Fire In Her Belly

Usually at the end of marathon training I'm completely spent, and thankful for an excuse to take a couple of weeks off.

Not this time.

I feel ready to work harder than ever.

Monday was great, though warmer than I would have liked. I stuck with my plan and ran a faster second half, holding back until the top of Heartbreak. My first half was 2:07, about a 9:40 pace, and my second half was a 2:05, with a finish time of 4:12. However those extra minutes were all made up in the last 5 miles after Heartbreak. I felt strong finishing and actually ran a fastest 25th mile (8:50 I think?) -- granted mile 25 is all downhill. Boylston St was freaking LONG. I know it's a half mile but it was for sure the longest half mile of the race. And as soon as I finished, on came my old friend, nausea. The nausea was kind enough to wait until I'd taken my seat at the back of the bus to actually make me puke :D Yet I can't wait to go back for more...

Overall though, it was a really fun race. (Especially with people shouting "Go Zoe!" the whole way.) Unlike last year, I was able to enjoy the crowds and didn't bother stressing about my time because it was 70-75 the whole way. I still couldn't break that 4:09. With weather being such a huge variable in Boston, I decided to look for another way to compare performances/ fitness besides time. Sure, a PR is a PR, but I just couldn't buy that my Boston PR was the year I'd had pneumonia, the stomach bug, and a strong-willed 1 year old who refused to sleep train, in the time I'd been training for the race.

In short, what I found is that each year I *place* a little bit better, even if my times aren't better. I'll take that and run with it.

2012 (87 degrees. 4:22. Training with Greater Boston. In very good shape, for me.)

Gender place: 4545/8995 = 51%(49th percentile? What's the best way to explain that?)

2015 (45 degrees and raining. 4:09. So sick in the weeks leading up. Didn't really train. Or sleep. Ever.) 97.6% of starters finished.

Gender place: 8571/12018 finishers = 71%. 8571/12308 starters = 69% (Best time, worst place.)
Division place: 4486/6005 finishers = 75%. 4486/6146 starters = 73%.

2016 (80 degrees at the start, 50 at the finish. 4:10. Trained for 16 weeks. Went out too fast. In so much pain.) 96.5% of starters finished.

Gender place: 7873/12166 finishers = 64.7% . 7873/12611 of starters = 62%.
Division place: 4208/5946 finishers = 71%. 4208/6192 starters = 68%.

2017 (70-75 the whole way, with 15mph tailwind. 4:12. Trained well for 12 weeks. Did not go out too fast.) 96.7% of starters finished.

Gender place: 7370/11969 finishers = 61.5% . 7370/12380 starters = 59.5%. 

Division place: 4019/5846 finishers = 69%.  4019/6045 starters = 66% 

I am going to decide that at a sample size of 12,000+ runners, a 2% improved place finish is statistically significant ;) p<0.05. Or something. Even if it is only due to having raced smarter. Who knows.

Can we take a moment to give a big OO-RAH to the volunteers and spectators and directors of the Boston Marathon?! What an incredible job they ALL do. I think the program said there are something like 10,000 volunteers, and all of them are awesomely THRILLED to be there. Same for the families of the runners. It is an understatement to say that it takes a village to run a marathon.

This week Jon and I saw the Boston documentary (from makers of Spirit of the Marathon) on Wednesday and I loved it so much and can't wait to be able to watch it every single day. Maybe someday I will be able to load it on an iPad and watch it while I run. It would be so meta!!

Meanwhile, I am gazing longingly at qualifying for Boston, and was equally pleasantly surprised as I was disturbed by the fact that as of October, *if* I were to run a qualifying time, I'd be qualifying in the next age category since I'd be racing Boston in 2019, which means I'd be *whispers* 35. At age 30, the qualifying time is 3:35:00 (really 3:32 once faster people secure spots) but at age 35, it's 5 minutes slower. It's about an 8:15 pace.

I follow a Facebook group called "Marathon Maniacs" and gawked at a thread recently about how many marathoners run 70 mile weeks. It's not that I'm not willing, I guess???, I just don't have time. I probably average half that, if I'm being honest. There was an article that came out recently based on fitness tracker data on what Boston Qualifiers run compared to non-BQ marathoners run, that suggests that I'm really right between the two groups. (Did you know that, according to Strava, men who BQ <who use Strava> run an average of 7.05 times per week? Gulp.)

Anyway, I'm excited for the training journey that follows through the summer and fall, and what new discoveries will come with it. 

