2021 Boston Marathon
Prologue
Scroll down to the end of the post for the tl;dr version.
It’s been a difficult two years!
After a disappointing 2019 New York City Marathon, I saw a series of doctors and was ultimately diagnosed with critically high blood pressure and a Vitamin D deficiency. Cleared to run again, I looked forward to training for the 2020 Boston Marathon. But then, the COVID-19 global pandemic hit in March 2020, and I shelved those plans. I ran my own event called the 2020 Runners Run Marathon instead.
During the summer of 2020, I suffered from edema in my feet as a side effect of my high blood pressure medication. I was running well again by winter, but I fell and broke two fingers and skinned my knee in February!
In May, I started training for the 2021 London Marathon (as part of the inaugural Wanda Age Group Championship) the week I got my second Pfizer vaccine! For a training program, I did a mild version of Pfitzinger: a long run on Sunday, intervals on Tuesday, and a medium-long run on Thursday. If there was one weakness to my training, it was the lack of marathon-pace and threshold runs.
On August 29, I ran the South Lakes 10K. A few days later, I got a positive test result for COVID-19! (I did not catch the virus at the race.) Due to travel restrictions to the U.K., I decided not to travel.
The 2021 Boston Marathon would be my seventh consecutive and eighth total! However, the qualifying window for next year’s race began September 1, 2019, and I didn’t have a qualifying time going into the race.
Goals
Likely: Sub-4:05:00 (9:22 pace). This is the time that I get after plugging my time from the 2021 South Lakes 10K into the McMillan Running calculator.
Achievable: Sub-4:00:00 (9:10 pace). Using the race equivalence tables in Daniels’ Running Formula, this was approximately the marathon performance from my 2021 South Lakes 10K.
Stretch: Sub-3:55:00 (8:59 pace). The 2021 South Lakes 10K was hot and humid. In cooler weather, I might be able to hit my 2022 Boston Marathon qualifying time.
My non-time-related goal was to run the entire race, unlike the 2019 New York City Marathon when I walked for the first time in a race other than an ultra.
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 throughout the 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. The year, the on course energy gel was Maurten. Crowds are typically thinner during the early miles but heavy in pockets of Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley, Newton, Boston College, and downtown Boston.
Strategy
Strategy: Given my race goal of qualifying for next year’s race, I want to run aggressively until Newton, where I know I’ll give up a lot of time. Then, I hope to find another gear once I reach Brookline.
Playlist
I compiled 4 hours of music for the race, hoping I wouldn’t need some of it.
Pre-race
Friday. We decided to stay a night in New York City to break up the drive to Boston. The Frank Shorter advice that you have to forget your last marathon before trying another came to mind. But, I wanted to remember that day so that I wouldn’t repeat it.
We rolled into the city at around 3 p.m. and checked into our hotel, which might have been the smallest room I’ve ever booked. We went to the Empire State Building, and I marveled at how far the New York City Marathon course looked from high above.
Later, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant.
Saturday. The following day, my boyfriend and I went for a leisurely run in Central Park. We started on the marathon course, but after passing the Fred Lebow statue, we went up to the reservoir and ran two laps.
After breakfast, we completed the 4-hour car ride to Boston. We checked into our hotel north of Boston Common. That evening, we had a fantastic Greek dinner with friends in the South End neighborhood.
Sunday. I ran a shake-out run on the Charles River Esplanade.
We walked through the Granary Burying Ground before returning to our hotel. Later, we went to brunch on Newbury Street and did a little shopping.
Then, I went to the finish line area for my vaccination verification.
The marathon expo was at the Hynes Convention Center. We arrived around 12:15 pm. I quickly picked up my bib and got a bag with my finisher’s shirt.
The race expo was limited to official merchandise and just a dozen or so outside vendors this year. The bag-check bag had a program, Poland Water, Olive portable battery charger, bottle opener, hand sanitizer, and stickers.
Resting in the hotel, I watched “We’re the Millers.” Then, we went to dinner with a college friend of mine.
