Training Supplement – May 6, 2018
A long delayed recap of the 2018 Boston Marathon – including my clothing, gear, and fueling. For the second time in recent years, a San Diegan – Desiree Linden – won the (women’s) race!
Trying to post this “supplement” every other Sunday hasn’t gone very well, so I’m going back to the first and fifteenth of every month starting in June.
Clothing & Gear
What did I wear for the historically wet, windy, and cold 2018 Boston Marathon? A Saucony Endorphin Singlet, Lululemon Swiftly Arm Warmers, Saucony Bullet Tight Short, Nike Visor, Buff UV Multifunctional Headband, and Mizuno Wave Rider 21s. Instead of the Asics Liner Gloves pictured, I wore a pair of Nike Elite Cushioned No Show Running Socks as mittens.
In retrospect, I wish I’d worn a light jacket and water resistant gloves (like the and the featured in this article from Runner’s World.)
Travel. Eagle Creek Slim Packing Cube. For the first time, I used packing cubes to organize my suitcase. This slim cube, which measures 10″ x 4″, was perfect for packing all of my race day items in one place.
Granger’s Active Wash. I used this detergent for my clothes after the race. I’m still unconvinced that sports formulas work any better at eliminating odors than regular soaps.
Runner’s World Box. Only four items in this month’s box. The bath bomb smelled lovely.
(My Complete Clothes & Gear Page.)
Nutrition & Hydration
So, how did my nutrition and hydration go for the 2018 Boston Marathon?
Pre-workout Nutrition. “Carb Pro“. Going into the race, I didn’t take as much of this supplement as I did before the 2017 Eugene Marathon. This time, I had two scoops a day starting four days out. I felt fully carbo-loaded at the start.
My breakfast before the morning of the marathon was pretty bad. I purchased a pre–packaged bag of food from my hotel:
The bagel was mushy and I didn’t think most of the other items would sit in my stomach well. I ate the banana, some left-over pizza, and few cups of coffee before leaving the hotel.
Gels. Crank Sport eGel. My hands were so cold that I had trouble getting the gels out of my shorts and opened. Still, I managed to eat three Crank Sport eGels at Mile 5, Mile 13, and Mile 22.
Hydration. Water. I only drank at Mile 7 and Mile 14, but that was it. Cold water just wasn’t refreshing.
Routes
Art. “Patterned Behavior,” I ran my shake out run before the marathon on the Charles River Esplanade. I stopped to admire part of a mural meant to reflect, “the patterns created by the human interaction with the space and the busy intersection of water, land and sky”.
Flybys. I also saw Bill Rodgers! I waved and he seemed surprised that I recognized him. Later, I saw a thread on LetsRun about how he won the rainy 1979 Boston Marathon.
Media & Motivation
Music. “One Foot,” by fun. I played this song over and over again the week before the marathon and it was stuck in my head during the race.
(My “Songs of the Week” playlist on Spotify.)
News. “Desiree Linden Wins the Boston Marathon,” from Runner’s World. I have to admit that going in, I thought Molly Huddle would take it. But at Mile 19 when I heard Desi had won, I was so happy for her that it was as if a wave of electricity went through me. By the way, that’s two San Diegans – her and Meb Keflezighi – who have won the Boston Marathon in recent years.
“This Woman Placed 5th In The Boston Marathon. If She Were A Man, She’d Have Won $15,000,” from Buzzfeed. After the race, several running forums had threads debating whether the woman who finished fifth but started with the open field should be awarded prize money. It’s unfortunate how things unfolded, but I didn’t think she should have been awarded fifth place. (In the end, The Boston Athletic Association paid her, so it’s a moot point.) My main objection was that the elite women were racing against one another but the open field women were not. And, as a general principle, I’m not a fan of changing rules after the game.
Podcasts. “Episode 432 – Barry Carpenter,” from Marathon Talk. The funniest part of the episode was hearing Yuki Kawauchi topping the listener podium after winning the 2018 Boston Marathon! The somber part was at the start when the hosts talked about Callum Hawkins’ collapse at the Commonwealth Games. It looked terrible but I’m still not convinced athletes shouldn’t be allowed to push themselves to that limit. But, I also recognize there come a point where your brain stops working and you might need to be saved from yourself.
Motivation. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
After training back-to-back-to-back for the 2017 New York City Marathon, 2018 San Diego 50 Miler, and 2018 Boston Marathon I’m looking forward to taking a break from marathon training this summer!