1. Maybe making noise about the Allentown PA marathon (or something around then) that's a last chance BQ, and I'm excited! - though realistically it may be too soon for me to get in that kind of shape. Could be a great race for a friend ;) 

2. And I'm also thinking about maybe doing Philly again... 

3. The "Marathon Maniacs" wrote about nailing faster times at shorter distances, so I have the NBPT half marathon in mind too. It would be a good goal to get close to my 2012 NYC PR (1:39).

Zoe and I are ready. Bring it.

(But maybe not before I'm completely recovered. I ran a fast, inspired 6.5 yesterday and am paying for it today. Stupid.)

"Mommy!" she said, when she found my race medal. "Look, a unicorn! It's a Boston Marathon necklace! Can I wear it?" <3

Run Happy.

Hopkinton start lines,
And pounding up Heartbreak.
High fives at Wellesley,
And one more (Margarita Clif Shot Block) I'll take. <3
Running long miles for smiles in spring.
These are a few of my favorite things!

When the wall hits,
Or bad hamstrings,
Or my knees are mad.
I'll simply remember my favorite things,
And then I won't feel so bad!

Did you notice her shirt?!? I might have cried a little when I spotted it at the Adidas store on Boylston Street. "Grammy!" she yelled when I gave it to her. "I get to run the Boston Marathon someday!"

<3

ps Want to track me? The easiest way is to text 234567 with my bib# 27613 . You can also look up other runners you're interested in on the Marathon participant website.

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Forecast: 65 degrees with a 15mph tailwind. Warm. Not terrible. (Spectating? Hot runners love Freeze pops!!!)

Goal: 4:05. Ultimately hoping to break 4:09 like something fierce. (4:09 was my time in 2015 and 2016.)

If tomorrow had Tuesday's forecast of 45 degrees (!!!!) I would have been competing more with myself, but instead I'm trying to think smart, going for a plan that will get me a time I like with enough in reserves for a beer when I get home!!!

My 20 milers have pretty consistently been at a 9:20 pace. This is arguably faster than they should have been, since you are really supposed to train at *slower* than marathon pace. But anyway. That 9:20 pace includes 65 degree days in February and 40 degree days recently. I think it's a fair estimate.

However on those runs, I've been having serious fueling issues. Gu, my old best friend, now makes me want to projectile vomit. Dates have been gentle on my belly, but useless. Despite eating dates, I keep hitting the wall at mile 17. It's textbook. Muscles store about 1600 calories' worth of glycogen. Running burns 100 calories/mile. IDK. Some people manage to teach their bodies to go without fuel during the marathon but mine was just not interested in figuring it out in 3 out of 4 of my 20 milers. I was debating what to do and found this GREAT flow chart, comparing different fuel options. Thankfully on my last 20 miler, my friend Louise <3 introduced me to the delicacy that is Margarita Clif Shot Blocks and I had a much better run!! I only got to try them out once since that was only 3 weeks ago. Trying new-ish things on race day is generally a no-no but I otherwise do not have a fuel plan that works, so whatevs. I've stocked up, and am ready to give it a whirl tomorrow!

Anyway back to pacing. Let's say I can realistically run a 9:20 pace in 65 degrees. My plan is go to out at a 9:30 pace (including stops for family photos!!) until Mile 20, and then give it everything I've got after that. This is especially important in the first 5 miles of downhill where you're excited, full of energy, running downhill, etc. It's a good time to lose yourself by accident. That would give me the following splits:

5K: 29:30
10K: 59:00
13.1 (halfway): 2:04:30
30K: 2:57
20 miles: 3:10

Then 9:15 to the finish?? --> Mile 26 at 4:05
+2 minutes for 26.2 --> 4:07

Blahhhh not thrilled with that, because if I ran a 9:20 pace, that would be a 4:03. Ok can we compromise and aim for a 4:05? (What I also want is to run a normal marathon that doesn't have Boston weather and terrain and get a better sense of where I'm at physically! Maybe Philly again in the fall? Or Newport? Hmm.)

Meanwhile, I'm trying to be better about eating and drinking this weekend than I did last year. This is mildly challenging on Easter weekend, especially making bunny cake with this kiddo!!

Finally, a loving shout-out to my favorite runner friend and partner in crime Jen for being my expo date and taking sweet Paparazzi photos of me all day Friday!

HAPPY MARATHON MONDAY. LET'S DO THIS!!