Race Day. I woke up at 5:30 am but didn’t get out of bed until 6. My boyfriend went for coffee. While getting race-ready, I ate a bagel and banana I took from the hotel in New York City for breakfast. I dressed in an old Saucony tank-top, Oiselle Roga shorts, a Nike visor., and on my wrists, a few keepsakes along with my COVID-19 vaccination bracelet. I put three Gu Energy Gels (S’mores), a packet of SaltStick FastChew, and a Sword Energy Chew packet in a SPIbelt. In the mesh pocket, I stashed my ID, bank card, and hotel key.
I left my hotel for Boston Common at 8:20 am wearing a long-sleeve shirt and sweat pants. While waiting for my turn to board a bus, I ran into a running friend who I last saw at the 2019 Boston Marathon! We caught up quickly, and then I was on a bus to Hopkinton by around 9 am.
On the way to Hopkinton, I ate a Chewy Granola Bar and sipped a little bit of the 20-ounce water bottle.
The bus arrived a little before 10 am – just as I expected. I used a porta-potty and hustled down the road to the CVS parking lot near the starting corrals.
There was a rolling start as part of the race’s COVID-19 protocols, which meant I could start the race whenever I wanted. For the first time, I got a chance to look around the town center. I took off my throw-aways, and after about 10 minutes of taking pictures, I started the race!
Weather
At the start of the race, the temperature was in the low 60s, but it climbed steadily every hour. By the time I finished, it was close to 70 degrees.
The Race
Miles 0 to 5 (Hopkinton and Ashland)
The course starts downhill in Hopkinton. I felt some nervous energy in my body for the first mile or so – it’s been so long since I’ve raced! I couldn’t help but give some kids high fives as I sped through the town. I missed my split for the first mile.
I realized this might have been the first time I truly appreciated the crowds in the early miles. In past years it was so crowded that I couldn’t see, but I wasn’t boxed in with the staggered start.
My first split was around 8:20 pace! I had to decide to ease off or go with the pace. I went with it because I wanted a 2022 Boston Marathon qualifying time. My second mile was just over 8:30, which made me feel better.
Ashland seemed to come quickly. Early on, I ran behind three police officers. I thought about the protests across the country last summer and felt a sense of unity with them.
At Mile 3, I missed the mile marker again but not as egregiously. This time, my pace was closer to 9:00, making me think my nervous energy was gone. I didn’t consciously run harder the next mile, but it came in at 8:30 pace again.
As runners entered Framingham, we passed a large industrial building that always had an inspirational banner on its side. This year, it simply wished us a good fall.
Splits: 8:28, 8:33, 8:49, 8:44, 8:49.
Miles 5 to 11 (Framingham and Natick)
Around Mile 5, the course arrived in the town of Framingham. Around that time, a woman and a runner quickly helped her get back up. It reminded me to watch my footing less I trip and break my fingers again. I also saw my favorite sign on the course: “Mondays. Am I right?”
It was a warm day, but I was still surprised to see runners walking this early. The spectators did what they could to support the runners during a hot day, such as handing out oranges and beer. I saw a police officer getting medical treatment and from his outfit, knew he was one I had seen earlier.
After Mile 6, the course curved and swept downhill towards the Framingham Train Station. I spotted my boyfriend leaning out into the crowd. After trying a high-five, I attempted to pass by him, but he intercepted me and kissed me. The crowd around him seemed to find that funny.
About a half-mile after Mile 7, we arrived in Natick. Leaving the town center, Lake Cochituate was on the right-hand side of the road. I usually try to relax during this section of the race before the chaos of Wellesley, so I ate my first Gu Energy Gel. Suddenly, the song “Kiss Them for Me” played, and I realized I hadn’t organized my playlist correctly.
Mile 8 was my first split slower than goal marathon pace at 9:06. I worried that running by feel was the wrong choice, and I was in for a crash.
