Poudre Patter

Milestone state (#20) – marathon #23 – was really a dual-purpose trip. The race (2015 Colorado Marathon) was May 3rd, but my wife and I arrived in Colorado on April 29th so that we could spend time with one of her cousins and also check out a few different areas, as we were planning to move to Colorado later in the year. Prior to the race, we visited the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for some extra motivation!

U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, CO

We drove up into the Poudre Canyon on the 2nd to drive the course back. It was getting a little breezy, and I think a light rain – or was it even snow? – began to fall up in the canyon. Anyhow, it was quite beautiful there, right along the river. My sister and brother-in-law were running the full, my dad was making an attempt at a BQ, and my wife was running her second half marathon. The morning bus ride on race day was…interesting…

After wishing my wife good luck, we boarded the bus to the starting line. Half and full were on different buses, since we were going farther up the canyon. Our bus driver apparently did not know where he was going – we had to help guide him. Did they not give him directions?? We made it to the canyon road, which is good, because once you get there, there’s really only one road from that point. Somewhere along the route they had set up cones for the race on the dividing line in the road. I’m not sure why they put them so far into our lane, since there were several buses that had to make the trip, and it made our lane narrower. Needless to say, some buses had knocked cones over or ran them over. Our driver gingerly avoided the cones and – get this – actually stopped the bus, got out, and righted a fallen cone! It makes for a great story now, but we were all worried that we would get to the starting line late (if we made it at all!).

Luckily, we did make it on time. Barely. We ended up being the last bus to arrive, even though we were not the last to leave. One or two had actually passed us on the way up… We had a few minutes to hit the port-a-potties, and then the gun went off. I think my dad was still in one, but he was determined not to rush his BQ attempt preparations. The four of us (me, dad, sister, and brother-in-law) took a picture and crossed the start line together… a few minutes after the rest of the field, who was now out of sight.

Where did everyone go?

I ran with my dad – or more accurately – closely behind him for the first half of the race. It was a beautiful, winding road down the canyon. Great scenery and gradual downhill most of the way. I let him go ahead and slowed shortly after we exited the canyon into the Colorado sunshine. Sadly, we had used up all of our shade for the course while in the canyon. The second half was a bit warm from the sun beating down on us uninterrupted and rather uninspiring from a scenery standpoint since we were running away from the mountains. I started struggling around Mile 18, which is a pretty common place for my struggles to start, and had to walk a fair amount the last 5 miles. So, that was a pain, but I made it to the finish in 4:25:06 (fifth slowest marathon to date).

The course was beautiful in the canyon – and downhill – and the last 10 miles or so were less interesting. It had a nice finish near Old Town Fort Collins, and we had some great burgers after the race at Stuft. My wife bested her previous half marathon time by 2 minutes with a 2:42. My dad missed his BQ, but the happy news is that a few months later in Idaho, he smashed through that BQ barrier and is running Boston this coming April! My brother and mom were also in attendance, so it was really nice to have the whole family together (in our future, now current, town).

20 down, 30 to go…
Next Stop: Boise, ID

Phoenix Feet

Do I get a prize for posting my race review in less than a year (barely)? Hmm… well, Marathon #22 and State #19 is in the books! I completed the 2015 Phoenix Marathon last February 28th.

After some rest and some more PT for the IT band following the Indianapolis Marathon the previous Fall, training for the Phoenix Marathon went well for the most part. A little bit of shin/ankle tightness towards the end, but certainly nothing that stopped me in my tracks. I arrived in Phoenix with high hopes for a good run. My parents, sister, and brother-in-law all made the trip as well (with all but my mom running). Unfortunately my wife couldn’t make it for this one.

It was a cool morning, and we started up in hills by Usery Mountain at dawn. The gun sounded, which was appropriate since we started at a gun range, and we were off. It was a shame that it was still a little dark in the beginning because I think the first couple miles were the prettiest. They were also slightly downhill, which was nice. Things started off well, and I was holding about an 8:00/mi pace through the halfway point and was feeling pretty good.

