Bostondevil Ran the Boston Marathon (again)

[Bostondevil]

Anybody interested in a race report?

[devildeac]

Anybody interested in a race report?

Would be very interested in a report.

[Bostondevil]

It's long and I'll be honest, I've posted it on 2 other message boards, but, here it is again.

First worry of the day, I woke up at 3:30am and could not get back to sleep. Finally at 4:30 I got up and figured I might as well treat myself to a pre-race shower. The hubby stirred as I was getting dressed, popped up, and was ready to drive me to meet my team bus by 5:15am. I had to be there at 5:45, we had plenty of time.

First mistake of the day - I opted to go with shorts (good call) and a long sleeve tech shirt (bad call). The weather folk were predicted 50 degrees at the start with a climb to 65 by the time I got to Heartbreak Hill. In 50 degree weather I'm much more comfortable with a long sleeve tech shirt. Since I do intervals - run for 3 1/2 minutes, walk for 1 1/2, I can get chilly on the walk breaks.

We got to Hopkinton a little before 7am. Usually the team bus can drop us off right by where we have a team tent for pre-race waiting. This year we had to switch to some BAA buses but all was well and we got where we needed to go. Lesson learned from previous years, even though the chairs are kinda uncomfortable in the tent - SIT DOWN. I've done way too much standing around before previous races. I even brought a throw away beach towel for sitting on the ground. I chatted but not too much and I even managed to lie down with my eyes closed for awhile. All good moves.

Finally after 4 hours of waiting we got to head to our corrals. As we were heading down the street, I noticed a bunch of people taking selfies with another runner. I thought, must be somebody famous. It was Doug Flutie! And Doug Flutie gets my award for the most awesome celebrity runner because he was letting everybody who asked take a picture with him. I didn't. But I did tell him I thought he was being awesome as I walked by. By luck of the draw, I was in Corral 4, ahead of all my other MGH Team friends. Much as I missed having a friendly face to start with, I didn't mind being that much nearer to the starting line. When your goal is really just to finish before they turn the clock off, every minute you're ahead of the last person to cross the starting line, the better. My gun time/chip differential was only about 2 minutes this year.

It was nowhere near 50 degrees at the start. It was over 60. I was too warm. I knew by one mile in that the long sleeve shirt was not the right choice but it wasn't so bad that I wanted to take it off. I pushed up the sleeves and felt OK but not great. The weather was just a little bit warmer than I would have wished for. Heat makes me cramp. I decided to do gatorade and water at every stop rather than alternating which is my usual habit. My goal, based on what has happened to me before, was to get to 16 with enough time to walk it in if I had to. And the 60 degree "heat" had me thinking that from the beginning.

Favorite signs along the way - "May the Course Be With You" and "Go Random Stranger Go!" There was one woman in Framingham with a sign that said "Hey Runners - Take a Selfie With Me!" One young man and I went over to her at the same time, so it was a three way selfie. I knew one friend was going to be cheering folks on in Natick. Just past the 8 mile mark, I saw her with a big pink sign "Go Lisa! #30997! You know what - that was probably my favorite sign! ;-) I ran over, gave her a hug, and even more importantly got to kiss her 4 month old baby!

After Natick, I doubted I would see anybody else I knew until Newton, so, time to settle in and get to the Wellesley girls and the halfway point. I love the Wellesley girls and I always kiss a few of them. One had a sign that said "Kiss me if you're sweaty" - check. I did see one young man out there with all the girls. I told him I had to kiss at least one guy. He obliged. After Wellesley - and I applaud those young women for lining up on a downhill - it's less than a mile to the half. If you saw my post on Facebook, you knew my target times - 35 minutes for the first 5k (did it in 36:26), 1:15 for the first 10k (did it in, get this, 1:15:00, I kid you not), 2:45 for the half (2:46:10). The day was looking great!

But the real test, as I also said in my FB post, was can I get to 30k in under 4:15 (4:09:48). At 30k I was on pace to not only set a PR but break the 6 hour mark! Every other time I've run Boston, Wellesley has been my breaking point. The first year my knees gave out, the second year - severe calf muscle cramps, the third year - core muscle/diaphragm cramps - this year I came out of Wellesley feeling like the day was mine. You can feel the but coming, can't you?

The Hills of Newton. Everything caught up to me after the 30k mark. I saw several friends along the route in Newton. They all gave me much needed boosts. One even jumped in and went from the 30k mark to Mile 20 with me. My first run break after the 30k mark, I felt it, that tell-take twinge in my calf that said a cramp was coming. I know now to stop and walk it out immediately, which I did. Once I start feeling those twinges though, running uphill is just asking for trouble. So, I walked up the hill leading to Mile 20. Mile 20 is where the MGH Team supporters gather to cheer on the team. Ronnie was the first person there to spot me and he came running up to me with a lemonade. He was followed quickly by my patient partner this year, Caoimhe (pronounced Kiva), a 10 year old girl who is now 7 years post diagnosis with a brain tumor and still in remission! That was the most awesome moment of the marathon. They hugged me. Pictures were taken. When asked how I was doing, I was honest, I told them the cramps had started but that I still had 2 hours of clock time to go 6 miles and I was going to do it. Good call of the day - I had asked my husband to bring my cell phone and a short sleeve tech shirt to Mile 20. I changed shirts, put the cell phone in my fanny pack where the GUs had been, and ran off. I ran as far as the base of Heartbreak Hill then had to start walking again.