I carried a water bottle with me and finished the contents at around Mile 10. At Mile 11, I grabbed a Maurten Gel 100. I put a cup of water over my head. The coolness is a nice jolt to the system.
Splits: 8:55, 8:55, 9:06, 8:58, 9:03, 9:00.
Miles 11 to 16 (Wellesley)
It wasn’t until I reached Wellesley that I could hear the “Scream Tunnel.” Now that it wasn’t a kissing spot, I enjoyed Wellesley College! Still, I kept to the left of the road to avoid the mayhem.
The mat for the half marathon is in a downtown area. I checked my overall time, and it was almost exactly 1:56:00. I doubled that time (3:52:00), estimated how much time I would lose in Newton (5 minutes?), and concluded my chances of running sub-3:55:00 were slim.
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If you were out there over 3.5 hours this year, it did get hot and that certainly slowed many runners down.Of the 26,658 finishers, ONLY 705 ran the 2nd half faster than the first for a measly 2.64%. Now we need to know if this percentage is consistent from year to year.
— Dave McGillivray (@DMSE) May 3, 2019
Just as I felt my body fading, I saw my boyfriend again! He asked how I felt, and I said, “Tired.” Unlike the 2019 New York City Marathon, though, I didn’t want to quit.
Around Mile 14, I ate the Maurten Gel. Shortly after that, I had a weird taste in my mouth, and I worried I might be having another “attack” from two years ago since that started with a tightening in my jaw. I had a SaltStick FastChew in case it was just a sign of dehydration. I told myself to focus on getting through the bad patch.
It took another mile to process that I wasn’t going to re-qualify for the 2022 Boston Marathon, and my streak was coming to an end. I knew my body couldn’t keep this pace any longer. Once I accepted it, I was good. I didn’t cry. I think mentally preparing myself for the fact for the past two weeks helped.
The sun was a bit bright, but it didn’t feel terrible to me, having trained through the summer in Washington, D.C. (and running two very hot marathons – 2012 Boston Marathon and 2019 Cleveland Marathon).
Splits: 8:58, 8:59, 8:51, 9:29, 9:24. Half marathon: 1:56:13 (8:53 pace).
Miles 16 to 21 (Newton)
At Mile 16, I braced myself for the first of the four hills in the Newton section of the course. Approaching I-95, I thought about the 2012 Boston Marathon when I thought I would die from the heat, as I usually do. I ran a little harder than I had been. Mile 16 was where I fell apart during the 2019 New York City Marathon. In the ensuing year, I’ve wondered if it was mental or physical.
Turning right onto Commonwealth Avenue at Mile 17.5, I downshifted and took on the second hill. But, my legs couldn’t pull it as well as they had the first. I thought about the 2014 Boston Marathon when I saw the “Meb Won. No really” sign and wondered how the elite race was going.
The friend I’d seen in Boston Common passed me. Many runners walked the hill, and I remembered my goal of running every step of this race.
It was hot. Spectators were handing out wet paper towels. A woman looked me in the eye and said, “You got this, okay?” And the next thing I knew, I was crying. This stranger managed to tap into two years of self-doubt with four simple words.
At Mile 20, I had another Gu. If I was going to finish this, I needed to continue taking in fuel.
I crested Heartbreak Hill and was thankful the worst the course had to offer was behind me. Boston College was somewhat subdued, but I wondered if time was playing tricks on my mind. Or perhaps even college kids were cautious of rowdy behavior in these times.
Splits: 10:21, 10:32, 10:22, 10:57, 10:52.
Miles 21 to 26.2 (Brookline and Boston)
Knowing the course really helped keep me going during this late race stage. I knew it was mostly downhill, and I just needed to keep my feet moving. On the descent to Coolidge Corner, I watched my footing around the train tracks. I saw a man getting his sixth star starting to walk and mentally willed him to keep going.
I took a left onto Beacon Street and entered Brookline. At Fenway Park, I did well on the little hill. Other runners were walking, and I was afraid of cramping up – it’s never happened to me in a race, but there’s no reason it couldn’t. I reminded myself that I was already walking at this point of the 2019 New York City Marathon. Today, I was running, albeit slowly.
