It was tough!  On top of the training, I had my bathroom remodeled from Week 2 through Week 7 and it was incredibly disruptive.  I realized too late the mileage during the last week of my taper was probably too high but I felt great going into the race even though there was rain in the forecast.

Goals

Personal Records:

• Marathon PR: 3:22:56 (7:45 pace), 2013 New York City Marathon.
• Course PR: Boston Marathon is 3:25:58 (7:52 pace), 2015 Boston Marathon.  (This was the last year it rained.)
• Most Recent Marathon: 3:28:53 (7:59 pace), 2017 New York City Marathon.

Achievable: Sub-3:35:00 (8:14 pace). From using the VDOT Table in Daniels’ Running Formula, I thought this would be the marathon equivalent of my 2018 Reston 10 Miler and 2018 Shamrock Half Marathon. But, given the forecast for freezing rain and a strong headwind, I pushed expectations back to 3:45 (8:36 pace).

Stretch: Sub-3:30:00 (8:01 pace). I seemed to be peaking at just the right moment and might be in the same shape as I was for the 2017 New York City Marathon.

Strategy: Run 8:15 effort through Wellesley, slow 30 seconds per mile through Newton, and get back to a strong effort after Heartbreak Hill.

Course

The course is a point-to-point starting in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and ending in Boston. The first few miles are mostly downhill through the towns of Ashland and Framingham. Then, the course flattens out in Natick and Wellesley before reaching the town of Newton.  There are four moderate hills over the course of five miles culminating with “Heartbreak Hill”. From there, the course is mostly downhill through Brookline into Boston.

There are hydration stations with water and Gatorade at every mile on both sides of the road starting at Mile 2. Crowds are thinner during the early miles but heavy in pockets of Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley, Newton, Boston College, and downtown Boston.

Playlist

I compiled 3 hours and 45 minutes of motivational music for the race.

Pre-Race

Saturday. I arrived in Boston at around 4pm. I checked into my hotel and immediately took a shuttle to the expo at the Seaport World Trade Center.

I picked up my bib, shirt, and rushed through the expo without buying anything!

Walking through the convention center, I overheard runners discussing the ominous weather forecast.  Someone encouragingly remarked, “We trained in this!”  And I thought, “No, I went to the treadmill on days like this forecast.”  I felt my anxiety about the race rising.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday. I ran a shake-out run on the Charles River Esplanade.

The conditions were comfortable running south, but when I turned around the wind hit me like a wall!  My stomach sank and I thought, “Tomorrow is going to be terrible.” I saw Bill Rodgers along the way, which was cool. (Later, I saw a thread on LetsRun about how he won the rainy 1979 Boston Marathon.)

I ended the run at Marathon Sports so I could buy a thicker pair of gloves for tomorrow but they were completely sold out!  I went around the corner to the Nike store.  They were also out, but I bought a pair of socks that I could use as mittens. The evening before the race, I went to bed at around 11pm.

Race Day. I woke up at 5:30am. The bagel I had bought was mushy, so I ate left-over pizza, a banana, and few cups of coffee before leaving the hotel. I got on a bus to Hopkinton from Boston Common at around 9am.  I sipped a 20 ounce Powerade with two scoops of CarbPro and ate a Luna Bar during the ride, trying to ignore the driving rain and thin layer of frost I saw on the ground when I looked out the window.

My bus arrived in Hopkinton at 10am.  I stepped off the bus and knew I would be under-dressed for the conditions.  I heard the announcer say that Wave 3 runners should be leaving the Athlete’s Village!  I tried to hurry but the sidewalks were clogged with runners who would normally be in the grassy field that was now a mud pit. At the porta-potties near the corrals, I stood in the shortest line I could see but it wasn’t moving very fast.  A fellow runner joked that people were staying in them to keep dry.  After using the facilities, I peeled off my throw-away sweat clothes and was in my corral with about four minutes to spare!  I tried to get my playlist going on my phone but the screen was too wet! As runners from other corrals started passing me, I gave up and took off.