Rio Salado Sportsman's Club - Marathon Starting Location (Day Before)

The second half was, well, kind of boring. Lots of straight neighborhood/city roads as we made our way to Mesa. That’s right, Mesa. In fact, the whole trip, I don’t think I actually set foot in the city of Phoenix. Mesa’s fine, but it wasn’t exactly the most scenic running (and we finished at a mall). Anyway, not only was it a bit chilly, which surprised me for the Phoenix area even in February, it got pretty windy the last ten miles or so. I was able to continue holding my pace until about Mile 18. Something around my left ankle started to get tight, and the combination of that with the wind meant that I slowed considerably in the last 8 miles of the race.

I finished strong, though, with an 8:35 last mile to finish in 3:40:13 – my best time since the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon (about 3.5 years prior). I was pretty happy overall and felt like I was on my way back – at least a little bit! The course was fast and mostly flat, though not very scenic except for those first couple miles in the “dawn’s early light,” if you will. The organization seemed fine; it just wasn’t that exciting of a race…

2015 Phoenix Marathon Finisher's Medal

I took it easy for the next week or two before starting to get ready for the Colorado Marathon, which was only a few days more than two months after Phoenix. 

19 down, 31 to go…
Next stop: Fort Collins, CO

Indianapolis Illotibial Experiment

Time for the latest installment of “Which state is Mike running a marathon in now?” Marathon #21 and State #18 are in the books!

For the second half of my training for Indy (nearly 2 months), I was battling through IT Band problems. When I could barely make 5 miles on one of my long runs, I decided it was time to change my approach – and that I needed help. I knew my problem and, with the help of my supportive wife, checked myself into rehab. Physical therapy, that is. Turns out I was sort of right about the source of my problems… I knew my hips were weak and a little tight. Well, I came to learn that my hips (and IT Band) were tighter than Mick Jagger’s leather pants! The PT described my IT Band as a “taut rope.” They worked me hard, mostly with hip mobility after the initial “massaging” stage, along with some core strengthening and full leg stretching. I was doing hip circles, planks, and hamstring stretches. Monster Walks, Pigeons, and Fire Hydrants. And, more recently, Spiderman Crawl :) Needless to say, the PT has done me wonders, and hopefully I can keep up my fitness and flexibility!

Anyway, back to the marathon. I was still able to do minimized training, so I was still in pretty reasonable shape for the run. The PT asked me to shave part of my leg so they could tape up my IT/knee for the marathon a few days before (on the Thursday of). That was an interesting experience… While I’m no expert on shaving my legs, I like to think I did a pretty good job! So, I arrived in Indianapolis equipped with my pink kinesio-taped leg and ready to go.

Saturday morning came, and we made our way to the start area. It was a cool, crisp, 48 degrees (and didn't get any higher than 50) and my dad and I did our best to stay warm by sitting by the fires or hanging out in the enclosed tents where the post-race picnic was to be held. I was nervous, but this time was a different kind of nervous. I wasn’t shooting for a PR or particular pace. This time I was nervous that I’d end up with the dreaded “DNF” next to my name. I’m happy to say I avoided that!

I employed a run-walk strategy, at a reduced pace, starting by running the first mile, then walking for 30 seconds. That transformed into about 7 minutes of running, 30 seconds of walking for most of the way. Sometimes during my walk breaks I would kick my right leg out to the side, as sort of a walking hip circle, in an effort to keep it loose. I think it did help. Around Mile 18, I started to tighten up a little more, and kept adjusting my run/walk ration, until the last 3-4 miles when it became more of a “run as able,” since my whole legs were tight by then! I had very little pain, if any, due to my IT band though – and slowly jogged to the (decidedly uphill) finish, claiming victory.

