run, run, run

Boise, ID 6:15am

10.05 miles, Pace: 7:42

Did the usual MWF morning route with Randy. I wanted to get one last long run in, but it's not really fitting into the schedule of my life this week, so I decided to break it up today.

5pm

20 miles, Pace: 8:00

I did two 10-mile loops. The first was strong, holding my marathon goal pace of 7:30. The last 10 were rougher. I slowed down into the 8s after mile 12 and even had a 9 minute mile 18.

Now it's time to taper. I'll probably do 7s and 5s for the next week and a half.

Boise, ID 6:15 am

Pace: 7:47

Still feeling a little stiff after Monday's long double.

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:36

Tapering. Easy run in the dark and cold.

Boise, ID 6:15 am

Pace: 7:46

The usual MWF route. Cloverdale should be opening up again soon.

Boise, ID 10:30 am

Pace: 7:23

Tapering

Boise, ID 6:15 am

Pace: 7:40

Still tapering.

Boise, ID 7:15 am

Pace: 7:19

Still tapering.

Boise, ID 6:15 am

Pace: 7:27

Last run at home. Leave for Boston tomorrow.

Boston, MA 9:30 am

Pace: 8:24

Slow jog across Boston Common with my wife then 3 faster miles on my own and then we met up and jogged back to the hotel. Last run before the race. Taking it easy on Saturday and Sunday, then it's time to Rock and Roll!

The Boston Marathon was a great experience and a brutal race. I followed the plan for the first half, but the heat got to me and it all fell apart.

I was nervous about the heat, but things started out great. I was in the last corral of Wave 1 and hung with the pack for the first few miles down the hills. Making sure I didn't go out too fast. I was really enjoying myself at a comfortable 7:30 pace, soaking it in, high-fiving the little kids along the route.

Water stations were placed every mile on the course and I made sure that I drank at least one cup of water or Gatorade at each station. Most of the time I drank a Gatorade and half of the water and then poured the rest of the water over my head. Seemed like a good plan.

I knew I was in trouble by the halfway point. That's the earliest I've ever started having problems (except for that Potato Marathon when I ran sick). I could tell that the heat was affecting me, but I felt like I was doing all that I could to deal with it shy of dropping out or walking.

Some time after mile 20 I did end up walking some. I ran all the way up heartbreak hill just because I'm stubborn and wanted to be able to tell myself that I did it. When I got past Newton the last few miles got really rough. I was feeling short of breath and my vision was kind of foggy. As I passed Fenway Park I was feeling pressure on my chest. I wanted to push through and just deal with it, but I was getting kind of scared. My thought was "suppose I drop dead and leave my kids without a dad just because I want to finish the Boston Marathon under 4 hours. How selfish is that?" So I walked a bit more. When I got to Boyleston Street I was really feeling crappy, but I only had a quarter mile left and I wasn't going to walk the final stretch of the Boston Marathon.

When I crossed the finish line, I held my hands up and smiled for the camera and then started staggering. One of the medical staff grabbed my arm and helped me along for a ways. Then I told him that I thought I was ok and walked further and got some water, my shiny blanket and medal. I'm walking further along and really feel like I need to sit down. So I drop down on the curb and shortly someone tells me that I need to keep walking, so I do ... about 25 yards to a trash can where I lean over expecting to puke. A medical guy comes by and asks me how I am. I tell him I think I need to throw up and that I'm having trouble breathing. So he calls over a wheelchair and they push me over to the medical tent. I keep my head down, partly because it feels a little better and partly because I'm feeling like a pathetic loser.

In the tent they lay me down and put a shiny blanket over me, check my vitals and call for an IV. The IV never arrived, but after 30 minutes or so I decide that I'm feeling better. They offer me Gatorade and I tell them that I've had so much warm Gatorade that I probably will throw up if I try to drink any more. So I drink some more water and try to walk around. I feel ok. The doctor checks me out and while he's asking me questions I say I think I need to sit down again. So I sit a little longer and then go through the walking around and talking to the doctor drill again. I tell him that now I feel like I usually do after a marathon, so he clears me and I leave, pick up my bag and call Paige, who has been waiting with my dad at the family waiting area this whole time.

Even though the race turned out to be a mess for me, there was a whole lot of good about it.

_ It was a great weekend. Expo on Friday, sightseeing and a trip to Hopkinton on Saturday, and a nice drive to Sharron, Vermont on Sunday to stay off of my feet.
_ The crowds were awesome. Spectators almost the whole way. The crowds downtown and the students at Welsley and BC were great, but I think I preferred the small towns with lots of little kids cheering along the way. Or, maybe I just liked that part better because I didn't feel like death yet.
_ Seeing my wife and my dad cheering me on at mile 25. They said I looked good. I think they were just being nice.
_ All of the volunteers were really nice, especially in the medical tent.
_ I qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon and have a cool little medal to prove it.

I'm feeling better now. I even had a double hamburger with bacon and cheese with fries for dinner. It has been a while since I've indulged like that. It was awesome.

Boise, ID 6:15am

Pace: 7:50

Good first run after the marathon. Legs still a little sore.

Boise, ID 10 am

Pace: 7:35

Feeling better. I tweaked my knee a bit in the race, but it doesn't hurt at all when I run. Just when I twist it a bit.

Boise, ID 6:15am

Pace: 7:34

Back to seven mile morning runs. Felt good to push the pace a bit. I'll probably keep the runs down to 7 this week and maybe go back to 10s next week.

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:39

Boise, ID 6:15 am

Pace: 7:26

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:53

Rain

Boise, ID 6:15 am

Pace: 7:44

Boise, ID 9am

Pace: 7:49

Goshen, IN 6:15 pm

Pace: 7:33

Running through Amish country.