Boston Recap, everything before 04:09:43

Bronze statue of George Washington near Boston Common with the city skyline behind.

The City of Boston

This was my first time in Boston so I was happy to make a little vacation out of it.  We got into Logan Airport Saturday morning giving us the better part of the day to explore the city, stop by the Marathon expo to get my bib, and still have all of Sunday to sight-see.  After shockingly being allowed to check in to our hotel at 11:00am, we headed over to Charles Street to get brunch at The Paramount, a locals favorite diner.  Though it was a long wait in line the Banana Caramel french toast did not disappoint!

Even the churches fly the Boston
Marathon colors!

Thats my number!

Even Hoka One One, my funny looking
shoes had a booth at the expo!

There was a definite "buzz" in the air while walking around downtown and to the Marathon Expo to pick up my bib.  After the expo I was able to strut proudly in my Boston jacket, a must-buy for any first time Boston Marathon runner!  Saturday night we met up with some friends from back home for dinner at Wagamama, an Asian-infused pasta joint.  This was a welcome treat since its a mostly European chain and tough to find in the US!

Sunday we made our way out to Cambridge to look around Harvard yard and get brunch.  In the afternoon we passed up overpriced (and oversold) tours to go to the top of the Prudential Center.  This gave way for great views in all directions of the Boston area, and also an informative (albetit lengthy) audio guide.  I appreciate trivia as well as history so usually enough patience combined with dry audio tours can be quite rewarding.  After working up a thirst I gave in and headed to a bar near the Marathon finish.  This proved to be an invaluable chance to try the limited release Sam Adams 26.2 Brew!  I don't normally drink the day before a marathon but this was an exception.  It was tasty!  Lower in alcohol content than standard Sam Adams and higher in calories.  It was light but full bodied with a bit of a fruit undertone.  Kind of like a combination of the Sam Adams Boston Lager and a Magic Hat #9.

Looking West we see the famed Fenway Park (a game was going on that day!) and the Citgo Sign on the right.  The
Citgo sign is a welcome symbol to Marathon Runnes since it means you are almost done!

The night before the race we headed to the pasta dine-in, a carbo-filled dinner held the night before most marathons in a public place.  I had never been to one of these before but figured now would be a great time to try it.  After attempting to eat my spaghetti and meatballs in a cold, windy courtyard we found an indoor option.  It was a lot of fun chatting with all the runners and their supporters, from so many places, all running at different levels and for different reasons.  I even got interviewed by a local news station while standing in line! No idea if it aired or not.

Day 0

On Marathon morning, any marathon morning, I wake up (typically at the crack of dawn) and feel like its "game time".  Despite not starting until 10:00am, I still had to wake up at around 5:00am.  This gave me enough time to go through my morning routine to "wake up", have a quick bite and get out the door.  Making my way over to Boston Common I met a friend at 6:15am to wait in line and get on the buses that transport the runners to the start.  It was around a 45 minute ride on a school bus and I had a hard time staying awake.  Once we did arrive in Hopkinton we were treated to a huge runners' village with snacks, drinks, and the mandatory endless sea of Port-a-potties.  We made our way to the start corrals at around 9:30am.

Only a small portion of the massive runners' village before
the race start in Hopkinton, MA.

Race:  The Boston Marathon

Date: April 15, 2013

Time: 03:18:20

I'm going to stick with only having a visual race recap - that being my last post, "The Boston Marathon in 26.2 Pictures".

A little collage of my Marathon Experience.  Posing by the
finish, a picture of my running with only about 800 meters
to go, and after the finish on Marathon Monday.

04:09:43

We all know what happened when the race clock hit 04:09:43 (or 2:49:43 p.m. EDT).  Since then we have all been bombarded with a mixture of fact, opinion, and speculation (better known as "the news") so I'll stick with only my major thoughts on the event.

Running is something I love, something that keeps me going in life, and is the only true sense of community I'll ever share with so many people. The Boston Marathon is a celebration of that love and a time when all New Englanders come out to support us as runners.  Those bombs didn't just attack the people out there that day, they attacked what I love, and what I have always felt safe doing.

Everyone I knew back home was glued to the TV or computer waiting on details all week but I was kind of beyond that.  Since the attack took place right by the finish, by the TV cameras and bright colors of Boston, it almost seemed like a TV friendly tragedy.  I wanted the authorities to find the responsible parties but I knew it wouldn't really give me peace either.  In the end it was a deranged extremest and his brainwashed younger brother who were found to be the culprits.  Once they were caught I did feel a little better but not much.  The damage was already done.

Before the Marathon that Monday I wasn't sure if I would come back to run again next year.  Whats so great about a run from the small New England suburbs along a country road into Boston?  This Marathon isn't about the course, the scenery, or a PR friendly run.  Its about people - and thats something that can't be bought, duplicated, or manufactured.  Will I be back to run it next year? Definitely.

The 2013 Boston Marathon, in 26.2 Pictures

Run Strong - Now and Forever

This was the day I never wanted to forget, and now I never will.

