Philippians 4:13

Boston Marathon

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Location:

Idaho Falls,ID,USA

Member Since:

Apr 21, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

2007 St. George Marathon 2:32:06 (marathon PR)

2014 St. George Marathon 2:32:45 (close to old PR...7 years later!)

2014 Boston Marathon, 2:39:00, 298th OA, 8th AG, 1st Idahoan

2013 Lake Lowell Marathon, 2:48:34 (Course Record), 1st Overall (#6)

2012 Boston Marathon, 2:43:26 (HOT!!), 114th OA, 9th Master OA, 1st Idahoan

2010 B&A Trail Marathon (MD), 2:40:18, 1st Overall (#3), Master's Course Record (still!)

2010 Mesa Falls Marathon, 2:48:55, 1st Overall (#4)

2009 Pocatello Marathon, 2:37:22, 1st Overall (#2)

2011 The M.A.D. Marathon, 2:55:14, 1st OA (training run) (#5)

2006 Teton Dam Marathon, 2:50:48 1st Overall (#1)

2015 Hood to Coast Relay (195 miles), 1st Masters Team (6th OA), 19:59:57, 6:03 avg pace for the team

2008 Ragner Relay Del Sol (182 mile relay) 1st place team 17:04:37, 5:38 pace avg for the team

50,000 lifetime miles from spring 2000 to October 2019.  Computer logged 50,000 miles from Jan 2005 to September 12, 2020. 

Logged (on computer) 49,802 miles (2 x circumference of the earth) in ~5,700 days (8/23/20)

Logged (on computer) 24,901 miles (circumference of the earth) in 2,889 days (11/29/12) http://jeff.fastrunningblog.com/blog-My-alarm-went-off-I-got-up-eventually-/11-29-2012.html  

Short-Term Running Goals:

Keep on running, enjoy it for the sake of running, relax and enjoy life...de-stress.  Stay fit as I enter retirement in < 4years.

No racing, retired.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Keep running until this old body says no, running for fun.

Personal:

 I started running competitively in 2005 and ran my first marathon in 2005. Now retired from competitive racing.

Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;

answer me, for I need your help.
Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.
Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I am calling on you constantly.
Give me happiness, O Lord,
for I give myself to you.
O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
and you will answer me.  - Psalm 86:1-7

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Miles:This week: 9.20 Month: 105.50 Year: 432.55
Runs With Moxie Lifetime Miles: 12488.60
Vibram Five Finger Bikila Lifetime Miles: 137.80
Saucony Xodus 2011 Lifetime Miles: 982.61
Saucony Fastwitch White 2019 Lifetime Miles: 1960.23
Saucony Guide Yellow 2019 Lifetime Miles: 1187.00
Brooks Launch 6 Red 2020 Lifetime Miles: 2221.00
Zoot Solana Tigers Lifetime Miles: 873.00
Nike React Infinity Black Flyknit 2021 Lifetime Miles: 960.90
Nike React Infinity Blue Flynit 2021 Lifetime Miles: 602.00
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38 Lifetime Miles: 667.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.0026.200.000.0026.20
Race: Boston Marathon (26.2 Miles) 02:49:40, Place overall: 405
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.0026.200.000.0026.20

It was an incredible experience overall. The entire town of Boston seems to open up for all the runners. Everyone is very friendly for being overrun by 20,000 runners. The logistics to pull off this event is amazing, from the pre-race pasta feed (includ ing watching the Big Apple Circus and preparing over 20,000 lbs. of pasta to feed approximately 12,000 people) to all the water stops, thousands of volunteers, miles of fencing, hundreds of portapotties, etc. The energy of the town and the whole event is something to experience (even if you don't ru n the race) and something that I will never forget. Kind of makes it hard to pick the next race since this was so cool!

As for the race itself, really an awe-inspiring (and nerve-wracking) event. We caught school buses from the Boston Common at about 8am to ride out to Hopkinton to hang out, eat some food, listen to music (use the portapotties). Once there (at about 9:30) we waited until 11:00 to go get in the starting corrals for the race. This is a long wait to just be sitting around trying not to get nervous. I was in the first corral and was able to watch the elite men athletes come out and get in position in front of us. Overall it was a great day for the race, 50 degrees and overcast....great personal record conditions!  When the gun went off, started near the front (I was seeded in the first corral just behind the elite men's runners). For the first few miles I went out really well at a good comfortable pace and just ahead of scheduled split times (I had a pace band specific for the Boston topography that showed how fast you need to run each mile to make a specific time goal, mine was 2:48). The course is lined with people, most of the time on both sides, throughout the entire 26.2 miles. Most of the time, they are clapping, yelling encouragement, high-fiving the runners, offering water or oranges or bananas, etc. It is really hard not to get caught up in the excitement and energy and run too fast. I ran with another runner targeting a goal of 2:48 as well for quite some time and I hit the half mark at 1:22:50, just ahead of projected time for a 2:48. But, the hills are still looming (most the experts will tell you to think of 18 miles as the half way point, not 13). 

At about 16 miles, the Newton hills start. They really aren't all that bad, even Heartbreak Hill (80 feet over a mile wasn't bad if you used your arms). At about 19 miles, I passed Team Hoyt (the guy who pushes his paraplegic son) and started up the Heartbreak Hill. As I crested the hills and started on the downhill last five miles (which are not as downhill as advertised), started eeling my left calf starting to get a crampy feeling. At 23 miles, saw a runner right in front of me cramp up hard (grapping leg, hobbling to the side, etc.) so I decided to back off a bit on my pace and save up for the last quarter mile and so I don't get a cramp in my leg. Once I came around the corner onto Boylston St, I could see the finish and started to push hard to get in under 2:50 (2:48 was not quite in the cards), passing about 20 other heroic runners also pushing for the finish. I crossed the finish line in 2:49:40 (a new PR) and felt great (this is by far the best I have felt after my three marathons!).

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
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