First attempt to run a Boston Qualifying Marathon, qualifying time for me is 3:15:59 or better. I have run 2 marathons prior 1st was the Columbus in 2004 (my first was more to say been there done that did it in a semi respectable 3:52:50) The other was at Ironman Lake Placid which was a 5 hour shuffle & suffer. I thought I had a decent shot as my half marathon time 4 weeks prior was 1:28:49. All the running calculators told me I was capable of a 3:07 marathon. Only problem was my foot blew up with a bad case of PF after the 1:28 half, so I saw a Sports medicine Podiatrist, Rested the foot for 8 strait days got a shot of cortisone and skipped my last scheduled long run. This had me concerned because my last long run was 7 weeks before the marathon and was only a 20 miler. Also I drastically reduced my mileage in the 4 weeks leading to the marathon with my foot acting up. Race Day. Typical pre-race ritual for me... diarrhea, not sure why this always happens it is not like I am going to beat anyone, I must put to much pressure on myself or anxiety gets the best of me? so 2-3 sit & squirts later out the door and on my way to the start line. Show up 25 minutes prior to the gun do some light stretching and a mile VERY EZ warm-up. I fall in with the 3:10 pace group at the start line, my plan was to go out with the 3:10 group and hang until mile 15-20 If it was tooo tough I would back off the pace, if I felt good I would turn it on at mile 20. miles 1-5: so ez & smoothe hitting the splits and enjoying the run, drinking Gatorade at every aid station. miles 6-10: little side stitch at mile 6 went away after a few minutes, I pass up on drinking at an aid station as I think I may be drinking to much with he side stitch still with the 3:10 group and the pace is comfortable. mile 10-15: still hanging with the 3:10 group, I am starting to feel the pace taking it's toll now. I get another side stitch so I skip another aid station and am alternating Gatorade / water. mile 16-18: still hanging off the back of the 3:10 pace group..I have had to relieve myself for quite some time so I make a break for a big pine tree at mile 18. stop and do my business in about 20 seconds. hamstrings and calves do not like the fact that I stopped Uh-OH, legs do not respond kindly to me when I start running again, the uphill on mile 17 did not treat me well. I can see 3:10 pace group up ahead, I just want to keep em in sight. mile 19: mile 19 I am about a minute behind the 3:10 pace starting to really hurt. I employ the 20 second walk break at every mile marker strategy. mile 20: I get to mile 20 and am 1:30 off the 3:10 pace. No 3:10 group in sight, I am on my own, still hurting and walking 15-20 seconds at the aid station. mile 21: I see my family low five my kids and put my best doing good face on : ) off the 3:10 pace by two minutes. mile 22: ughhhhh everything hurting after the long downhill walk the aid station for 30 seconds. have no now I am really worried that I can break 3:15:59. slowing down and taking it ez is sounding real good. Breathing is pretty labored. mile 23: same deal walking the aid station for 30 seconds, pouring two cups of cold water on my head and sucking wind, I don't know if I will make it but I still have a shot. I keep telling myself 2 more miles to go( my math stinks) Mile 24: really feeling it now, I have fallen way off pace and am suffering, I think I need to average 8:00 minute miles to get there in time ( whoops I forgot about the .2 told ya my math stinks) I say a couple prayers, so again status quo, I walk the aid station for 30 seconds douse myself with water. mile 25.2: I have exactly 8:00 minutes to bring it home, I skip my walk this time I grab a Gatorade two cups of water pour em on my head and start to think of anything and everything to motivate myself. OK, I promised my 8 yr old daughter a trip to Boston, I told family & friends I was going for a Boston Qualifying time in this race, I have trained way to hard to quit now. I kept saying push until you fall do not stop or slow down unless you are on the ground, this I repeated several times, it rhymed and was motivating. I am Breathing like I was a 90 yr old. Mile 26 to 26.2: I turn the corner for a downhill dash on bricks mind you, I do not hear the crowd, kind of strange I was seeing black spots the last half mile, not sure if it was sweat or I was a little loopy? Anyway clock is 3:15 could not see how many seconds. I had to look like I was a special Olympics athlete the way I was sprinting (I mean no disrespect as I have worked with the mentally handicapped and care a great deal for them) but I know I looked ridiculous. I actually do the lean forward thing the last few yards / feet. I think I cross in 3:15:59 (unfortunatley I was looking at the clock and I do not know where the tape / chip timer is in relation to the clock) that would get me to Boston by the bare minimum qualifying standard, but I am not sure. I am done I go in to the chute get the mylar and get to the chip removal. They take off my chip and I stumble around delirious try to eat a bagel, spit it out, try to eat an orange, spit it out, can't drink. Someone asks if I need medical. I say sure. Go to medical I could barley move my legs on the way there they want to give me an IV. Wait I hate needles. (not one for being penetrated), not sure how I made it through my military service with my fear of needles). They take my temperature. I am at 93.5 degrees, off with the wet clothes and they wrap me in blankets like a baby. Doc tells me if I can drink he won't give me an IV. I drink and I drink some more, then I drink a little more :) I have never been this wiped out after any race??? half an hour later I go meet the family, everyone is congratulating me on qualifying. I tell them I do not think I did. I go home look up the results on the computer. Final time 3:15:55. I made it by 4 seconds. I guess I made it exciting for my little group of spectators. I almost feel guilty qualifying by the bare minimum, not sure I deserve to run with the best that 3rd Monday in April. I think I could have possibly run a minute or two faster if my last 4 weeks of training would not have been interrupted by the foot, maybe I need to work on endurance more, my calculator said 3:07.... I run a 3:15:55 I figured I would at least be 3:12 ish... I have looked at my results 5 or 6 more times to make sure they did not change, I look at the qualifying standards on the BAA site 2 or 3 more times to make sure they give you the :59 second buffer. this morning I still feel like complete and total dookie, I am really wiped out today at work, lunch time will be a nap. I did decide to register for the 111th running of Boston this A.M. so I signed up : )~ | 