 

I decided to keep it to a simple, "stream of consciousnesses" style for now.  More pictures, race recap, and updates to come.

How to Carry a Camera While Running (the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler)

Camera Carrying

I had an idea for Boston.  Why not carry a camera with me to photograph the race course from a runner's perspective?  While I certainly wasn't the first person to think of this, I also didn't know the best method for carrying a camera   I had a few ideas: using a spy-belt or fuel belt would work, but I don't really like having stuff tightened around my waste while running.  I could use my Nathan HPL 20 ultra/ hydration vest, but while that would be great for long trail runs its kind of overkill for a road race with drink support.

It also helps to have a cheap digital camera, as some would call a throw-a-way, just in case it takes on moisture and breaks, gets dropped and stepped on, or stolen, you aren't risking your preferred camera (or cell phone which would be equally devastating to lose).  By the way, my preferred camera at the moment is the Canon S95, but at around $400 I prefer to leave that one at home. I used my Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1, a cheapier I got off Woot! one day for around 50 bucks.  Lumix is a great line and it takes solid pictures as long as you aren't looking for anything too advanced.  I put it in a zip-loc bag to keep out any moisture, and then tucked it into my Zensah compression arm-sleeve to keep it in place (and within easy reach).  Worked like a charm!

So how did it turn out?  See for yourself - the 2013 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in Pictures:

(Upper Left) Race is just about to start as the sun rises;
(Upper Right) runners heading toward Memorial bridge; (Lower Left)
after the turnaround on the Tidal Basin; and, (Lower Right) coming
back from Hains point toward the Washington Monument.

I love when races have the final 1600, 1200, & 400 meters
 marked off, really helps you time your finishing kick; the
final stretch to  the finish line; a "selfie" near the end;
 and, looking back at the finish.

I thought my running photography turned out pretty good!  Especially when you consider trying to keep your horizon lines even, account for decent lighting, and hold a steady enough camera to avoid blurry pictures - all this while running of course.

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Race Recap

Finish Time: 1:14:27

Nothing too serious here, just a locals' favorite race to get the legs moving and usher in some Spring weather!  I started out in a mid-level corral which of course is filled with people who should be much further back.  This actually helped my plan on starting out very slow and not trying to "race".  Conditions were cold pre-race, felt like upper 30s but once the sun came up it warmed up quickly into the 40s, perfect running weather.

Out of DC across Memorial Bridge everything stayed calm in the air, and that continued on until the somewhat infamous Hains Point section, a run directly into the wind that seems to last forever (its almost 3 miles).  Once that was over with and we passed the tip of Hains Point things got easier (and warmer), now with a tail wind and on flat ground the final few miles were a good chance to kick things into overdrive.  The final mile also gave you a countdown of the final 1200, 800, and 400 meters to go, perfect for timing a finishing kick.

My time at the 5 mile (half way point) split was 39:03, which means I cut off about 3.5 minutes during the second half of the course.  This was consistent with my game plan of keeping it casual in the beginning and speeding up for a tempo run by the 2nd half.  I got some solid race pace practice in for Boston as well in the middle miles (guessing about 7:30ish miles for the Marathon).

Self Portrait Around mile 8.

While I was rethinking this race as I awoke at 5:15am (and proceeded to stand around in the dark, wearing a singlet in 30-something degree weather on the National Mall while thinking "hey, why didn't I sleep in and just run 10 miles on my own later?") it was definitely worth it - as was my post-race shower and nap.  Next stop: Boston.

New Shoes

I just bought a new pair of Hokas as my first pair are finally starting to wear out.  I got the update of the already great Hoka Bondi B road running shoe simply called the Bondi 2.  It was pretty much love at first run, just a few slight tweaks to the original design.  Things felt a little more cushioned in the forefoot, a tad lighter, and more ventilation all around.  I had also gotten my first pair of Bondi Bs in a size 13.5 (the largest size available at the time), which worked but I really should only stick with my standard shoe size (14).   My toes were able to spread out and relax in the slightly larger Bondi 2s.  Not to mention the color scheme is even more fashionable!

My only slight issue is that I like to have a bit of arch support in my shoes to accommodate my medium size foot arch.  The standard insole is very simple, soft, and mostly flat.  I mitigated this by inserting some blue Super Feet insoles.

My new Hoka Bondi 2 shoes.  First major trial for them
today.  Was it love at first run? YES!

At $160 a pair Hokas might seem expensive to some, but think again, I have logged about 550 miles on my first pair of Bondi Bs (some people even report over 700 miles on a pair), so compare that with the typical 250-300 miles you can expect out of a standard pair of running shoes valued at anywhere from $100-$130. The translates into about $0.29 per mile on the Hokas, and $0.41 from a typical running shoe.  So in the "long run" Hokas are actually about 30% cheaper!

Last Week in General

It was an excellent week in preparation for Boston.  I ran easy pace runs Tuesday and Wednesday, rested Thursday, then did the Crystal City 5k on Friday evening as a tempo run, shooting for an even 20 minutes.  Saturday morning did an easy hour and a half for 12ish miles, and with the 10 miler Sunday finished the week at around 42 miles.  I feel very solid at this point but just need to make sure to complete my taper with minimal miles this week, rest, and some easy cross training.