The course was mostly around the area of Fort Harrison State Park (Lawrence, Indiana), and was actually quite nice. The fall colors were out in force. It was mostly flat-ish with a few rolling hills (one especially tough one), and could even be a potential PR course for some. The weather, on the other hand, could have been better – but it also could have been worse! It was cloudy, except for about a half mile or so, and occasionally rather breezy, so it stayed chilly throughout. When the sun went away after its brief cameo, I regretted tossing my gloves aside. The race was well-organized and small. Afterward, we heard from some people that the race may be nearing its end because of the much larger marathon in downtown Indy around the same time, but it was mentioned in the latest Runner’s World, so that might spark a crowd!

My time was 4:37:32, which is my third slowest marathon finish, but it didn’t matter. I made it. Time to take a short break, and then start training for the next one!

18 down, 32 to go…

Next stop: Phoenix, AZ

Five Boroughs

After three years of getting denied by the New York City Marathon lottery, I got in. Finally. I was guaranteed to, actually, as a carry-over from their old "3 strikes and you're in" policy. I registered in the Spring, shelling out the wallet-emptying $266 entry fee. I was immediately pumped, although I was also a little tentative since my last one (New Orleans) didn't go so well and I was still battling some injuries.

Summer running was pretty ugly, but once I started training upon returning state-side, it went fairly well with only a few aches and pains along the way. Still, I was probably slightly under-trained. I focused on the mileage and not on speed, just trying to believe that I could do it again. Towards the last month of training I could tell I would likely run around a 4:15, with an outside chance of 4:00.

The weekend before the race, we were down in Wilmington, North Carolina to cheer my dad on as he competed in his first Ironman distance triathlon. It was a great experience and very inspiring, and I couldn't be more happy to say that he finished very strong (and came in just before my Austria time)! I was totally pumped for NYCM. My lovely fiancée (newly-engaged, three weeks prior!) accompanied me on the Megabus for our ride up to New York. That was about the only thing on the trip that was cheap. Oh NY...

It was supposed to be quite cold (I'm half-glad I took the bus to the start rather than the Staten Island Ferry, with the other half being sad that I didn't get to experience the ferry ride over), so I had purchased a small blanket and a cheap towel to keep me warm waiting in the Runner's Village. While it was a cool vibe, I was freezing my little butt off because they took my blanket at the entrance! Security was quite beefed up because of Boston earlier in the year, so I wasn't too surprised... except when I sat there freezing while others had big blankets :(

The start of the race was certainly something to behold. Even with multiple waves, it was a crazy amount of people. Everyone was super-excited and ready to go. With a singing of "New York, New York" we headed out onto the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The bridge was amazing. There were so many great parts of this race, but this was certainly a highlight.

Runners on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (from the 2010 race)

I was taking it a little faster than I had planned, but nothing way off pace. The crowd flowed into Brooklyn and we were welcomed nicely. I enjoyed the sights and sounds. Somewhere around Mile 9, I think, I saw Courtney and my parents (who had also made a side-trip to NYC to see me run), which was a great feeling! It gave me a boost for a mile or two before my right IT band (same one that bothered me in New Orleans) started to make its presence known. Somehow I was still able to manage to tough it out the rest of the way without major pain/injury. I did make a bathroom stop about halfway, which was a first for me! Exciting?

We made our way through Brooklyn and Queens, where I saw things like a Hasidic Jew playing Frogger through the marathoners... We crossed the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, where the crowds were supposed to be the best (not that any areas were that empty...). I was a little disappointed, actually, when we came off the bridge, so I whooped the crowd into a frenzy like a crazy man :)

We dipped up into the Bronx for a mile or two before returning to Manhattan and heading to Central Park. I saw a friend from college along the way (cheering), which was nice, and then we entered the park. You enter the park and still have like 2 miles to go, but it's still a rush. I saw my parents and Courtney again in the park (and once more earlier), which again was a boost. In fact, my last mile was the second fastest of the whole race! I felt like I was flying along in the park. I couldn't believe how accurately I predicted my time... 4:15:27! Other than being a little sore (IT) and now quite cold, I was pretty satisfied. It took forever to get to our special "orange parkas" once finished (walked at least a mile, I would guess), but once I had it, it was nice. Finally, after a LONG walk (and a LONG time), I was able to make my way to my fiancée and parents.

