Run-Down Forums

[AM_Runner]

Hopefully this fits

Well the big day finally came I was able to compete and give it my best shot which I did.

First thing I have to say about my experience at Boston is that it is the best race I have ever run. From organization to crowd support to everything I could not have asked for anything better - just amazing! The number and goodie bag pickup was faster than I could have imagined - in and out in the space of 5 minutes and this was at 12:30 on Saturday. Went a little nuts with the purchases (hat, shorts, jacket t-shirt) but it was fun anyway.

The Race

Met up with David at the appointed time and place and we hung out down in afield doing some stretches and shooting the **** for a while before heading over to the corrals which were while we waited quite roomy lots of good people around talking quite freely and discussing the race. My heart was in my throat as the jets zoomed overhead. David said he was not feeling well while waiting for the start, and suggested going for some drinks instead haha... well we were there now there was no turning back.

The gun went off and we crossed the line within 3 minutes and were on our way. The first mile was packed as expected but we were OK 2 guys were being Jackasses one a tri-guy with a Florida Gators shirt and the other this African guy with a white singlet with #118 on it (not his competitor # but the shirt had it on it) both pushing an shoving around as if we could actually move a whole lot at that point. If not for David I never would have seen the Mile marker I hit the watch at 7:34 but was a good few seconds late most of mile two was downhill as well and we wound up with a 7:00 on that and saw Dana's dad yelling from the right hand side of the road when we expected him on the left at some bar called TJ's which was just insanely packed. Again bonus for David with his height... by the 3 mile mark I had already gotten comments on my Shoes as David kept track of the comments. Third Mile passed by into Ashland and we were going too quick at 7:02 but it was our first real calculation (since we knew the first two were off) so we tried to slow down David noted this as well the whole of the pack was just rolling along and still quite crowded at this point we kept separating and rejoining as this long serpentine road to Boston continued on its way to its final destination in Copley Square and the Pru building... so far away at this point.

Mile 4 marked by conscious attempt to slow the pace but meeting with mixed results - we did slow it but only to 7:08 it felt like we had done a better job of it but all for naught the smells of bar-b-cues wafting across the road as we cruised through Ashland noting different things along the way and runners here and there crowds still full and cheering all the way through to mile 5 and Framing ham with a couple of short climbs... we finally got the pace down to a respectable 7:23... David now tells me that he is just not feeling it and I note that we can try to pull a few more miles at this pace to see how it goes we come up over a rise in mile 5 and David says to me run your own race and we will talk later mile 6 closes at 7:13 and soon after that I see the family which was earlier than I expected I am feeling good and roll through the next mile in 7:19 as Framingham rolls by the crowds incredibly still noisy even in the industrialized looking areas...

Flat to rolling the terrain continues through mile 8 and the beginnings of Natick folks with signs up stating 7th inning Red Sox 5 Seattle 6 (I think all I know is the Sox were down by 1 and I can hear the play by play as 7:21 and 7:22 click by - not worried about it but maybe it should have been a clue to think the end is coming still very comfortable and unconcerned because there are hills and Natick crowds are huge there is a sign pointing to a house saying "Shortcut ---->" with Bleachers outside the next mile had a decent climb into Natick and a 7:26 had me starting to think

Mile 11 rolled on through Natick center and the sun was blazing not hot but intense the crowds here are the biggest I have yet seen and I ran a 7:30 in a section with some uphills and all I think is maintain and make it through Wellesley 7:26 and 7:27 At this point I have lost count of all the wow look at those shoes comments and run a little bit with a girl named Jen who has also gotten many comments because she has it written on her arm... probably didn't hurt her as she was wearing bright pink shorts and was an attractive blonde either - we climbed up to Wellesely together as I made it there and was amazed at the girls just screaming their heads off - un believable just amazing It was incredibly disorienting actually these tons of women all with signs saying either Kiss Me I am from Wellesley or the one "Kiss Me Now - **** Me Later" one stuck in my mind but hey I was still on pace so I laughed and kept on going (maybe I should have stopped for a hug at least looking back on it hehe) once through the wellesley gauntlet you could hear the din just quiet down like a switch had been turned off - the ladies were turned to other way so it was painfully obvious - so much cheering though that Jen turned and said jeez where are all the guys for me? one of the other guys around said wait till BC there will be plenty of screaming from both sexes there... The half passed in 1:36 still on pace for sub 3:15 but hovering dangerously close with those hills remaining...

Mile 14 was my first clue that things may not be OK 7:32 was over my first mile over 7:30 pace and I attribute it to a lack of focus at that point but then the first pieces of the hills start mile 15 with the pass over the highways and 7:42 started the engines again I start thinking just relax if you lose some now its OK the hills are coming - better to take a little break and recover now than be hobbled in the hills. I pulls some time back but that Downhill is brutal 7:37 - during the next mile a guy from Eastern PA comes by and says time to go to work now we all nod knowing whats coming. I look forward to a mile or so up the road where Cin and Ryan are sure to be. One note pushy # 118 guy somewhere around here is passed...

