2023 Boston Marathon
Prologue
When I left the finish area after the 2021 Boston Marathon a year and a half ago, I thought I might never see it again because I was so far from time-qualifying shape. But, I worked my way back!
It wasn’t easy. I trained hard during the summer of 2022 for the Erie Marathon in September and ran a qualifying time of 3:52:29 (8:53 pace)!
But, the day after the Erie Marathon, I broke my pinky toe running into the coffee table and had to take two months off for it to heal!
I started training for the 2023 Boston Marathon in December 2022 following the Hansons Marathon Method training program.
I wasn’t in great shape after the layoff. ran a mediocre 50:56 (8:10 pace) at the 2023 New Year’s Day 10K.
In March, I secured entry to the 2023 New York City Marathon. I felt the pressure of performing well at Boston evaporate knowing I could time qualify for the 2024 New York City Marathon in November.
After a few months of consistent training, I shocked myself with a 1:48:42 (9:25 pace) at the 2023 Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon in March – an NYCM qualifying time!
I ran the 2023 Cherry Blossom 5K and the 2023 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler – the “Double Blossom” – for fun. I finished in 23:21 (7:30 pace) and 1:20:34 (8:04 pace), respectively. The races left me tired, and I didn’t complete an essential final workout – 10 miles at goal marathon pace.
In the days leading up to the race, I stalked the weather forecast, which consistently showed rain.
Goals
Achievable: Sub-3:49:00 (8:45 pace). This time is what I got after plugging my time from recent races into the Race Equivalency Chart in Hansons Marathon Method and the McMillan Running calculator. However, my qualifying time for next year’s race is sub-3:55:00 (8:59 pace), so I would also be happy with that. I ordered Boston Marathon-specific pace bands from FindMyMarathon for both times.
Stretch: Sub-3:48:00 (8:43 pace). I ran all my races on tired legs, so maybe I could eke out a few seconds/mile more
Personal records
Grandmaster:
Last Marathon and PR: 3:52:49 (8:53 pace) 2022 Erie Marathon.
Course PR: 4:12:15 (9:38 pace), 2021 Boston Marathon.
Master:
Marathon PR: 3:22:56 (7:45 pace), 2013 New York City Marathon.
Course PR: 3:25:58 (7:52 pace), 2015 Boston Marathon.
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. The five miles have four moderate hills 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 on-course energy gel was Maurten. Crowds are heaviest in pockets of Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley, Newton, Boston College, and downtown Boston.
Strategy
When I created the Boston Marathon pace bands on FindMyMarathon, I selected an evenly paced start but a positive split because I counted on losing some time in Newton. I am not a strong hill runner.
Playlist
I compiled 3 hours and 50 minutes of music for the race, with certain songs serving as cues for me on the course.
Pre-race
Friday. My boyfriend and I left Washington, D.C., at 9 am and arrived in New York City by 3 pm. That evening, we went to a supper club under Studio 54.
Saturday. I went for an easy run in Central Park the next day. A bike race was happening, so it felt like Zwift in real life! I had 4 miles on my schedule but had happy feet and went for 5. We left for Boston at 11 am. This year, I was late booking a hotel and ended up with one near Faneuil Hall rather than the Back Bay. (Or, so I thought.)
Sunday. In Boston, the day before the race, I ran a shake-out run on the Charles River Esplanade.
The marathon expo was at the Hynes Convention Center.
It was very crowded, so my boyfriend and I picked up my bib and packet but skipped the exhibition floor. In addition to the shirt, runners received a program, some stickers, coupons, a can opener, water, Gatorade, and an Ensure.
We had brunch with my college friend at a restaurant on Newbury Street. After, she and I walked around for a bit. We went into the Brooks pop-up and discovered they were giving away scarves for marathon finishers after the race.
My boyfriend and I had dinner in the North End’s “Little Italy” neighborhood. I ordered spaghetti and clam sauce. We relaxed in the hotel bar for about an hour before returning to our hotel room and going to bed by 10 pm.
Race Day. I woke up at 5:30 am but didn’t leave bed until 6:30. Thankfully, my boyfriend offered to go out for coffee because I didn’t want to get dressed yet.
While getting race-ready, I ate a bagel and banana and sipped apple juice with Carb Pro. I put on a thin Nike tank top, Lululemon shorts, Asics arm warmers, a Nike visor, gloves, and Nike Air ZoomX Vaporfly Next%2 on my feet. For fuel, I put two Maurten and two Gu Energy Gels in the side pockets of my shorts, along with some SaltStick FastChews. I stashed my ID, bank card, subway pass, and hotel key in the back pocket. I also packed a bag for gear check with a sweatshirt, sweatpants, socks, and shoes for after the race.
I left my hotel for Boston Common at 8:20 am wearing a long-sleeve shirt and sweatpants. The detour to the gear check area on Boylston took longer than planned, and I didn’t get on a bus to Hopkinton until after 9.
My seatmate seemed to want to talk, but I didn’t feel like conversing because I was anxious about arriving at the start on time. When the bus seemed stuck behind traffic, I opened Waze to see our expected arrival time.
