Can't believe Boston has come and gone already. Was looking like it might have been very rainy and miserable, but instead the rain wasn't so bad and not at all miserable. First half was 1:37:16 which should have been ok, but the second 5k was a bit too fast.
Just before mile 9 I started thinking I should slow down a little bit. I didn't slow down much and going through Wellesly college I felt good of course from all the cheering but not super.
Next two miles were just a little slower, followed by one faster for mile 16. Then, for the rest of the race I'd only have one more mile under 8:00 pace (but fortunately didn't get into the 9:00's). As always, getting to the Citgo sign was a great feeling, almost got under 8:00 for mile 26, and then kicked it in the rest of the way. I had a similar pattern to Clearwater, but was a minute faster the first half and about a minute and a half in the second half. When I got to the point of slowing down I just kept on trying to make sure I'd beat my last Boston time (2011, 3:27:00). And this time, at 3:24:42 it was technically a BQ time. Maybe I'll take another shot at it before September.
Before the race, I had plans to try and meet up with a group from home racing at a 3:15 goal. They hit the half at 1:36, not sure if I would have fallen apart more if I would have hung on better. The Striders "herd" group started in wave 3 and stuck together, helping each other to run a solid 3:25:25, they had much more even splits. Here are my splits (I tried to sync up the garmin and mile markers a few times but gave up eventually):
- 7:49
- 7:24 (+:09)
- 7:12
- 6:59 - a little too fast, too early
- 7:18 (+:06)
- 7:06
- 7:16 (+:09)
- 7:23
- 7:19
- 7:31
- 7:29
- 7:22 (+:14)
- 7:28
- 7:41 - these two miles I slowed down a little on purpose
- 7:42
- 7:16 (+:14) - after this I gave up trying to sync up garmin and mile markers
- 8:12
- 8:19 - at the start of this mile I dropped a gel on the ground and fumbled around a bit to pick it up
- 7:47
- 8:01
- 8:31 - heartbreak hill
- 8:35 - a bit of a sidestitch
- 8:13 - then felt a little bit better
- 8:45 - but slowed down again
- 8:05 - until the last two miles
- 8:02 and 26.2 - 6:50@0.43
Blessing in disguise that I stopped trying to stay sync'd up with mile markers since it made my final kick a little longer, wish it was even longer than that!
Of all the things that could have been much worse I'm grateful for all that did go well. Enjoyed the time before and after the race, seeing friends, wandering the city and just taking it all in. Really hope I can come back next year!
