This was my second running of Boston and the experience was just as awesome as in 2011 when I first ran it. Maybe even more so this year since it was so difficult. The temps hovered around the 75 degree mark and the sun was out and super bright. This made for warm conditions but luckily we had a tail wind which helped matters. Since it was warm and I did, once again, too much tourist walking leading up to the race by mile 18 my feet and quads were screaming in pain. I cannot figure this freaking race out! In the end my sub 3:20 goal went out the window and I finished with a time of 3:28:35. I needed a sub 3:25 for a BQ and once again I missed it. Although this time by less than 4 minutes. In 2011 I missed BQ by over 8 minutes. In 2011 I placed in the 52nd percentile of my age group. Six years later my time was worse by 5 minutes but I was in the 37th percentile of my age group. According to MarathonGuide.com my performance of 3:23 in 2011 was an age-graded equivalent of 3:20. My age-graded 3:28 performance in 2017 is a 3:15 equivalent. So, I do think I ran a better race this time around but I still missed my goal to BQ. No worries, this just means I will have to come back some time in the next couple of years to finish the business. In the end though Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston was as magical as ever. I left it all out there.
However, it is hard to be excited about Boston when the reality of life slaps you in the face the way it did for me on this Boston Marathon trip. We stayed with my brother-in-law Kurt and his beautiful family. Kurt and Jenn have five beautiful children ranging in age from 11 years old to 2. They are always gracious hosts whenever we come to visit them and it is always a good time. This time though tragedy struck their beautiful family while we were visiting with them in Boston.
My 11-year old niece Madi had been having fairly serious GI issues for a some time and by the time we got to Boston her symptoms were fairly severe. The day after the marathon Jenn was fed up with the lack of answers she was getting from the doctors and she insisted in speaking with the GI doctor directly. When she was talking to the doctor and explaining the recent symptoms Madi had been experiencing she mentioned that she had started to have bad headaches. The doctor became alarmed when he heard this and ordered an MRI first thing on Wednesday morning. Kurt and Jenn went to the MRI appointment at 7:30 am and we stayed with the kids. A few hours later we got the news that they had found a very large tumor in Madi's brain.
Madi was rushed to have surgery and they were able to remove about 75% of the tumor. Unfortunately the diagnosis is brain cancer. The tumor is a Glioblastoma which is very aggressive. They only removed 75% of the tumor because the rest was too risky to take out. Miraculously she has been able to recuperate from the surgery very quickly and is very happy to be able to eat without throwing things up all the time. However, Madi's fight is only starting. The long-term odds with this type of cancer are not good at all but I believe in miracles. If God wills it then I will exercise all the faith I can muster to plead with Him for Madi to beat this cancer. As it is she has the best medical care in the nation when it comes to brain cancer and she has the best parents in the world to be with her through this struggle. Her Mom Jenn is a cancer survivor herself and both she and my brother-in-law Kurt are wonderful and loving parents who will help Madi through this great trial.
We had the blessing of being there until Thursday after the marathon and were able to take care of the kids for the two days after the discovery of the tumor. So you see my Boston experience this time around has taken on a very different meaning. I have always had such meaningful experiences anytime I go to Boston but this one has been almost indescribable. I feel blessed to have had a wonderful experience with the marathon but I feel so thankful to have had the opportunity to be of some small service to Kurt and Jenn and their kids. They are an awesome family. I can't imagine what they are going through right now and the long road ahead for Madi. I feel fortunate we had the opportunity to be there with them. There is little that we did or could ever do but I was just glad to be close to them. Whenever I think of the marathon now I will forever associate it with the graciousness, courage and love that Kurt, Jenn, Madi and their family represent for me. The words Boston Strong to me are now forever associated with Kurt and Jenn's family. They are always in my mind and in my prayers.
The awesome Knight kids when we took them to Minuteman National Park. This is after the race wile Madi was recovering from her operation. As you can see these kids have some swagger!
The marathon was awesome but in the larger context of events it is a minor part of our visit to Boston. The Boston Marathon is the most organized and highest quality endurance event that I have experienced. I have now raced it twice and the second time was almost as impressive as the first time in 2011. Getting to the start line is so incredibly easy that it is easy to forget that the BAA is actually transporting 26,000+ runners up to the tiny town of Hopkinton. I showed up at Boston Common a bit before 7:00 am dressed in throw away clothes that would be donated to charity by the BAA. Ever since the 2013 bombings they have not allowed morning clothes bags on the buses so if you want warm clothes you pretty much have to dress like a hobo or be stylish and get a warm fuzzy for donating nice clothes to charity. I went the hobo route by wearing sweat pants from when I was 30 pounds heavier and my daughters old High School Track sweater. The BAA does allow you to bring a small clear bag for food, drink, etc. but it is very limited. Luckily the weather that morning was nice at 60 degrees and I really didn't need much.
The abandoned morning clothes...