I hurried through the Athlete’s Village – they were already calling the Blue Wave to the start! I quickly went to the bathroom near the start line and peeled off my layered clothing.
A little after 10:50 am, I started the race!
Weather
At the start of the race, the temperature was in the upper 40s, and the air was wet. The forecast called for a high in the mid-50s and showers throughout the day.
The Race
Miles 0 to 5 (Hopkinton and Ashland)
I knew the critical mistake most runners make with the Boston Marathon is starting too fast – the course starts with a downhill from Hopkinton. But, I was determined not to go out too fast. I checked my pace bracelet and saw that it advised me to run the first mile in 8:23. Somehow, I missed the first mile marker. I took my first split at the two-mile mark, and despite trying to run conservatively, I was 10 seconds fast!
During the first four miles, I spent a considerable time weaving around other runners. At times, I ran up on the sidewalk and curbs to stay on pace. I was so focused that I missed the Mile 1 marker. Despite my efforts, I noticed I kept ending up behind two women: one in CEP calf compression socks and another in NYCM arm warmers, and I thought I should just tuck behind them.
Sometimes, I don’t appreciate the crowds in the early miles, but the people in Ashland were phenomenal! I had added “Small Town,” by John Cougar Mellencamp to my playlist so I’d be sure to appreciate the turnout.
I still struggled with the crowds, but I could steer clear of the aid stations because I was carrying a 12-ounce water bottle.
My pace band showed that I should have run 42:38, but I was at 42:06 – about 30 seconds too fast. I knew I was “banking time,” but I didn’t think it was by much. I ate my first Gu Energy Gel.
The last image in runners saw in Ashland was a large building that said, “10 YEARS LATER, STILL BOSTON STRONG.”
Splits: 16:44, 8:23, 8:22, 8:37.
Miles 5 to 11 (Framingham and Natick)
One of the obvious signals that I was running too fast was when “Boston,” by Augustana played. When I created my playlist, I told myself I would run easy until I heard this song. Once it played, I was conflicted because I didn’t want to run harder yet. I decided to just try to stay on goal pace and ate my first gel.
At around Mile 6, a woman came up to me and said, “Hi”. I thought it was a little odd but happily said, “Hi” back and kept running.
The course went slightly uphill and then downhill towards the Framingham Train Station. The crowds were amazing, as usual, and I tried not to let their enthusiasm cause me to run faster.
Usually, I find the stretch between Framingham and Natick rather dull. But, this time, it seemed many more people were out supporting the runners, so it felt more festive.
Leaving the town center in Natick, the atmosphere was more serene. Once it was quieter, I noticed my right arm hurt. I had been carrying a 12-ounce water bottle to avoid the aid stations and deduced it was the cause.
The skies opened up, and it poured rain for a while. It was only 50 degrees, so I knew I wouldn’t want to shed my arm warmers and gloves in Wellesley when I expected to see my boyfriend. When I hit the 1:30 mark, I had my second Gu Energy Gel, which had caffeine.
By Mile 11, my splits were much closer to my pace band’s direction, but I was still under goal pace. It said I should have been at 1:34:42 at the end of Mile 11, and I was at 1:33:46.
Splits: 8:34, 8:32, 8:40, 8:29, 8:39, 8:47.
Miles 11 to 16 (Wellesley)
As I arrived in Wellesley, I noticed my quads were hurting. I thought, I took the downhill too hard! And, I regretted not working hills into my marathon training plan.
Early in this section of the race, the woman who said “Hi” to me earlier came up beside me and did it again! I replied, “Hi,” but thought she was very odd.
Finally, I threw my water bottle out at around Mile 12 and started taking fluids at the aid station. I could use the electrolytes in Gatorade.
Before Wellesley, a different woman pulled up alongside me and complimented me on my pacing. I didn’t dare try to keep up with her as she pulled away.
I enjoyed Wellesley College and the “Scream Tunnel.” Still, I kept to the left of the road to avoid the mayhem. “Kiss Them for Me,” by Siouxsie and the Banshees played after I passed through.
I hit my Garmin at Mile 13 and saw 1:51:04. It seemed forever until I passed the half marathon mat. I still had some time to lose.
I started looking for my boyfriend at Mile 14 but saw him at Mile 15, as we had arranged. I high-fived him. His friend seemed equally happy to see me, too.
I ate an un-caffeinated Maurten gel at the 2:15 mark. I also ate a salt tablet to ward off cramps.
Somehow, I missed the marker for Mile 16. I hit the lap button on my Garmin when I realized.
Splits: 8:32, 8:46, 8:22, 8:52, 9:07. Half Marathon: 1:52:00 (8:33 pace).
Miles 16 to 21 (Newton)
I always remember this course section during the 2012 Boston Marathon when I thought I might die. I thought about how much time had passed since then.
For the third time, the woman runner came alongside me and said, “Hi.” I asked her, “Do I know you?” And she said, “No.” I thought, What the hell?!
