Boston, MA
Conditions: Mild (54°F), Light Wind E
A beautiful day for a run. Having experience from the year before was handy, it really makes it much easier to prepare for the start knowing you're going to be sitting around for 2+ hours before the race start. I decided to give it all I had as the clouds cleared and the sun came out. I knew it was going to be perfect weather, cool with a light headwind. I decided sub 2:40 was the goal for the day, my plan to achieve this? Run the first 20 miles in 2 hours and gut out the hills and hope for the best.
Boston starts with a sharp downhill, pretty much for the first 6 miles. I went out quick, but comfortable. I gave Lance Armstong a "Let's go" as I went past him. He was going much slower at the start. 5k came very quickly, then 10k. I didn't know it but Tanya was there cheering. Yay. As I crossed the 10k I realized I was really moving, sub 36. The thought that I may be going too fast crossed my mind but I was with a good pace group trying for 2:30's. I would have slowed down but I felt comfortable. 10 miles came and I was 2 minutes under an hour, a little ahead of my planned pace. At half, as the girls of Wellesley screamed away, I saw my watch tell me I just ran a sub 1:18 half. "holy shit" I said out loud. That was a a new personal best time for a half marathon. Guess I didn't expect that. I'm still feeling great.
I was moving good, slowing down at an even pace until I hit the first monster hill at mile 18, approximately 30k. The downhill of 18 might have been my overall downfall. I didn't recover well from that. 2:02 at mile 20, still on pace for low 2:40's. Heartbreak hill hit at mile 21 and the battle for 2:45 ended. By the end of heartbreak, my legs were very heavy and I had to slow down dramatically so would have legs to finish the race. Disappointing, but I know I'm still close to breaking 2:50. By 40k my legs were ceasing occasionally, and I was worried about a total lockup, so I slowed a bit more. The crowd noise was deafening, and it wasn't them encouraging me to speed up. The man who concurred Alps Duez and the Pyranees was slowly passing me. That's right, Lance and his entourage rolled by me. Thus ending my last overall goal of beating an icon. I rolled onto Boylston Street and made my way across the finish line. 2:52:37, a new personal best and a course improvement of 27 minutes over 2007. I'll take that.
Splits:
Distance Split Time (mile pace) Overall Time (overall pace)
5k 17:42 (5:42) 17:42 (5:42)
10k 18:05 (5:50) 35:47 (5:45)
15k 18:37 (5:59) 54:24 (5:50)
20k 19:16 (6:12) 1:13:40 (5:55)
Half 1:17:49 (5:56)
25k 19:55 (6:24) 1:33:35 (6:01)
30k 21:19 (6:51) 1:54:54 (6:09)
35k 23:13 (7:28) 2:18:07 (6:21)
40k 23:55 (7:41) 2:42:02 (6:31)
Marathon 2:52:37 (6:35)
Average 6:35
Total 2:52:37 (official)
559th Place
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