Weather

The temperature was in the mid-40s at the start with northeast winds at 10 miles per hour with 20 mph gusts, which was mostly a headwind.  The wind chill felt like it was in the upper 30s and it rained the entire time.

The Race

Miles 0 to 5 (Hopkinton and Ashland)

I was still trying to get my clothing and gear situation in order at the start of the race.  After strapping on the armband with my phone, and tucking the bag with my spare gloves in my shorts, I was finally ready to focus on running!

The rain was falling steadily and I was glad I kept the poncho on.  I ran on the left-hand side of the road and tried to relax on the downhill.  The pack was pretty thick but not so much that I couldn’t move around well.  I was right on target pace for the first mile.  I thought, “Maybe the weather won’t that bad.”

The start of the course is a bit rural, so there weren’t many people along the side of the road cheering.  At Mile 2, the course went through the town of Ashland and the crowds emerged.  There weren’t many people, but the ones who showed were enthusiastic despite the rain.  My mile split was a little fast but I knew this part of the course was downhill, so I didn’t worry about it.  For the second time, I saw a man holding a camera-like device on the side of the road and realized he must be filming for Adidas.

At Mile 3, the course went through a little neighborhood where Sweet Caroline was blaring.  The people on one side of the street would sing most of the lyrics and the other side of the road did the, “Ba, ba, ba!” part.  They seemed to be having a great time!  And, I also saw the first sign that made me smile: “They say we’re Boston Strong for a reason.”  I felt good for the first few miles.

Just before Mile 4, the course went through a business district before going back into the country.  I thought I was running well despite the conditions.  My hands were cold and wet but I thought I could pitch the poncho at the half marathon mark.

Splits: 8:19, 8:03, 8:19, 8:13, 8:32.

Miles 5 to 11 (Framingham and Natick)

At Mile 5, the course arrived in Framingham.  There was a huge blue and yellow sign on a large building about this being the five year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing and I thought about all the lives that were changed that day.  I snapped back to reality when I heard the cheering ahead.

I decided to have my first Crank Sport eGel.  I had two Crank Sport e-Gels in each pocket of my short tights; and then a Sword EnergyTablets pack and some plastic with Squirrel’s Nut Butter in case I needed them.  The poncho clung to my skin and clothing, making it hard to reach into my pockets.  My forearms felt numb now that they were at waist level.  I finally managed to single out one packet with my hands in my sock-mittens and opened it with my teeth.  A quarter mile or so later, I looked down and saw I was holding it too hard and there was gel all over my left mitten! I was losing the sense for pressure in my fingertips.

The course curved and swept downhill towards the Framingham Train Station.  Normally, the crowds are very loud here but they were more subdued today.  They were too cold and wet to cheer very much and it made me realize how cold and wet I was!  And, how much I missed my music!  I thought about trying to start the player on my phone but the thought of removing my “mittens” for any length of time was out of the question.  And, after struggling get a gel packet, I didn’t think I had the fine motor skills to do it.

I finally took water for the first time at Mile 7 and a half mile later the course arrived in Natick.  Normally, this part of the course is a bit serene but the rain was pouring so heavily that I couldn’t enjoy it.  I noticed my pace was slipping and I had to work to keep it in goal marathon pace range.   Around Mile 10, we reached the town center. A girl on the side of the road was offering runners free gloves!  I thought about it, but concluded wet mittens were better than dry gloves.  When I was half hour or so, I had been taking off one sock-mitten and wringing the water out but it was becoming harder to make a fist.

Splits: 8:25, 8:30, 8:41, 8:30, 8:46, 8:58.

Miles 11 to 16 (Wellesley)

By now, the wind was so strong that I became keenly aware of how cold my thighs were and that they were starting to cramp.  Occasionally, I’d glance down at my legs and could see they were ashen from the cold and strong winds.

