5.58@8:59 HR 145 bpm
Ran from hotel to downtown Framingham, then a little bit parallel to train tracks before turning back. A lot of the run was on sidewalk which can be distracting but I was able to keep a steady pace except for a couple of traffic lights. Couple of small hills but overall a pretty easy feeling run.
I had the sleep pattern as if I was doing the race today - wake up once every hour, look at the time then go back to sleep.
Walked to the course in plenty of time and got coffee from the shop that was doing grand opening two years ago with the dancing Scooby outside. Then waited.
I think first racers were the fastest hand crank racers, then sometime after that were elite men, and then elite women. My friend Claudia was racing in Duo catagory with a woman named Amy riding in the cart she was pushing. Claudia had been injured and unable to run for a while but did what she could to train. She came by looking strong at about an 8:10 pace. I shouted and waved and jumped up and down to cheer as she went by.
Next came the fastest of wave 1 corral 1 and in that group we saw Tom cruising by looking strong I think about a 5:40 pace.
Once there was a break, crossed back over the street then waited for an Uber which we took to near Fenway park and the big Citgo sign. Whole time I was refreshing the tracking app, seeing Tom hold a steady pace until a slight slow down going into the Newton hills. Weather had warmed up and most of the cloud cover was gone. It was one of those days if you were in shade and had a breeze it felt chilly, but no breeze and full sun it switched straight to hot.
Jim's wife's niece (who goes to Boston College) got a picture of Tom around heartbreak hill. Once again we saw the elite men and women then the lead pack of non-elites. Saw Tom again as he went by, he was holding on with now just a mile to go and then soon got notification of his finish time at 2:35, another great race for him despite worse weather than last few marathons.
Always fun to go to Boston marathon to race or spectate. Hopefully make it back soon as a runner.
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