Similar experience to you. Though I wasn’t I shape because of a very short training cycle, I also felt great until Mile 16. I was injured most of last year and just started running again in January. Going into the race, the only expectation I had was to start. I thought there was no way I could finish.
Had shoe trouble and stopped 3 times to adjust. Ankle felt like it was going to shatter. Feet were on fire. Shoes were sliding all over and wouldn’t stop rubbing. Awful experience and it caught up with me.
finished in 2:59 mid. A PR for the course but 12 min from my PR. I’m truly surprised and incredibly happy. I did die hard, but glad I could hang on and my pace never touched 8 min.
Volunteers were amazing as always. The crowds in the towns were huge. Framingham, Ashland and others were packed. Kenmore seemed like a small crowd. There was a Jason derulo concert that might have pulled people away from the course.
great experience. It’s good to be back and i can’t wait for next year.
btw, wejo from the athletes village to the corrals in .7 miles. If you’re in the front corrals, it’s another quarter mileish up the hill. So yeah. About a mile.