NYCM was a great experience and I had a blast. Would I do it again? Probably not. Partly because I'm trying to do one in every state, partly because it's logistically difficult due to its size (50,134 finishers! The results portion of the results book is 124 pages long!), and partly because it's freakin' expensive! Still, I recommend doing it at least once if you can.

It wasn't a new state for me (I captured New York with the 2006 Wineglass Marathon in Bath/Corning), so I'm still at 16, with 34 to go. Next up: Tennessee (Country Music Marathon in Nashville, 4/26/14)

Running Threux New Orleans

New Orleans Rock n' Roll Marathon (formerly Mardi Gras Marathon) - February 24, 2013

I came into the race knowing that I wasn't well-trained, since I was still fighting the injury bug (for a year now). The flavor of this training period was ankle/shin issues. I still was able to train a fair amount though, so I went through with it. I figured I could handle around a 9:00-9:30 pace, and that I'd help my sister pace my dad, who was shooting to crack the elusive 4-hour barrier.

It started out great. I felt good, and we were on pace for better than 4 hours. I was enjoying running through The Crescent City. Hey, you could even call this race The Big Easy! Flat, fast course, and the weather was phenomenal. But then it hit. Hard. Right around the halfway point my right IT band just blew up. Not literally, of course, but out of nowhere (wasn't even one of my concerns!) it really starting hurting. After less than a mile more I couldn't run anymore. There were even points throughout the next 12 miles that I couldn't even walk on it. I should have quit, and this was probably the closest I've ever come to DNF'ing a marathon. Let me tell you: it is NOT fun to walk for 3 1/2 hours when you should be running and you can't. 12 miles is a long, long walk. I tried my best to enjoy the scenery and nice homes near the coast, but it wasn't easy.

My dad and sister passed me out on one of the little bridges and I cheered them on as they went by... he was a bit ahead of 4-hour pace and looking strong! I slowly made my way, very unhappily, and eventually made it to the finish in 5:33:54, my slowest time by 38 minutes, which of course makes sense when you walk half of it! I was happy to find out though, that my dad had achieved his 25-year goal of breaking 4 hours! Slow Pole had graduated to Flyin' Eagle!

This was probably one of the most difficult marathons for me, mentally. While I only ran about half of it, I still finished, and will count it as State #16 even though I kind of feel like it has a miniature asterisk next to it. Only 34 to go...

Heartbreak Hell

[This obviously is a tragedy for all of humanity. I offer thoughts from a runner's perspective. Thoughts that were hard to put to words until tonight, and even now, are a struggle.]

I walked out of work yesterday wearing my Boston Marathon jacket, carrying my drawstring bag from the race. I hadn't brought those things because it was Marathon Monday. I usually have them these days and I am very proud to wear the jacket. But it wasn't a usual day anymore. I left work an hour early, fighting back tears. I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't comprehend it all. Explosions at the end of the Boston Marathon just didn't make sense.

Boston is our Mecca. When you tell someone you run marathons, they inevitably ask if you've run Boston. It's a finish thousands upon thousands of runners aspire to one day achieve. One for which people put in countless hours, days, weeks, months, even years, of hard work. Of pain and agony. Of highs and lows. Of hope and dreams.

I was lucky enough to run two years ago. My Boston story was not unlike any other. Several attempts to "BQ" (achieve a Boston Qualifying time) came up short. One race I missed the time by just a few seconds. In Fall of 2010, I collapsed at the finish line in New Hampshire, having qualified by a mere 3 seconds. And in April 2011, I was blessed enough to celebrate all the way from Hopkinton to Copley Square, and raise my arms in exultation crossing the finish line.