Boston College is getting as good a rep as Wellesley these days. The students were still out cheering us on and they also set up on a downhill - god love 'em. I was, for me, whizzing down that downhill, keeping my dream of under 6 alive when I felt the second scary sign, another twinge. Luckily not in my core muscles, but it was in my lower back. Really, I think the 4 hours in an uncomfortable chair/lying on the ground are at least partially to blame. But I didn't have any other options. I had stopped briefly to do a quick back stretch when a BC student jumped in and said, "I'm helping you finish". I told her we'd basically be walking but she said, "We're doing it." She kept me going at a brisk walking pace and I thank her. I did need to pause every once in awhile to stretch out the back but we got a few run breaks in there too. She stayed with me for nearly 3 miles, leaving me with just over 2 miles to go.

For me, there comes a time in every marathon where I have to make the decision, worry about time and hurt myself or just go, time be damned. For me, that decision came right after Kate left me. I was hurting, my back was not quite seizing but no amount of stretching was going to help enough to allow more than short bursts of running. Time be damned, I'm finishing, and I'm not going to hurt myself doing it. I will admit that it was a little easier to make that decision when I realized I had almost an hour to go 2 miles. I ran short bursts, I stopped when the back twinged, I bent over to stretch it, I got up and walked until I felt like I could run in another short burst. Having been at the back of the pack for every Boston I've ever done, I have to say yesterday there were more people than ever still out there, cheering for the "turtles". (I post on a running message board for the folks who always finish at the back. We call ourselves the turtles.) My friend Bridget was there in Brookline. She'd waited for me before but she has two little kids who hadn't been able to stand the full day in previous years. This year, she didn't bring them. She was there, I was so grateful. Shortly after I passed her, a group of twenty somethings were giving me a rousing round of "You can do it!" I looked over at them and said, "I'm gonna. I'm gonna finish! But just so you know, I really suck at running marathons." One young man yelled back, "You're better than me!" At one point, in that slog that was the last two miles, once I'd made it back to Comm Ave in Boston, I had to pause a little longer. I stood there in the middle of the street, bent over, rubbing my back, I was probably like that for 20 seconds. Then I let out a loud scream, stood up, and started running. There were still a whole lot of people on both sides of the street. When I did that, a loud roar came from the crowd. They were behind me, everyone was shouting "Go Lisa!" It was the second most awesome marathon moment. The mantra in my head became just keep going. The last half mile of the marathon is "Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston". That right you take on Hereford? It's uphill. It's a short uphill that makes you think What The I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.! I had to do another 20 second pause and rub the back. I know, I'm less than half a mile from the finish line but I didn't want to stop once I made that left onto Boylston. When I looked up, I saw Miss Massachusetts. I said, "Are you really Miss Massachusetts". She said, "Yes! Want a hug?" I hugged Miss Masschusetts. Then the (very good-looking) young man next to her said, "Me too!" I ended up hugging the entire group of 4.

And then I made that left turn.

By then, I knew the dream of under 6 was long gone but I had plenty of clock time left, so I took a moment. I came to a complete stop and looked down Boylston Street and I started crying. Then I took a deep breath and told myself, run until you feel a twinge, walk 15 steps, run again. And that's what I did. One young man came up from behind me. He tapped me on the shoulder and he had tears in his eyes too. He said, "We've made it. We're here." We hugged. I kept trotting along. Run until I start to cramp. And then, 5 feet before the finish line, I wasn't sure if I'd have the energy or if it would be a good idea, but I had to do it - I cartwheeled up to the finish line.

OFFICIAL TIME: 6:19:06. Not my fastest, but my best Boston. It's a great way to go out.

[AncientPsychicT]

even more importantly got to kiss her 4 month old baby!

I love you, Mom.

Congrats

I cartwheeled up to the finish line.

[Bostondevil]

I love you, Mom.

Congrats

You made my day! Love you back.

[Duke79UNLV77]

I ran Boston, too! I didn't quite get the time I was hoping for, but that was very secondary this year. It was the best event I've ever taken part of! The finish line belongs to the international running community and the great city of Boston once again!! All of the people volunteering or cheering for hours at the finish line, as well as all along the course, deserve much more applause than the runners this year.

Plus, I've got a little hero-worship going on for Meb right now. Did we recruit him??? Seriously, the guy is a warrior. There are at least 15 faster runners in the world, but, win or lose, he has the most heart of anyone. Check him out after a bad day.

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/250...3#.U1gr1YfD_IU

Of course, this comes from a guy who's finished a marathon with a broken hip before.

[summerwind03]

Great story! Thanks for sharing. Love the ending.

Now I want to go for a run!

[sue71, esq]

I love you, Mom.

Congrats

Awwww, BD, as if your story wasn't enough, this is what really got me.

Congrats, again!

[Bostondevil]

So - I run for charity. I raise money for the MGH Pediatric Cancer Care Team. If anybody reading this is inspired to make a donation . . .

http://www.crowdrise.com/LisaBurdick

If you do go my website and you want to read my personal statement - click on the picture of me (finishing the race in 2009).

[Doug.I.Am]

Clap Clap Clap....Soooooo awesome BD! I like to run, but it's more the 5k and 10k variety...You almost have me wanting to do this once, ALMOST....

[Bostondevil]

Awwww, BD, as if your story wasn't enough, this is what really got me.

Congrats, again!

Sue? It got me too.