The BAA gives you a time for boarding the buses and as part of Wave 2 I had to board a bus before 7:40. I walked right up to the buses and didn't even make a line to get in. Much smoother than 2011. My bus-mate for the ride to Hopkinton was a 53 year-old farmer (and runner) from Wyoming named Jed (no joke). The dude was awesome and we had a really cool conversation which really calmed down the nerves. This was Jed's first Boston and he was a man with a plan. He had everything completely planned and was totally ready to go. We got up to Hopkinton a little bit after 8:00 am. The place was packed with runners, porta-potties, tents, welcome signs, bagels, coffee, and Gatorade. And yep, the longest lines were for coffee and the porta-potties.
Entrance to the Athlete's Village in Hopkinton
This year I was actually able to find a spot under one of the tents.
Another view of the entrance to the AV
Wave 2 was called out at 9:40 am but I was in-line for the porta-potty for one last pit stop with about a 10 minute wait. I decided to risk it and wait for the porta-potty. After the porta-potty I made my way out of the village for the almost 1-mile walk to the starting corrals. Spectators were already lined up to cheer on the runners as they made their way toward the corrals. It was crazy.
Leaving the Athlete's Village. Here we go!!!
On the way to the corrals we were welcomed to Hokpinton!
I jogged the rest of the way to the 2nd corral of Wave 2 and on the way took a few pictures of the exit to the streets of Hopkinton. Fun fact: The week after the marathon I started looking into hiring a consulting firm to help me at work and where are they based? Hopkinton. They were literally right across the green and within sight of the start line. Not that I was going to conduct business on that day (LOL) but fun fact nonetheless. Around this time there was also a flyover by what looked to be F-16. They were flying low and it was pretty cool.
I decided to bring my phone with me and took good video of the start. Fun fact: After the race I saw WBZ's News coverage of the race and saw myself taking video of the start. The fact that I was holding the phone up was the only reason I was able to place myself in the Wave 2 field.
The guy holding the phone up is me!!!
The start of the race from Wave 2 Corral 2.
The start was so much nicer than in 2011 when I was in Corral 6 of Wave 1 and it took forever to get to the start line. This year I was able to see the start line festivities participate in the excitement of the start. The start line the course felt much more crowded than in 2011 which makes sense since there are about 3,000 people more in 2017 than in 2011. It was very difficult to find clear running space in order to get to race pace. When I finally got to race pace I started really feeling that the heat was going to be a significant factor in this race. I decided to drink more than planned.
One thing that totally infuriates me is the fact that Boston is not a record eligible race. The reason is that for a marathon to be record eligible the start can't be too far from the finish and there should be no net elevation drop. I understand that easy enforceable rules are good for the sport but they suck for Boston. Every runner (including the pros) knows that Boston is a freakishly hard course. The course is point-to-point and net downhill but on the way to Boston you go up and down a ton of hills some of which are disingenuously called "rollers". Rollers my butt, most of those are bona fide hills and then as you are hitting the critical miles 18-21 all you have is a series of steep hills culminating in Heartbreak Hill, which is not the worse of the Newton Hills but is the insult to the injury. Getting a PR at Boston is extremely difficult and the fact that it is not eligible for records is an insult. OK, off my soap box... One more thing, why doesn't anybody ever mention that hill at mile 25?! That one really sucks...
The first 10K was great in the sense that the crowd support was incredible. It was also funny to see how many people were essentially tailgating the marathon. Burgers, brats, beer, loud music, you name it, it was a party. I was extremely entertained simply by people-watching the spectators. The whole race just seemed to be so much louder than in 2011. By the 10K mark the fact that heat would be an issue was confirmed. I really don't know what went through my mind at this point. A rational person would have pulled back on the pace knowing that the second half of the course is much more challenging than the first. For some reason my brain just kept thinking that hope by itself may turn into reality and that somehow my body would just be able to respond better in the 2nd half.
Jolynne and the rest of the gang decided that they would spectate at the 10-mile mark at Natick. I started taking video with my phone as I approached mile 10 in hopes of catching their reaction when I ran by. I also wanted to hand off my phone to Jolynne since I was sick of carrying it. Like the last time I ran the marathon we agreed that they would carry orange balloons so that I could easily spot them. Well here is what happened...
As you can see the balloons are right there! I still somehow totally missed them...
There's the family with the balloons...
There's me running towards them...
...and me running right by them!
...and me coming back to hand off my phone.
However for some strange reason I would not compromise my hunt and kept up my pacing strategy. The result was that by the time I got to the Newton Hills around mile 17 I was completely cooked. But before I go to the sad tale of the Newton Hills I have to give props to the Wellesley College girls. Those are the loudest human beings in the universe. I think I gave high fives to all of them. And no, I did not kiss any of them. I am old enough to be their father, gross.
OK, back to the Newton hills... The first hill was sheer torture and by the time I got to Heartbreak I was truly suffering. My feet hurt but what hurt the most were my hips. This was weird because I never really have fatigue like that in my hips. I knew now for sure that all that tourist walking and standing before the race was coming back to haunt me. I also knew that it would take a miracle to do better than the 3:23 that I got back in 2011. At this point I reset my goal to simply get a time under 3:25.
