First Boston for me. Great experience overall, but...
Goal was 1:28 first half, 1:30 second half. I hit the first half time and stayed on goal pace a little beyond that. Way off on the second half. Finished in 3:08. For me, some of the major factors were the sun making it way too hot for me and stomach issues that started at around 25K. I dealt with the stomach issues for a few K, hoping it'd go away, but it didn't. Then I had to slow down after 28K. I was throwing water at myself before the end of the first 5K to try to stay cool, and my forehead felt like sandpaper from salt before the first half was done.
Because 3:08 doesn't qualify me for 2023 and I'm not doing another marathon this year, I'll be back in 2024 or 2025 for another crack at it. Older, faster, and leaner. :)
Official you ran Boston 2022 thread - post your experience here
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5th Boston. My qualifying time was 2:59 from 2019, but in 2020 I was diagnosed with cancer, and I've only been back running for 8 months after chemo and surgery. My goal was to finish within my age group qualifying time (3:35). The race went well, and I truly enjoyed running it for the first time. It's a great course with great fans. It may be my last race, but I'm good with it. 3:22.
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First Boston and came in with 2:55 as a reach goal after a 2:57:xx PR in '19 Chicago to qualify. Knew after 5k that that wasn't in the cards, as the steeper descent of those first few miles bothered my bad knee and threw my form off, causing the HR to drift about 5 beats higher than it'd normally be at that pace. But had done a ton of threshold work in training, along with a ton of hills and long runs (5 hour+ trail runs), so I knew that if I found a rhythm I had strength for days. Stopped looking at that watch, stopped trying to force my way through tiny holes and just let the race come to me. Came through the half in 1:28 mid, was conservative on the hills, including the big downs at 16 and 22, and then just turned the screws over the last 4.2 miles, running sub 6:40 over that stretch to finish at 2:58:xx and 50 seconds off a PR. Was very pleased. Turned out I'd run with an average HR 2 beats higher than I've ever managed in a marathon and ran the whole last hour with a HR higher than my presumed LT, without ever feeling like I was having trouble buffering lactate. Was a great experience and, while I don't expect to Boston again soon, I'd definitely recommend it as an interesting tactical challenge.
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Cassadamius wrote:
2. Newton seems to set up much better for power runners. I'm 5'9" 125 and have never broken a minute in the quarter, so that should give you some indication of how very much a rhythm runner I am. For anyone with a similar profile, I can't stress enough how much I wish I would have lifted regularly through the buildup. I think it's worth it to run okay workouts on sore legs from lifting, rather than trying to run fast workouts without the lifting. Also, do core - I was pretty lax about that and today my lower back hurts a ton from trying to keep myself upright on the hills.
6'0" 125 pounds here. I did a bunch of strength training up until about mid February or so then I stopped because of some races on the schedule. I will say that I felt I was more durable this session due to it. No core for me, though I should really get on it.
I came in with three goals for myself:
Break 2:30
Top 100
Negative Split
Coach tossed up a game plan to try and run 5:45's through 10 and then move under 5:40's if I felt comfortable, stay strong over Newton, then and rock the miles after heartbreak. Had a group with this game plan in mind but it didn't really all go to plan. We tried to sneak two of them into Wave 1 but had no luck so I started behind the entirety of wave 1 to make sure we all stuck together. Had to pee horribly at mile 1 so I pulled off to the side and lost the entirety of the group. A couple miles were just a little faster than 5:45 but I stayed above 5:40 for the first 10. Went through half way in 75:11 and changed gears pretty good. Newton was easy, heartbreak didn't break me and I passed a ton of people over the last 10 miles. Ran my fastest miles in the last 5 miles and finished with a 5:15 last mile to run 2:28:23. PR'd by 2 minutes and negative split by almost 2 minutes. The charge down Boylston basically sealed my top 100 finish as I passed a good amount of people down that stretch running just under sub 5 pace.Saved my watch and started it up again and jogged to get my gear bag and tried to make it to Tracksmith for their first to the trackhouse thing. Got 3rd lol.
Pros:Our bus got lost. They dropped us off in the area half mile ahead of athletes village with the final portapottys just before the corrals. Our busses were the only ones that could access this because the corrals hadn't officially opened. Water and easy access to bathrooms for all of us. Instead of walking to athletes village we all stayed in this section.
As always, the volunteers and crowd support was incredible.
Tracksmith afterparty was greatNot really any cons for me this time out. Didn't get a Sam Adams glass again but overall everything this weekend felt pretty easy. I would highly recommend traveling solo too. People were waiting two hours for Pasta at the local restaurants. I found an open seat at the bar and that made it easy.
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Masters and then some (60+).
Second Boston. Goal was sub 3, and thought 2:55-sub 3 was realistic. Qualified with a 3:02 last year. Ran close to even splits (1:29XX, 1:30XX) but finished just over 3. That would have been nice (especially to make 5DS3) but the result does not detract from my overall experience. I had a really good race.
The logistical and community support there are amazing, and really those are the best things about the event. I did have to wait/stand for the better part of an hour to get onto the bus, but it wasn't terrible and then didn't have to stew around at the athlete's village for so long. The walk to the start was no big deal.
The only thing I did not like on the course were the "crossing" islands toward the end (Beacon Street) where they had diversion arrows and islands every km or mile or so where people could cross the street in phases. That made the course narrow (less than one lane sometimes) it got crowded in there, and you had to divert your stride. Best on the course was the Will Smith slap face in the first few miles and just the incredible support you got the entire way.
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I PR’ed with a 2:56 high. My PR coming into this was 2:59:14 in NYC. It’s hard not to be happy with a sub 3 hour marathon and a new PR, but I think I left some time out there and was hoping for sub 2:55. I just didn’t have the legs after heart break to accelerate which was my original plan. I was fighting some stomach issues all race and felt like I was going to poop my brains out from mile 8 on which is my fault I had a pasta dinner and I think the sauce was a little too spicy for me. Still an amazing experience and qualifying for and running Boston is now off the bucket list
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Coyote Montane wrote:
Masters and then some (60+).
Second Boston. Goal was sub 3, and thought 2:55-sub 3 was realistic. Qualified with a 3:02 last year. Ran close to even splits (1:29XX, 1:30XX) but finished just over 3. That would have been nice (especially to make 5DS3) but the result does not detract from my overall experience. I had a really good race.
The logistical and community support there are amazing, and really those are the best things about the event. I did have to wait/stand for the better part of an hour to get onto the bus, but it wasn't terrible and then didn't have to stew around at the athlete's village for so long. The walk to the start was no big deal.
The only thing I did not like on the course were the "crossing" islands toward the end (Beacon Street) where they had diversion arrows and islands every km or mile or so where people could cross the street in phases. That made the course narrow (less than one lane sometimes) it got crowded in there, and you had to divert your stride. Best on the course was the Will Smith slap face in the first few miles and just the incredible support you got the entire way.
Nice run! You are in a good position to podium next year. But since you will be in my age group -- maybe 2 Bostons is enough!
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