Then yesterday I heard the news, saw the pictures, watched the videos, and read the accounts. I recognized the places immediately, as if it was yesterday. While I wasn't there this year, this hit very close to home. I could have been running. My family could have been there watching. If my dad had qualified, it would have been about where he would finish. It could have been my sister. I knew people that were running this year. As runners, we are part of a community. A big family. And, by extension, so are the volunteers and spectators who support us every step of the way. They selflessly take time out of their schedules to support us, put up with our running talk and overall nuttiness, and at races, encourage complete strangers. It was all too real. It was my running family. Emotionally, it shook me hard.

When I got home I was compelled to go for a run. Courtney came over for some company and brought her running shoes, apparently knowing I might want to run. I ran 8+ miles (longest in a few months) on Sunday, so my legs were tired, and on top of that still recovering from various injuries. It didn't make sense to run. But then, it was the only thing that made sense to do. It was all I could do at that point. I wore my Boston shirt, of course. The run helped. Having Courtney's company helped. I called my dad and my sister, and that helped.

Still, today I was in sort of a daze. I worked (until the power went out in my area) and was semi-efficient. I wore my Marine Corps Marathon shirt (now that Boston's was dirtied). The questions are all still fluttering around upstairs, but the biggest is always "Why?" Patriot's Day, Marathon Monday. A day celebrating the fight and perseverance in Americans. 25,000 people that stop at nothing to get there. Hundreds of thousands more supporting them and enjoying all the festivities on a beautiful day. A celebration of the human spirit.

Instead, an 8-year old boy, waiting for his father, now waits for him in Heaven. Two others lost their lives. Nearly 200 with injuries, many serious. I can only imagine the pain and suffering that those directly affected by this can be experiencing, and my heart goes out to all of them, their families, and their friends.

Through all the horror and devastation, we have to find a way to see that human spirit. That it cannot be broken. We have to see the hundreds of first responders, EMTs, volunteers, and civilians who rushed to the aid of those injured in the blasts. We have to see the runners who continued running straight to the hospitals to give blood. We have to see the people who opened their business and homes to those in need of food, water, heat, or somewhere to stay. We have to see the outpouring of support from the community, Americans, and those around the world.

Does this mean that I will never run again in Boston if I am fortunate enough to qualify again? Does it mean that I don't plan to run New York? Or Chicago. Not a bit; it ensures I will run them. We will not be beaten. We must continue to see the spirit that marathons embody. The spirit of the people of Boston, the people of America, and the human race. And that spirit cannot be broken.

Oorah!

So I'm finally getting around to my post about the Marine Corps Marathon (ran October 30th)!

Leading up to MCM I had decent training, supplemented by swimming and cycling (i.e. triathlon training), so I felt pretty good going in. I didn't have any high expectation of running a PR, but it wasn't out of the question. My family flew in a couple of days early and I had Friday off (due to my work schedule), so we hung out Friday and then left for DC on Saturday afternoon. We stopped for breakfast on the way, where I also picked up some girl scout cookies for myself (yum), as they were selling them outside Bob Evans.

When we got to the expo at the armory it was really crowded and the weather left a lot to be desired. It was cold and rainy, so my dad and I (my sister and brother-in-law had gone to the expo Friday) wanted to get inside quickly as possible. However, due to security (I guess because it's an armory?), we waited in line for a few minutes outside - and then once inside we learned that we had to go across the drive to the tent to pick up our numbers first! When we got out of the tent it was sleeting. Needless to say it wasn't very fun waiting outside another couple minutes in the security line again. Finally we did the whole expo thing, I took a picture with the Geico Gecko and we were ready to leave. Except my mom was driving around and couldn't find her way back :)

Eventually she did find her way back and we made it to my mom's cousin's in VA, our gracious hosts for the night. We visited for a little bit before the pre-race dinner, and noted the comical situation - it was SNOWING outside...and sticking!

Luckily, it didn't stay overnight or anything, but it was quite amusing. Speaking of amusing...we went to this Italian place for dinner (duh), and we must have gotten there right when it opened for dinner because the place was completely empty and they were all putting up Halloween decorations. After we had been seated we heard some Christmas music and then learned that they serve Bolivian food for lunch. What a strange place. But not a bad meal.