At Mile 23, I took my last cups of water – one in my mouth and one on my head. The aid stations were only on the right side of the road now due to the subway tracks, and I didn’t want to risk crossing other runners and tripping to get fluid now that I was so tired.
The Citgo sign loomed large in the distance, and shortly after passing it, I saw one mile to go painted on the road and the “Boston Strong” bridge ahead! I raised my hand to my mouth and started crying again. I couldn’t believe I was so close to finishing this two-year journey for marathon redemption! With perfect timing, Macklemore played as I went under the Boston Strong sign.
Before taking a right on Hereford Street, I paused to see my friend from college and my boyfriend. I thanked and hugged them for all of their support. A runner next to me got the crowd going, and it sent chills through me. Finally, I took a left on Boylston Street. I felt emotional – it’s been such a difficult year – but I didn’t cry. The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all of us, and I was suddenly aware that my personal triumph in this race paled to what so many people had gone through.
Splits: 10:55, 11:05, 10:45, 11:08, 10:08, 2:11 (9:55 pace).
Post-race
It seemed strange to stop finally, but I did. Soon, a volunteer handed me a mylar sheet, my medal, and the food bag (containing water, Gatorade, Cheetos, a Honey Stinger Nut Seed Bar, and Oreos.) Before leaving, I looked back. I wasn’t sure if I would see this race again and wanted one last look.
I exited the finish area a few blocks later, and met up with my boyfriend. We walked through the Boston Common to our hotel. I took a hot bath, rested for about 15 minutes. By then, my boyfriend had returned to the room for some pizza. Later, a dear friend brought celebratory champagne that we enjoyed in the room. Then, we went to a neighborhood bar with her and some other friends. We closed it down at 2 a.m.!
Result
Time=4:12:15
Pace=9:38
I was the 10,909th finisher out of 15,386 (top 71%), 2,853rd woman out of 7,444 (top 62%), and 544th in my age group out of 880 (top 66%). I did not re-qualify for next year’s race. I was also surprised my time was slower than the 2019 New York City Marathon when I did so much walking in that race!
The winner was Benson Kipruto, who completed the race in 2:09:51. The top American man was Colin Bennie, who placed seventh. On the women’s side, Diana Kipyokei finished first in 2:24:45, and the first American was sixth placed Nell Rojas.
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.
Most Recent Marathon: 4:07:46 (9:28 pace), 2019 New York City Marathon.
Epilogue
After making it through the COVID-19 pandemic, I knew I wanted to do this event when racing returned, and it didn’t disappoint. Except for the uninspiring expo, the weekend felt like past occasions.
The race itself was a letdown because I didn’t re-qualify for next year’s race. My time wasn’t a complete surprise – I didn’t do enough marathon-pace workouts due to the summer heat and was under-trained. But, I felt good about running the entire course without any walk breaks, something I couldn’t do at the 2019 New York City Marathon!
Looking ahead, I’m hoping to do some shorter races to get my speed back now that my health is back on track.
Next race: 2021 Alexandria Turkey Trot, Thursday, November 25th.
Abridged Version
Two years after a disappointing 2019 New York City Marathon and being treated for critically high blood pressure; eight months after a terrible fall that broke two fingers and banged up my knee; and one month after recovering from COVID-19, I toed the starting line of the 2021 Boston Marathon!
The temperature was a little warm for a marathon – low 60 degrees at the start rising to almost 70 by the finish – but it was a gorgeous day to be in Boston for the return to major running events in the United States!
I went into the race wanting to requalify for next year’s event with a sub-3:55 (8:59 pace). I ran aggressively through the half in 1:54:00 (8:43 pace) but knew I couldn’t keep the pace up through the Newton hills and decided just to finish the race.
My time was 4:12:15 (9:38 pace). Next, I’d like to run the 2021 Alexandria Turkey Trot next month and work on my speed before attempting another marathon.