As I was jogging up Heartbreak people kept shouting encouragement, which I appreciated, but it started to annoy the crap out of me. I felt so powerless going up that hill. Finally when I made it up to Boston College (mile 21) I took inventory of my situation and I thought that I could push it a little bit. I was then able to find a little bit of speed but I also found incredible amounts of pain in my feet and my hips. It was all now a mental exercise. I knew that Jolynne and the crew would be waiting for me at mile 23 (Coolidge Corner) and I focused on getting over there in decent shape. I got a bit of a second wind during that 2 mile stretch and I was able to at least keep the pace in the 8's.
As I approached Mile 23 I quickly saw the spot where we had arranged to meet. The street looked just like it did on Google Earth so I knew where to look and I immediately spotted the balloons. As soon as I spotted the balloons I heard Conrad yell out "Hurry up you Mexican!" I didn't even have the strength to cuss him out as he so richly deserved. I then met up with Jolynne and Kurt and gave them high fives. Kurt said Jenn was on the other side of the street on the median but as I ran by I never did see her.
Conrad yelling "Hurry up you Mexican!"
Right after mile 23 with a little over a 5K left all strength left me. I have always said that marathons would be awesome if they were only 23 miles! I always hit the wall hard at 23 miles and Boston was no exception. I now felt the heat and humidity like I had not felt before running in Boston and I had to think about every step. Somehow I was able to keep running. At a very slow pace (high 8's and 9's) but running nonetheless. I think my years of Ironman training and racing definitely taught me to sustain suffering a bit better because it took all I had not to walk from there to the finish.
I kept losing time and by this point it was clear that I would not get a time under 3:25. So once again no BQ for me at Boston. Dang it!!!! In any case, the last thing I wanted was to get a time that was greater than 3:30. I think mentally anything over 3:30 would have really soured me on this running of Boston. I could accept the fact that all my tourist walking and the heat totally shot my time goal but I definitely believed I was in good enough shape, regardless of the conditions, to at least break 3:30! So the new goal was to protect my psyche. Get in under 3:30. At all costs!!!
Then it came into view...the CITGO sign. This iconic landmark a Fenway Park marks the "1 mile to go" spot on the course. It looked so far away. I put my head down and I pushed. I had been pouring so much water over me in order to control the heat that my shirt was completely wet and even though I used Body Glide generously my nipples were on fire. But there was one major test left on the course. The hill leading up to Mile 25. Nobody ever talks about this part of the course but there is a fairly significant incline leading up to the Mile 25 mile marker and it is a killer. The "hill" in reality is the overpass over the Mass Turnpike. I almost stopped and walked but I just kept thinking how much worse the hill at Ironman Vineman felt last year. That helped me to just go up the hill.
CITGO sign...after the race.
Sometime after I finally made it to mile 25 I noticed the 3 blue lines in the middle of the road that mark the final stretch of the race. I focused on those lines and tried to block all else out. It was hard though because the crowds were insane and they kept calling out to me. However, the crowd support is not so much fun when you are hurting like I was and I just wanted to focus on finishing the race. Then I went down under the the Mass Avenue overpass and on the way back up my legs stopped turning over and I walked for about 10-15 steps and then I remembered "I must get under 3:30!" and so I started running again. Right in front of me was the famous right turn at Hereford St. I took it as fast as I could and I focused on the blue "Adidas" lines on the road and made it up the hill to Boylston. I then made the most famous turn in all of road racing "Left on Boylston" and there I could see it, the finish line!
Fun fact: The words "Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston" describe the most legendary turns in marathoning. However, if you are driving the course remember that you CAN'T turn right on Hereford! It's a one-way street. I found that out the hard way...
Me making a "Right on Hereford" and onto oncoming traffic. Oops, not good...
The finish line looked so far away. I then kicked it into high gear and put in all of my effort. The crowds were deafening. I felt inspired by the sight that has become so familiar to me especially after the 2013 bombings. The crowds, the stands, Marathon Sports, the Public Library, the Church of the Finish Line and of course the finish line itself. I put in one last hard effort and I crossed the finish line in 3:28:35. Psyche saved, body destroyed.
I felt very satisfied and very happy but completely in pain. Every step was horrendously painful. All of the sudden the sky got all cloudy and I'm thinking "The sun has been beating on me for over three freaking hours and the clouds come in the minute I finish?!" At least the cool the clouds brought made the space blanket I got at the finish useful. The Boston Finish Line chute is like no other. They give you water, a space blanket, your medal (which is now way bigger and nicer than back in 2011), a bag of food and recovery protein drink. Pretty much all you need to refuel after the run. The part that's not so nice is that you walk over half a mile to the family meeting area. That half a mile was slow, very slow. I finally found Jolynne, Sofia, and Brandon. We had a nice meeting and some time for me to sit down and talk about the race. After I felt sufficiently strong enough to get going we made our way to Boston Common and to the subway where, of course, we celebrated with some Dunkin Donuts. It is Boston after all.
Happy to see my family in the family meeting area.
My daughter Sofia and I in the family meeting area.
Sofia and I in Boston Common
The subway ride back to Belmont...and to Dunkin Donuts!