The course turned right onto Commonwealth Avenue at Mile 17.5. The irony was that my quads mostly hurt on the downhills. So, even though I am not a strong hill runner, I thought I was running the Newton hills well. But, my pace band told another story. I was running 15-20 seconds/mile slower than my goal.
But my playlist was still getting to songs early. So, “This Too Shall Pass,” by OK Go, played during a relatively easy part of this section of the course rather than on Heartbreak Hill.
On Heartbreak Hill, there was a very enthusiastic cheering group. As I passed, a Black man said, “We see you,” and I smiled.
I summited Heartbreak on legs that felt utterly trashed. But, experience told me there were two more uphills over the next mile, so I didn’t let my guard down.
Boston College, usually my favorite course part, only momentarily inspired me. My quads were just so sore. I ate my last Maurten, though, and took another salt pill. If I was going to finish this, I needed to continue taking in fuel.
But, the Newton hills had done their damage to my time. By Mile 21, I was only about 10 seconds ahead of pace.
Splits: 8:47, 9:24, 9:01, 9:06, 9:36.
Miles 21 to 26.2 (Brookline and Boston)
During these final miles, my quads were screaming for me to stop. I was running gingerly, trying not to aggravate them further.
I rounded Coolidge Corner and watched my footing around the train tracks. A runner was looking behind for his buddy, and I wondered how dangerous that was.
Now, I was in Brookline. I felt my legs would stop at any moment. I saw a different runner looking behind, pacing a friend. Over the next mile, I kept my eye on her to avoid running into her.
At Fenway Park, I could hear the fans in the stadium. I pushed hard up the little hill. I found another gear and noticed I was pulling away from other runners. If I could keep it together, I could at least re-qualify for next year. For Mile 25, I was back on pace with my pace band but had already lost a lot of time.
The Citgo sign! One mile to go! I saw the bridge with “Boston Strong” written on it in Boston. My eyes welled up. For “flair,” I wore the bracelet runners were given in the 2014 Boston Marathon made from the banners for the 2013 race. I looked at it and remembered the tragedy of that day.
Coming up from the tunnel, I looked for my college friend, her buddies, and my boyfriend. I gave them a huge wave and high-fived them for their support.
I took a right on Hereford, and the sound shook my body. I started running as hard as I could. Then, the left on Boylston Street. It was almost overwhelming. I couldn’t hear my music. Somehow, I found yet another gear and sprinted to the finish line. I swerved so I would finish under the Wave 3 clock.
The final song on my playlist was supposed to be “Brave” by Sara Bareilles. It’s been that way since the bombing. It didn’t play, so I knew I had finished close to my goal.
Splits: 8:54, 9:12, 9:05, 8:49, 8:48, 1:31 (7:18 pace).
Post-race
Volunteers handed me a mylar sheet, a medal, and a refueling bag with water, Gatorade, two Maurten energy bars, and a King’s Hawaiian roll.
I exited the finish area and met my boyfriend, who helped me change into warm, dry clothes. We talked to the Brooks pop-up for the scarf and then returned to our hotel.
Later, we hopped in an Uber, met up with friends in South Boston, and then went to a bar. When leaving, I noticed my wallet was missing! Thankfully, I had carried my driver’s license and credit card during the race and hadn’t transferred them back to my wallet.
The next day, when I reviewed my bank transactions for fraud, I noticed room charges for another hotel! I accidentally booked two hotels for the weekend! Luckily, the other hotel waived the one-day charge.
Result
Time=3:49:36
Pace=8:46
I was the 17,245th finisher out of 26,608 (top 65%), 6,210th woman out of 11,411 (top 55%), and 486th in my age group out of 1,207 (top 41%). And, I requalified for next year’s race by over 5 minutes.
The winner was Evans Chebet, who became the first repeat winner since 2008. Eliud Kipchoge finished in a disappointing 6th place. On the women’s side, Hellen Obiri took the crown.
Epilogue
Before heading home, we spent two days at a resort near New Paltz, New York, for some relaxation. I got a massage on Wednesday.
The Boston Marathon brings the best runners in the world together. On the tenth anniversary of the bombing and two years out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it also reminds us that we are resilient.
I was happy with my performance immediately after the race, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought I put in a lot of work to only improve by 3 minutes. I need to continue working on my speed endurance.
Next race: 2023 Capitol Hill Classic 10K, Thursday, May 21st.
Abridged Version
A year and a half after thinking I might never run another Boston Marathon, I returned to Hopkinton! This year was particularly special because it was ten years after the bombing.
Going into the race, my goal was to run a sub-3:49:00 (8:44 pace), but I had some anxiety about missing an important workout two weeks before and rain in the forecast.
During the early miles, I was slightly ahead of pace, which is not unexpected for Boston. But, mid-way through, I paid the price with sore quadricep muscles. I pulled it back together and ran hard for the final two miles.
I finished in 3:49:36 (8:39 pace) and requalified for next year’s race. Next, I plan to do shorter races before training for the 2023 New York City Marathon starting in July.