Race morning came quick and we got in our "taxi" (my mom's cousin drove us) and headed to the start, which was near the Pentagon. We drove around to get closer, but actually ended up getting out on the other side of the Pentagon, so we had to walk all the way around! The crowds before, and the walking, were a little bit of a pain, but at least the crowd is to be expected for this size of race (20,000+). They did a flyover of some military helicopters (cool and different, since they usually use jets!) Since we had to walk so far, we were a little late getting to the start, so after a "quick" port-a-potty stop, we shed our sweats and handed them off to my brother-in-law, who wasn't running due to injury (Thanks Alberto! Hip better yet??), and ran off to the start. My sister and I didn't get quite to where we should have started, but sort of close I guess. I had to do a little weaving the first couple miles, but not an exorbitant amount (am I allowed to use that word if it's not money-related?).

I started off gunning for that 7:15 pace and PR because I knew that if I didn't give it a shot I'd be upset with myself. It was that or run an 8:00 pace pretty consistently. I felt great through the first half and barely noticed the couple little hills in the first half of the course. The next couple miles went well too, but by Mile 16 I knew that the PR wasn't happening. I really started to hurt around 21 and the last 3 miles or so were pretty painful, but oh well. I ended up averaging an 8:00 pace anyway (go figure), and finished in 3:29:34. All-in-all, not bad.

It was inspiring to be running around, past, and up to some of the different monuments in DC, and to have the whole Marine/military "aura" around the race. It's a flat, fast course and has a fair share of both natural scenery and monumental (?) scenery, which starts at the Pentagon and ends at Iwo Jima. They do throw in a tough (steep) little hill at the very end. And I mean very end. The crowd support was fantastic, as was the overall support. The logistics are not great, as usual with a large marathon it seems, particularly the expo (I think they may have had to move it to a smaller place this year for some reason?) and the mile you had to walk after the race to get to your bags and meeting spots. The medals are great! Very attractive and unique - and my first spinner! Bonus is that a Marine puts it around your neck and shakes your hand. One of the other advantages of MCM for me was that it was nearby and I didn't have to spend money traveling. I took Monday off anyway to spend time with my family. I'd say it's a "do once" type of marathon, at least for me - but then, most of them are I suppose, given my goal...

Congrats to my sister and dad and friends, and all the other finishers! No plans on the next one yet... 15 down, 35 to go!

My Boston Experience

Day 1 – FRI 4/15/11

My flight touched down in Boston just before noon. The banners at the baggage claim let me know I was in the right place.

I bought a 7-day transportation pass and hopped on a shuttle to get to the Blue Line T. Had a nice hour or so ride out to the last stop on the Green Line (Riverside), where my parents and brother picked me up – they had driven all the way from Michigan.

We went straight to lunch, which was really brunch since we had breakfast food at a place called “In A Pickle” – which was picked by Pat. It was a quirky little place that apparently was voted “Best Brunch on Boston A-List” so we were anticipating some good eats. It didn’t disappoint. I had a Belgian Waffle topped with what must have been a whole banana tree, strawberries, blueberries and a mountain of whipped cream.

After filling our stomachs, we headed over to the Doubletree Waltham to check in to our room. They were undergoing renovations that weekend to transform into a Hilton Embassy Suites, so we got a relatively new-seeming room. They also gave us cookies at the front desk, which I didn’t get to eat because I refrain from desserts the week before a marathon. The changes were happening real-time, considering they were literally changing the sign on the hotel while we were there, among other things, including the “sign” for our room number: which when we arrived was written in Sharpie on a piece of blue duct tape adhered to the door.

We headed back over to the Green Line to spend what was left of the day in the city. We got off the T and onto the Freedom Trail near Faneuil Hall (good luck pronouncing that – we had fun – I think it’s pronounced like the herb fennel?) and walked around a bit. Of course we stopped along the way and posed with several statues! :) We even saw some redcoats having a drink at the tavern.