Just before Mile 12, we entered the town of Wellesley.  I thought I could hear the “Scream Tunnel” but it was muted through the rain.  I realized I had to go to the bathroom.  I saw porta-potties on the side of the road but decided to hold off because there was a line.  Plus, I’d never stopped or walked in a race before and it’s been a point of pride.  But then I remember, “You stopped and walked numerous times at the 2018 San Diego 50 Miler.”

At Mile 12.5, we arrived at Wellesley College.  The women were as boisterous as ever but there were fewer of them out.  I was running on the left-hand side of the street so I couldn’t see the signs very well.  Just before Mile 13, the course went through the downtown area.  As usual, there were a lot of people lining the streets and it helped me stay positive.

I saw my time at the half marathon was 1:51:47 (8:33 pace).  I ran the numbers in my head and guessed I might finish around 3:55 (8:59 pace), which was my Boston Marathon qualifying time.  I was disappointed but knew I couldn’t have run harder.

I saw a spectator on the other side of the road offering plastic bags to cover gloves.  Genius!  But, I didn’t want to make the effort of crossing the street.

Just after the half, I noticed a sharp “pins and needles” feeling in my forearms when I went for another Crank Sport eGel.   I also started feeling nauseous and very tired.  I felt so bad that I almost stopped in my tracks but I slowed down instead.  I wondered if I was hypothermic or just under-fueled.  I took water at Mile 14, thinking I might feel better, but it was so cold that it wasn’t remotely refreshing.  By then, my quadriceps were cramping and I knew my race was over and I would be lucky to finish.

Splits: 8:37, 8:53, 8:50, 9:29, 9:00. Half marathon: 1:51:47 (8:33 pace).

Miles 16 to 21 (Newton)

Mile 16 marked the first of the Newton Hills.  As usual, I thought about the 2012 Boston Marathon and how I thought I was going to collapse from heat exhaustion when I ran over I-95.  The conditions couldn’t be more different today!

The sky seemed to brighten just a little but it didn’t feel any warmer.  After Mile 17.5, the course took a right onto Commonwealth Avenue for the second hill.  I thought about taking caffeine, as I had planned, but couldn’t fathom finding and opening the packet.  Trudging up the second hill, a runner came along and encouraged me by saying I should go as slow as I needed.  “No worries there,” I thought.  Coming off the first hill, I felt exhausted and just let gravity take me downhill.

Just after Mile 19, an announcer told the crowd that Desi Linden had become the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 34 years! I could feel the excitement making its way through the pack as we made our way up the third hill.  I was desperately seeking a porta-potty at this point.  At Mile 20.3, I started Heartbreak Hill.  I was bracing myself against the wind so strongly that it didn’t seem I was making any progress.

Finally, I spied a porta-potty without a line and I stopped for a bathroom break. I shut the door and as I took my “mittens” off, wondered how I was going to do this with non-functioning hands!  It struggled with my poncho and wet underclothes.  A gel and my plastic bag of gloves fell to the floor.  I prayed, “Please don’t let my phone fall in the toilet.” The toilet paper dissolved in my wet hands but I just got more.  There was a knock on the door and I went back into the elements.  The break lasted 3 minutes and 33 seconds.  It felt wonderful being out of the wind and rain if only for a few minutes!

Splits: 20:08 (2 miles), 9:51, 10:09, 13:59.

Miles 21 to 26.2 (Brookline and Boston)

After the break, my legs came back to life a little. I thought, “Sometimes you need to take a break to come back stronger.”  In my heart, I knew what I really meant was the two months of relative rest that I planned to take this summer.

Boston College has been my favorite part of the course but I couldn’t fully enjoy it.  Except, I saw one of my favorite signs from the race there: “World largest wet t-shirt contest”.  I did some math and thought maybe I could still run a Boston Qualifying time.   But by the next mile, I realized I would be lucky to break 4 hours.  I started a gel thinking the taste of sugar would give me a lift.  I paused, “Is this the one that fell on the floor in the porta-potty.”  But, it was too late.  Cruising down Commonwealth Avenue, a woman clipped my heels twice.  I moved as far away from her as I could.  I’ve come too far to get tripped now!

