Old n Slow wrote:
Wasn't sure if a recap applies here but thought I'd post anyway. I put it together for some kids who I coached and asked what it was like. I'm sure my modest sub 3 goal is laughable to many of the speed demons on this site but at 47 with limited talent, it hurt like hell. Hope you find it entertaining.
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Well, I did NOT plan to run the race this way. I was in the 5th corral and it took over 3 minutes to cross the start. Obviously, that didn't mean we started running right away. I also had to take a pitstop in the 1st mile which I hit in about 7:30. The traffic was very bad thru 5 miles. It still was after that but at least I was with like paced runners. I used a Garmin GPS tracking my splits by mile as the stationary clocks would be guntime. The problem with a GPS is it follows me and not the tangents. At the end of the race it had me at 26.52 miles! Guess I need to learn to cut those corners better! Anyway, I kept clicking off miles as low as 6:33 and nothing over 6:50. The FIRST time I realized I was in trouble was the half split, 1:30:04 ! I thought, OH CRAP! I tried not to panic as I was still fairly comfortable. I gradually tried to pick it up and really didn't start feeling any distress till the third hill in Newton. Heartbreak hit me exceptionally hard. Just over Heartbreak at 21 miles, I did the math and saw I was close to a minute over my goal of sub 3 hours. I thought of all the work and sacrifice I had done for this particular race and realized there was no way I could save it for the last few miles. If I was going to close the gap, I had to do over the last 5 miles. At that moment, I dropped it down 2 gears and started really motoring. I started blowing by people left and right for about a mile and then throttled back thinking I didn't need to (nor should try to) do this all at once. Just as I got in a groove (still passing people) a girl pulled up and went by me. The 2 of us were the only ones at this point going by people. It was probably around 6:40 pace and we just started working together. I did a quick calculation at 24 miles and saw I had made up most of the time but had no plans to let up. Then at ~24.5 I got a MAJOR cramp in my shin muscle. It forced me to stop. As I lifted my right foot, the spasm torqued it up to the side. This is the weird part. There was a spectator standing there at just that moment who shouted "PUNCH IT!" I don't even know if he was talking to me or not but I made a fist and hit the cramp as hard as I could and it relaxed it! I started jogging lightly and 50 yard later I was back on pace but had lost critical time. I missed the split at 25 but then saw the "One Mile To Go" mark and I was at 2:53:07. I had to run a 6:52. I really didn't know if I had it in me. I was in agony. While it wasn't the fastest mile I have ever run, I can unoquivacably say I have never run harder or hurt more. I'd like to say I was confident and determined but in truth, I was terrified. I lost all sight of the fact this was just a race. No one was going to die if I didn't meet my goal. Still, I got primal. As I turned on to Hereford Street I kept thinking, you have to live with this. Do you have another gear? Either way, it's all over in 3 minutes. My legs were maxed out but then it occurred to me I still had my arms. I started pumping my arms furiously. My legs were dead but had no option but to respond. Shortly after turning on to the home stretch I kept going back and forth if I wanted to expend the energy to look at my watch. How much would that cost me? By now I almost felt like a spectator myself, curious as to how this thing was going to end. With less than 300 yards to go I glanced at my watch and saw it read 2:59:00. I looked at the awning marking the finish but by now could not gauge if I could cover the ground in :59. I'm curious if there is a video of me finishing because I don't think I have ever put anything more into running as I did down that straight. I'm sure it wasn't pretty. I ended up with a 2:59:39, my last mile in 6:31 with a negative split for the race.
It's funny. Before the race I thought, I can't win here. If I don't break my conservative 3 hour goal, I'll be miserable. If I do break it but run a 2:59 when I could have 5 minutes faster, I'll be happy but left wondering and annoyed I didn't take a chance or work hard enough. I didn't see an upside to a 2:59. Quite happy to say I was wrong. While you alway try your best, I think a person has only so many of these races in their life. I'm pretty lucky I found one of mine in Boston yesterday.
how old do you have to be to not remember PARAGRAPHS!
just f***ing with ya, congrats on the race. but seriously paragraphs!