It was rather chilly, so we got out of the cold for dinner in Little Italy. We were hoping to dine at Galleria Umberto, but apparently the family was off in Italy or something. I guess that means it’s pretty authentic! We passed on Little Italy favorite China House and settled on Bella Vista. Wasn’t that great, in my opinion, but it was edible.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel, noting that we should stop at Mike’s Pastry at least once while we were in town. It was recommended by several different people as THE place to go for…pastries, of course. Of course we utilized the hot tub before bed.

Day 2 – SAT 4/16/11

My dad got up (too) early to wait for my sister who was arriving at the airport early Saturday morning. They went for a run on the course before coming back to the hotel shortly. For me, Saturday started off with a trip downtown to meet with my uncle, aunt and cousin who drove in from New Hampshire to celebrate my aunt’s birthday with us. We had lunch immediately at City Place. I had my first experience with a pay toilet, though they give you the little tokens at the counter so I didn’t really have to pay...

We followed lunch with some more Freedom Trail walking. We started by some war monument (obviously) and wandered through some old cemeteries, which included Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and even Mary “Mother” Goose! Who knew Mother Goose was from Boston? We also visited the King’s Church, which is like everything else there – very old.

We headed over towards our dinner spot on the wharf, and partly as an effort to escape the cold and the fierce wind, we decided to check out the New England Aquarium. It seems everyone else had the same idea, so the line for tickets was huge. Luckily, we had some tech savvy people with iPhones, and we skipped the line a bit by buying our tickets online and doing the Will Call bit. It was pretty much like most aquariums, but usually I don’t see the Giant Tortoises (I was like whoooaaa). So that was cool. And everyone loves penguins. But maybe I got a little spoiled by visiting the San Diego Aquarium?

We left (around 5pm I think) to make our dinner reservation at Legal Sea Foods across the street. I had me a tasty swordfish steak. The broccoli got cold quickly, so it wasn’t the best, but overall a good meal and great service. On the way back to catch the T we stopped at Mike’s Pastry. It was a zoo in there like you wouldn’t believe. Everyone except me got something (again, the desserts rule), so I said we had to come back Monday night. I did partake in the hot tubbing and some crossword puzzling, though.

Day 3 – SUN 4/17/11

My sister stayed with her friend Saturday night and met us Sunday morning for Palm Sunday Mass at, where else, Our Lady of Victories. Not only is the name appropriate, they do a blessing of the runners after the service. The priest said we would all run 15 minutes with his blessing. Hey, I wasn’t going to argue!

After church we walked over to Charlie’s for brunch with some of the LVM crew. Or, rather, we tried to. Apparently there are two places named Charlie’s in the area and we go the wrong one at first (it was closed). Eventually we made it to the right place and had a nice, though it took forever.

After brunch we headed over towards the expo. First, however, we stopped over at a local store near the finish line where you could buy Boston Marathon merchandise (and where a fellow LVMer was nice enough to get us a discount). I got me the jacket (pretty much a requirement if you run Boston, no?) and running hat. Lucky we went there first, because apparently they had run out of jackets at the expo! I took a picture at the finish line and headed over to pick up my race packet.

Thanks to my posse, as it turned out, I got lots of fun pictures of my first Boston experience (and not just at the expo), and thanks to RJ’s shenanigans, I was on the news later that night…

I picked up a normal t-shirt at the expo. We ran out of time before dinner, so I didn’t get to see it all (quite large), but that’s okay. Time for the pre-race dinner! We took the Green Line back to Waltham to meet up with LVMers again at The Chateau for some quality carbs. I strayed from the usual Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo... a little bit: I had a trio of pastas, one of which was Fettuccine Alfredo. Pretty good stuff! After dinner we went back to the hotel to relax before bed. I took a dip in the hot tub and laid out my stuff for the morning.

Bed time!

Day 4 – MON 4/18/11 – Race Day!

Good morning! I lumbered out of bed early Monday morning to get ready for the race. I made sure I had everything before I left and went downstairs to meet Jon & RJ to drive over to the start (thanks Helen!). Shortly after we left I finally woke up – I was on my way to Hopkinton!!

