No place like this

Short version. New PB 3:18:12, horrible conditions, great crowd but a course that chewed me up and spat me out.

The Course

No matter what you read or how you train, nothing prepares you for running the Boston Marathon other then actually getting out there and running it. From the first mile the course relentlessly rolls up and down all the way to the finish. With the exception of somewhere between 6 and 8 where you run along the shore of Fisk Pond you are either going up or going down. This constant change in gait/running really takes it out of your legs. Some of the downs are pretty steep, at the start, the run down to the Charles River just before the start of Newton Hills, the descent at Boston College and the run into Cleveland Circle. Another phrase its all downhill to the finish. There are some more nasty little pulls once you pass Boston College so no its not all downhill to the finish. When your legs are trashed they really hurt and it will bring you to a standstill very quickly. Having reviewed my the total assent/descent on my watch yesterday and comparing it with the data that I got on Saturday I quickly saw that the Newton Hills only represents a little over one third of the total assent. As for the descent I don't need to look at a watch as my quads can totally reflect on this.

The Crowd

What can anyone say other then fantastic. I always thought the crowds in Dublin where good but Boston just blew me away. I was told afterwards by others who have ran this race that the crowds where down this year due to the weather conditions. It never felt  that way to me. From the word go they are there on the side of the road and all the way to the finish there is someone to cheer you on. The famous tunnel of noise, this is surreal a mile away you can hear the girls of Wellesley College. It has to be experienced there are no words to describe running that mile of road with 1’00’s of screaming young ones. It was the crowd that got me home in the race, without them I doubt I would have finished in the time I did. The last half mile down Boylston Street as you look down to the finish with Grandstands packed with spectators now that's the way to finish a race, it lifts and carries you over the line.

The Race

This is a very early start I was up at 6 and had a quick breakfast of Instant Oats, banana and peanut butter sandwich. Got ready packed my gear bag and brought my old clothes, hat and gloves for the long wait to Hopkinton. Dropped off the post race change of clothes in Boston Common and pretty soon I was on a yellow School Bus on my way to the start. These buses are designed for school kids, halfway out, both my calves cramped, not the ideal start but once we arrived in Hopkinton they returned to normal. The 2 hour wait for the start was not as bad as I thought, found an nice dry spot sheltered from the wind and sat down. Pretty soon hit the Portoloo (Porto potty as the yanks call them) and off to the start. Lined up but even with waved starts in was very congested. Manageable but I went with the flow kept it easy for the first 5K roughly 24:00. My initial ambitious plan of 3:12/3:13 was never on. The promised headwind/rain later in the race was going to put paid to that so I was now aiming from 3:14:59. After 5K the course opened up and I was able to start bring the pace up. Going very nicely but very hard to get into a running rhythm due to the constant up and down nature of the course. Going through the various towns along the way you have to easy up as its very easy to get caught up with the crowds and pick up the pace. Through 10K and 15K in pretty good shape. Around Mile Nine my quads started to give the first indication that there was trouble ahead. This was worrying as it was going to be a long way home. Manage to snag a kiss at 12, I just could not pass up the opportunity, It isn't every day us auld lads get young ones eager for our attention. Passed halfway on pace 1:37:11 but the legs where not in good shape. The drop on Washington Street to the Charles River confirmed that I was not going to be able to push on the downhill sections later in the race. I flew through the four climbs in Newton but it was the downhill section’s that where causing the most concern. Really could only get to 7:15 pace on the downhill's, any faster and the legs where screaming at me. This pretty much put paid to 3:15 and from the top of Heartbreak Hill to the finish it was pure determination and the crowd that kept me going through the pain. Once we turned Cleveland Corner another dimension was added. The rain coupled with the wind hit us head on from the sea. This made it feel a lot colder then it was and in a singlet I was starting to get quite cold. I was never eyeballs flat out at this point but It is no good having the engine to go when the tyres under the car are flat. Got home in 3:18:12. A new PB and I seriously don't think on the course with the conditions I could have ran any faster. Once I left everything out there it is as much as I could do.

The Aftermath

The one thing that I think the BAA got wrong was they had water and Gatorade stations before the foil blanket station at the finish. As the weather conditions where flagged in advance I think the blanket station should have been first. Maybe this would have lead to congestion at the finish. In saying that the foil blanket was top class I even brought it home with me. Picked up the medal and gear dried off and changed in Boston Common. On the way to meet herself and a few more, the amount of local who congratulate you or thanked you for running is phenomenal. Even had a Transport Police Officer take a selfie with me at Park Street station. Meet up with the crew and had a drink and a bit to eat. The stomach then decided that's it, so I spent 10 minutes in the toilet. I declined offers of more yellow wine and returned back to the hotel for a lie down. Meet the gang later when the stomach returned to normal and had no problem in catching up.