All ready for a 26.2 mile easy run, also known as The Boston Marathon

No News is Sometimes Good News

Its funny how its easier to report on when things go badly than when they are proceeding as planned.  Take my most miserable miles run a couple weeks ago, which I was able to whine and vent about as a recap.  Since then things have been great, I rested that weekend and then got back at it Monday.  Last week was solid, and puts me back on track not just to run Boston but to be able to carry over into a successful Spring season of ultras.

Training recap for last week of May:

• Monday - 11 miles easy
• Tuesday - 8 miles easy
• Wednesday - track workout, 9 miles total, 2 miles warmup, then distance medly of 800, 400, 1200, 1600, with recoveries.  Repeat, 1 mile cool-down.
• Thursday - 8 miles easy
• Friday - off
• Saturday - 24.25 miles total.  14 miles on mostly roads, then 10.25 more on mostly trails.
• Sunday - 7 miles easy

Total Mileage: 67.25

Saturday's great funday runday route.  Perfect timing too,
total elapsed time is right around my projected finishing
time for what I plan on running Boston in.

My long run Saturday went perfect.  It was 2 weeks out from Marathon weekend leaving me with a 2 week taper which is sufficient for an easy pace Marathon.  I started out on a 14 mile run through Glover Archbold Park in D.C., continued through Northwest D.C., and then back through Rock Creek Park.  Our small group ended back in Arlington near Iwo Jima.  After a short cool-down and some re-hydrating I continued on solo for some steep up-and-down trail work and then a coast back on the flat C&O canal.  During the morning I drank and refilled my hand bottle 3 times, ate 3 Gu's and took in 4 Hammer Endurolyte capsules.  Finished feeling strong - I kind of wanted to run 2 more miles just to have run "a Marathon" but then my brain spoke up and reminded me this would serve no purpose other than to risk injury/exhaustion.

I think its safe to say my injuries are healed, and that I won't be "hitting the wall" at Boston.

Coming Soon: Boston

Yup, I'm finally running the Boston Marathon.  At one point I said I would never do it, but apparently (as everyone feels the need to tell me) you just have to run Boston.  Its the most famous and oldest continuously run Marathon in the country, one of the 5 World Marathon Majors, has crowd support all along the entire course, and has those notorious qualifying times that keep most runners out (or should I say, keep out most men under 40 who aren't running for Charity - more on the later).

That being said, I must admit that I'm not all that excited about running Boston.  I think there are two types of Marathon Runners (well, there are lots of types but for the purpose of this discussion ..): those who set out to run a Marathon PR and want to see how fast they can run 26.2 miles regardless of the locale, and those just want to run Marathons in cool new places.  Its the difference of wanting to have a great race and wanting to participate in a great race.  While its a fine strategy (and probably a smart one) just to see if you can finish your first marathon in a respectable time, I also find plenty of runners who just want to run lots of different Marathons and have no goal to get faster or better at them.  These are the runners who will usually share their Marathon "bucket-list" with you.  Its still admirable, just covering over 26 miles on foot is no easy task and one that most of the population will probably never do - plus we obviously need people to be exercising more (not less), but as more of a purist runner I can't help but notice a distinction.  And by the way, I really hate the term "bucket-list".

Then there are the Charity Runners.  The other day I was talking to a co-worker about running Boston, and another co-worker listened in and came over to ask me "are you a real runner or a charity runner?".  While I thought this was funny I think its a bit harsh to not refer to someone as a real runner just because they can't BQ.  However, I appreciated her point.  Training yourself from someone who can't run a mile to being able to qualify for Boston is a daunting task, and I don't like that by running for charity people can avoid it.  

In case you aren't familiar, running for charity really means that instead of the normal race entry fee, you agree to "raise" a much higher amount (somewhere in the 1,000s of dollars), some of which will be donated to charity.  While I have nothing against charitable contributions, I'm not a fan of people who never cared about a certain cause before, now trying to raise funds for it just so they can run a race.  Seems kind of selfish - if they actually cared about the cause they would have already been selflessly raising money for it (and not just to run a race).

So, while I am excited to be running "the big one", [previously] reserved for only purist runners, its not the same feeling as setting a new PR. Its kind of like graduating - you know you are the real deal and that all the hard work is behind you, but you just have to walk across that stage and get the piece of paper that proves it.  Except instead of wearing a gown and funny hat ill be wearing the same short shorts and funny shoes that I wear on all my training runs.

Running and racing is more than just about Marathons, its about the 5ks and 10ks, the Ultra-Marathons, the season long training cycles where you grow, and the easy runs where your only goal is to enjoy yourself.  Somewhere along the line the Marathon became the sexy distance that would afford each participant bragging rights around the office.  Kind of reminds me of that funny running quote: "How do you know if someone ran a Marathon? - Don't worry, they'll tell you!"