We arrived at the famed Hopkinton around 7am, well before the start because, well, we pretty much had to. Sooooo many people. After taking it all in and getting the obligatory picture by the Hopkinton sign, we settled down on the grass. We happened to plop down next to another Bucknellian, who is now living in Michigan. Small world!

I made a porta-potty stop, dropped my bag off at the buses – it was slightly chilly at the start – and was herded down to the starting line with the rest of my wave. It was almost a mile walk just to get there – which, for me, built up the suspense and excitement a little bit. We hadn’t even started and people were cheering us on! Haha.

After the national anthem, the Elites headed out, and then shortly after 10am, my corral (Corral 6) was off and running. Running the Boston Marathon!!

I started off a little slower than my goal pace, which I expected and planned, but apparently I guess I got caught up in the excitement too… I ended up running the first half a little faster than planned but whatever…I was having a good time! The crowds were fantastic pretty much start to finish. To be honest, Wellesley was a little disappointing – like it had lost a little luster or something – but it was still pretty cool. Maybe next time I’ll get the guts to kiss some girls ;)

Once I hit the Newton Hills I started to slow down, but not drastically. I still felt pretty decent and was able to run through the hills, and not stop until about the 22.5-mile point. I have a feeling it was actually more the rolling hills in the first half of the race, which I probably underestimated a little bit (there were more than I thought there would be), but I’m sure it was also that I ran all of Newton. I decided not to push it because that’s not why I was there. I was there to enjoy it and not be miserable. That misery is saved for all the work I put into getting there :)

I took my time getting through the next two miles or so before hitting the big crowds (spectators) towards the finish. Along the way it was kind of neat to wave to all the people riding the T, haha. Again, crowd support was great throughout. And then I saw the famed Citgo sign. And got a little choked up (yeah yeah, and there was still over a mile to go!). From the time I saw that to the finish, the crowd was unbelievable. I’m getting chills just typing this! That crowd pushed me from a sort of walk/run 11:00 pace, to around a 9:00 pace for the last mile and a half. I thrive on adrenaline, and that’s what helped me finish a few minutes faster.

I got choked up again as I approached the final turn, and as I made that final turn onto Boylston and saw the finish… part of me didn’t want it to end, but the rest of my body wasn’t all that sad about it. I came in at 3:34:45 (8:12/mi pace), which is about what I figured I’d run. I was tired and happy - satisfied with my run and happy to be done. I FINISHED BOSTON!

I met up with my family, who were awesome and made the trip to support me, and my friend Karen, who nearly PR’d the thing (what?). The weather was perfect – including a little bit of a tail wind, but the sun disappeared at the finish and I was a little chilly. And what would a marathon be without a nice, big juicy burger to follow? :)

Overall, I’m very happy with the experience and would love to do it again. Sure, it’s a little tougher logistically and there are a lot of people, but it is pretty darn cool. The crowd support was by far the best of the ones I’ve run, and I think the aura of it being Boston helps. The course is nice, and actually pretty scenic – which was a pleasant surprise. But watch out for those hidden hills! Thanks to everyone who supported me along the way, and to everyone else in Boston that helped make this a great experience.

A lady from the Boston Globe called me to follow up on a story that was written a few days earlier. I definitely picked up a copy of the Globe Tuesday morning! I got two things from Mike’s Pastry that evening, for those of you wondering ;)

Day 5 – TUE 4/19/11

Slept in! My parents left Tuesday afternoon to start their journey home, and I wandered around Boston (with my luggage, but oh well) for a few hours. I walked through Boston Common and saw Fenway, mostly, but unfortunately didn’t have time for a tour of the stadium. Once I got to the airport I noticed my flight was not just delayed, but cancelled (thanks in part to bad weather, though the lady at the counter told me something about “maintenance”). Ugh! I spent the next couple hours trying to figure out how to get home and settled on a paid night at a hotel and early flight in the morning.

Day 6 – Wait, there wasn’t supposed to be a Day 6!

Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Time to rest!