Planning to get here was expected. The sequence of events to actually get to the race and finish it were anything but.
The Day Before
Going into the Hynes Convention Center and the Boston Marathon Expo was quite the experience. There was a good sense of how popular (and commercial) this race was. I got my bib, a large swag bag, picked up an extra 'qualifier' shirt, and even picked up a free single-serving bottle of the delicious-tasting POM drink. I took a quick stroll through most of the expo though not a lot was going on at that point. I quickly got myself out of the city after leaving the Expo, ate a hearty dinner, and took an easy evening for mental preparation.
The Night Before
My 'delayed' planning and strained winter budget made booking a hotel room in Hopkinton (or Boston) next to impossible, so I decided to stay at my mother's in Eliot, ME and get to the start line first thing in the morning. The night was spent on an air mattress, which was a stress test for my lower and middle back. (In retrospect, the hotel would have been a better option and will be the choice for future Boston 26.2's.) Even aside from the mattress issue, the night was uneasy and was spent tossing and turning a bit. The nerves and excitement had finally set in.
The Morning Approach to Hopkinton
I left Eliot at 7:45, a little later than I had anticipated. It turned out that I had greatly misjudged the time it would take to get to Hopkinton. The entire time during the ride I was worried that I would not be able to get to the start line before the race and I would lose the opportunity to run Boston altogether. Thankfully when I made it to the South St. lot I had arrived just when the last few shuttles were getting ready to take off toward the center of town.
Walk to the Start Line
The increasing commotion and packs of people looming ahead drew me into this trance as I walked through to the center of Hopkinton. All the nerves went away and, crossing the 'runners only' line, replaced by a small feeling of euphoria. I smiled and nodded to a large pack of runners filing in to their corrals ahead. At the summit of the hill past Hopkinton center, I found corral #4 where my assigned bib number (3987) told me I should be.
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| The building that my corral was positioned beside. The difference between this picture and the scene on race day was about a thousand people. |
T-25 minutes
I settled in with the other corralled runners - some nervous, some excited, most focused - and started my own mini ritual. The trance was broken by the announcement of the elite runners approaching. Ryan Hall, Robert Cheruiyot, Geoffrey Mutai...they were all there, in their own zone as the roars of cheers crashed harmlessly against them like water on stone. After the exalted pack assembled in their own area, the droning of the announcer was eventually replaced by the U.S.A. National Anthem, then a throng of mumbles and occasional shouts of encouragement from start line spectators filled the time until the start pistol fired. With very little buildup in the final seconds, the race had started.
First 5K: 21 minutes, 44 seconds
This first stretch felt like an eternity. There was no road ahead; only the great river of runners as far as the road could be seen. Pockets of spectators were cheering and clapping as much as they could as we went by. Many runners were also using the quiet, wooded terrain to take a much-needed pit stop in the opening miles. I had times of 7:10, 6:51, and 6:58 in the opening three miles - a little faster than I wanted. Everything felt comfortable, if but a bit stiff from lack of proper warmup.
10K mark: 43 minutes, 56 seconds
I eased up in this next stretch and found a fairly comfortable pace as the race weaved through the historic towns along the route. The sun was getting higher in the sky and shade was disappearing quickly. It was at this point that I realized sunscreen would have been a good idea if the sun kept up its intensity.
15K mark: 1 hour, 6 minutes, 19 seconds
At this point my legs were loose and everything still felt great. The stretch felt like forever, though, and for some reason everything felt like it blended together at this point. I do remember that there were a lot of children on this stretch and I had probably hit more high-fives here than anywhere else in the race.
Half-Marathon: 1 hour, 34 minutes, 31 seconds
This was an interesting stretch. The "Wellesley Girls" - effectively every female in the college who stayed around on that day - were there at mile 12, lined up on every inch of the road that ran along the campus. Screams, cheers, and signs for kissing requests flooded the area. Even for a mile after leaving the campus area, I could still hear the echo of the crowd back there. It was a bit haunting, but all the cheering brought up some much-needed adrenaline that I carried through the half way point.
25K mark: 1 hour, 53 minutes, 5 seconds
This was a fairly flat stretch but the tough part was that there was practically no shade as the sun's intensity really bore down on me. Around mile 15 or 16, I started using the water stops to douse my head and the back of my neck. The sunburn was already forming but there wasn't much I could do about it. I had ten long miles to endure it. Thankfully, my energy level was higher than Hyannis or Eastern States, and the occasional gusts of tailwind helped bring a much-needed cooling sensation.
30K mark: (approx. 2 hours, 18 minutes)
The flat terrain gradually turned back to the rolling hills that really hit runners hard at this stage. In retrospect, I believe the hill at mile 18 is more challenging than Heartbreak Hill. It was on this hill that I hit the wall. I continued to hold on past this point but the challenge was quickly piling on.
35K mark: 2 hours, 43 minutes, 41 seconds
This was the Heartbreak Hill stretch - It was simultaneously the most grueling and most exciting part of the race. I had hit the 20 mile mark at 2 hours, 28 minutes - ahead of my previous two long-distance races -which instilled me with enough momentum and adrenaline to tackle the great challenge ahead. Throughout the hill were swarms of cheering and encouraging spectators as well as pavement marked all over with various chalk drawings. It was almost magical. I temporarily forgot about my issues at that point and surged to the top of the hill. It was all coasting speed from this point - if I could hold on.
40K mark: 3 hours, 9 minutes, 37 seconds
A lot of this stretch was a downward slope to the harbor with high-rise apartments providing what little shade the route could afford. The crowds steadily thickened past 21 with constant cheering as I approached the 40K mark. The Prudential building was in sight, as was the Citgo sign at the end of this segment. I pushed my burnt, aching body through the streets of Boston as I thought of nothing but crossing under the big blue archway.
Finish mark: 3 hours, 21 minutes, 5 seconds
Somehow I found a way to surge forward. Adrenaline kept my pace maintained as I fought through the last mile and a half. The final turn at the Hynes Convention center marked 26 miles and the finish was, at last, in sight. I don't remember much between that point and after the finish, but I did remember crossing the legendary finish line.
Post Race
My one gripe about the race was after the finish. The extra long walks to each item - medals, blankets, water, Gatorade, bags, and meeting area - got me disoriented to the point where I had to be escorted to a medical tent for a few minutes to lay down and regain my senses. Though I didn't feel too beat up approaching the finish, the dehydration, sunburn, painful legs, and short breath hit me all at once when the adrenaline washed away. I had recovered - as I always do after a Marathon - in short order and I eventually met up with my family.
Post Marathon Thoughts
I was told that this race was a one-of-a-kind experience, and they were right. I loved running it, and I can't wait to get the opportunity to do it again. There will be changes to how I approach it and how to coordinate and prepare, but I want to be there. It is definitely worth qualifying for.
Will I Run this Again?
The short answer: yes, if I qualify again. Since I did not qualify with this race, I have only one more clear shot to make it for next year - in Vermont at the end of May. Beyond that, everything will have to be made in 3 hours, 5 minutes just to qualify. With the tiered registration, I will likely only make it if I qualify by at least ten minutes. So the real question is can I qualify in under 2 hours, 55 minutes?
It's just another challenge that I have accepted. This race, like the other nine before it, is a stepping stone to that goal.
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| Wearing a medal with this logo is a feeling like no other. |