I see Ryan and Cindy at mile 16.5 and its absolute pandemonium at the woodlawn station. I cant believe how insane it is there people rows and rows deep - I get my bottle again I keep saying to myself Damage Control lets just get through the Hills and recover. I make the turn at the Fire Station and see the monster in front of me and start up it begins steep but I get through it and not to shabbily at 8:14 it hurts but I am buoyed by the fact that its 1 down 2 to go. The struggle begins now in earnest. The folks on the Hills are amazing but I feel like I am falling behind now struggling through another 8:16 on to the next big hill it looms ahead - keep going turnover turnover 8:20 - OK not bad I make it through. Then it happens between hill 2 and 3 my leg starts first to twitch then the right Hammy seizes forcing me first to jog peg-legged then to stop completely and stretch... I grit my teeth and try to start again no good completely locked. I stretch and hear voices around but this one man next to me syas keep moving to loosen it - I grunt I cant move- its locked I massage it and he says "there is an aid station around the corner if you need it" I shake my head and start it has loosened enough for me to get through the final climb - the time including the stop is 10:08 - people screaming the whole way up both side of the street even Hashers offering beer is not enough to deter me- I am through I start to think of Boston when the left Hamstring seizes up on the start of the downhill stopped again but now I know where to loosen up I down the rest of my gatorade bottle and throw it down like Uta Pippig... I struggle on just a little bit down the road I hear Dan "run down the hills" - I struggle on little does he now that I am haha. The ever present train tracks threatening to trip my but I stay close for no reason other than it it something to focus on... miles click by Brookline - where is that damn Citgo sign - 8:35 - Quads now cramping they threaten to derail me but I keep pushing - 8:39 23 miles done - I grind to a stop on the threshold of Boston quick stretch and go.... half a mile later I am stopped again muscles twitching and I stretch just after the Citgo sign I punch my legs people screaming yelling encouragement all through Brookline and Boston right on top of you I grimace and smack hands hard as I get myself through the sign -

1 Mile to Go - I have 10 minutes to make it under 3:30 - the dip under the overpass almost derails me completely I shuffle slowly up the hill just prior to that I see Cindy Concerned - Ryan yelling I have no idea what he is saying - i nod and push on the turn and I see the Promised Boylston street - and what its a climb to get up to it again I groan and make it again legs cramping I push down 4 minutes to make it - you can see the finish the whole way - turnover - you can make it - the last 100M I hear them announce Kurt Steege - Princeton NJ - I raise my arms and cross the line - I did it...

Official Stats from the BAA site
6381 Steege, Kurt 37 M Princeton NJ USA
Checkpoints
5k - 0:22:21
10k - 0:44:56
15k - 1:07:44
20k - 1:30:59
Half - 1:36:03
25k - 1:54:37
30k - 2:20:02
35k - 2:48:47
40k - 3:16:18
Finish - 3:29:11
Pace - 0:07:59
Overall - 5937
Gender - 5053
Division - 2547

After wards we hook up with Dan and David and Peter and Dana we all go out for some Burgers and Beers - and swap war stories - what an amazing day - we will all be back in one way or another I am sure of it.
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The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat.

[Dan]

Whew, I'm exhausted, and all I did was read about it. Congrats!

Dan
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[Micah Ward]

That's a great report and a great race too. What were your longest training runs? Do you think the hamstring problems were the result of the early pace or maybe not enough long runs? I have always heard that it is very easy to go out too fast at Boston because of the downhill start.
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[Paul]

Great report, great run! I'm happy you guys didn't hit the 80's temps like the last 2 years were at. A recap like that should be good motivation for me. Make sure to take some well deserved break time. A lot of runners from my club that have gone to Boston have been injured because they started training too soon after getting back.
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Paul

"Gaunt is Beautiful" Cassidy's T-shirt

[AM_Runner]

Thanks guys it was a great time - as much as it hurt I loved it...

To answer questions here - my longest training run was 21 miles - If you remember I had a bunch of injuries early in the year that forced me to a very minimal training schedule - I don't think it was the pace of the early run that killed me, rather I think it was the pounding of the downhills that did me in. So a combination of that + a lower level of training than I would have liked... the whole package contributed to it

Oh yeah I would have been dead had it been that hot again... so I just have to hope for good weather again next year now... (well and qualifying again)
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The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat.

[dancingqueen]

Great read and congrats on the race!

[AM_Runner]

thanks
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The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat.

[dancingqueen]

congratulations! i work at a marketing company in dc, and someone i work with was telling us all about it - sounds like it was really intense - you should be really proud of yourself.

[Indeurr]

I would never run a marathon; however, it was great race, and a great post race report.
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