The course made a sharp left onto Beacon Street at around mile 22.5 and we arrived in Brookline.  Again, I recalled the 2012 Boston Marathon – this time the temperature reading on a bank’s clock.  Today, it read 44 degrees but it felt so much colder.

It was so windy that the banners welcoming us to Boston were lying on the ground and soaked with rain.  I clicked off Mile 25 and climbed the bridge over I-90 near Fenway.  The course banked right onto Commonwealth Avenue.  One mile to go!

The skies got darker and the rain seemed to fall even harder during the final mile.  I looked for my college friend in the familiar spot but she wasn’t there.  I was out of the rain for a brief moment under the “Boston Strong” bridge and then another bridge shortly thereafter.  My friend had moved down to the turn near Hereford and I waved.  Plastic of all types lined the street. I quickly realized people were shedding their layers to get good finish line pictures. I finally removed my poncho. For a moment, I actually felt warmer! Maybe I should have run without it!

I took the left onto Boylston and the crowds were incredibly loud!  I felt tears welling in my eyes – I felt so miserable for so long – but I choked them back.  With about 100m to go, I finally tossed the spare gloves I carried with me from the start.

Splits: 9:23, 9:35, 9:47, 9:55, 9:42, 2:05 (10:25 pace).

Post-Race

I crossed the finish line and continued jogging. I wanted a mylar sheet so badly that I was willing to keep running to get one quickly! I saw a friend who was volunteering at the finish line. I hugged her but didn’t want to linger. I got held up in the line for medals. I continued walking and after some jostling, finally got a warming cape! My hotel was close by so I took the first exit to the right that I saw.  I missed the food bag but a few short blocks later, I was in my hotel room.  I took an extremely long shower.  It was comical because every time I’d turn off the water, I’d change my mind and turn it back on!  I huddled under blanket for a good two hours before going out with friends and sharing stories about the miserable conditions.

Result

My time was 4:02:37 (9:16 pace) [Log Details].  I was the 16,401st finisher out of 25,746 (bottom 36%), 6,438th woman out of 11,604 (bottom 44%), and 792nd in my age group out of 1,664 (top 48%).  It was the slowest marathon I’ve ever run but I already have a qualifying time plus 20 minutes for the 2019 Boston Marathon from the 2017 New York City Marathon.

In the women’s elite race, Desiree Linden became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years in 2:39:54 (6:07 pace).  A number of relatively unknown runners completed the field.  Yuki Kawauchi won the men’s race in 2:15:54 (5:12 pace).

Epilogue

This was absolutely one of the toughest races I’ve ever done.  (I think the 2012 Boston Marathon and 2018 San Diego 50 Miler were harder for me.)  Even though I didn’t meet my time goal, I know finishing these types of events go a long way towards convincing me that I’m tougher than I realize and I can do just about anything I set my mind to doing!

Still, I’m not sure I want to run the race again next year.  The weekend is a lot of fun and the people of Boston are so supportive.  But, the weather is so unpredictable.  I know I had a similar feeling after 2012, so I’m going to put a pin in that decision for now.

Next race: My plan is to take it easy for the next two months before training for the 2018 New York City Marathon in November.

Abridged Version

The race was miserable – cold, rainy, and windy!  I stepped off the bus in Hopkinton and knew I was under-dressed for the conditions in a singlet, arm-warmers, and shorts.  A poncho kept my upper body comfortable but my legs and hands were freezing for most of the race. By the half, my goal switched to finishing as my legs started cramping.  My time was 4:02:37 (9:16 pace) the slowest marathon I’ve ever run.  Now, my plan is to take it easy for the next two months before starting New York City Marathon training in July.