Boston Marathon 2006
Anne, Tim, Psycho Dave and I flew into Boston Sat night, welcomed by more brick buildings than I could have ever imagined. Seriously, you don't see that much brick out west cuz it'd all fall down; that and all of it's seriously old. Waaaayyy older than old. Though I haven't been to Europe yet. I hear thats old.
So since the race was on Monday, we did the right proper thing and went out to get the authentic Boston pub experience.
http://pics.livejournal.com/acetylcholine/pic/0000f9c3/
http://pics.livejournal.com/acetylcholine/pic/0000heh1/
Dave had a bad hangover Sunday, but that didn't stop us from hitting up one massive race expo, slingin' everything marathon-related under the sun. Picked me up a runnin' jacket, all Boston Marathon logo'd out. Made fun of the buffet belts, wearin' 'em all crossed like bandaleros. Called it an early night, and the next day, we were ready.
http://pics.livejournal.com/acetylcholine/pic/0000g2kr/
Ran the first half on pace, 6:30min/mile splits up and past the 13.1 halfway point, getting lots of love from those Wellesley girls as we ran past, practically going deaf in one ear. Then things slowed down a bit. Looking at the elevation profile of the course, it looks like one nice downhill. Uh huh, no sir. Goes up and down and up and down, though over the 26.2 its a net gradual downhill, and man was I feeling it in the second half. Went from a 6:30 split to a 7:30 split avg. Finished in 3:02, just *2* freakin' minutes shy of my goal, but at least it was a 6 min personal record, so I can't complain too much. Even heard that the Boston course is so difficult that a better way to judge it is to add 12 min to your PR, which taken from my time would put me at a 2:50, exactly what I was training for.
So. 3:02. Damn if breakin' that 3:00 ain't teasing me now. I was plannin' on bein' all content and shit. Not running another marathon 'till the Catalina next March. Now its looking different. And crazy Megan, our Wild Miles race capt., is suggesting the Chicago marathon. Its a fast course, and one of the worlds biggest 5 (Boston, New York, London, and New York being the others), which oughtta make it interestin'. But damn. Hmmmm. Since I'm at the 2:50 level on a flat course, and indeed the Chicago is flat, should I train to that time or kick it up a notch? We'll see, we'll see.
So post race, we all hit up some rooftop party at mile 25 to watch the pain run by, the occasional collapse getting taken off by the local medics. Beer was consumed, oh yes. Then out for some barhopping w/some ye ol' minutemen. Then sleep the 3.5hrs before its time to get up to the airport and fly back to the sunny land of San Diego. Tuesday was of course a blur. Then I did lit presentation all day Wednesday. Now its Thursday, how the hell did that happen?
And all through the week, my legs have been lovin' me somethin' special. Oh yes, feel the love.
Anne, Tim, Psycho Dave and I flew into Boston Sat night, welcomed by more brick buildings than I could have ever imagined. Seriously, you don't see that much brick out west cuz it'd all fall down; that and all of it's seriously old. Waaaayyy older than old. Though I haven't been to Europe yet. I hear thats old.
So since the race was on Monday, we did the right proper thing and went out to get the authentic Boston pub experience.
http://pics.livejournal.com/acetylcholine/pic/0000f9c3/
http://pics.livejournal.com/acetylcholine/pic/0000heh1/
Dave had a bad hangover Sunday, but that didn't stop us from hitting up one massive race expo, slingin' everything marathon-related under the sun. Picked me up a runnin' jacket, all Boston Marathon logo'd out. Made fun of the buffet belts, wearin' 'em all crossed like bandaleros. Called it an early night, and the next day, we were ready.
http://pics.livejournal.com/acetylcholine/pic/0000g2kr/
Ran the first half on pace, 6:30min/mile splits up and past the 13.1 halfway point, getting lots of love from those Wellesley girls as we ran past, practically going deaf in one ear. Then things slowed down a bit. Looking at the elevation profile of the course, it looks like one nice downhill. Uh huh, no sir. Goes up and down and up and down, though over the 26.2 its a net gradual downhill, and man was I feeling it in the second half. Went from a 6:30 split to a 7:30 split avg. Finished in 3:02, just *2* freakin' minutes shy of my goal, but at least it was a 6 min personal record, so I can't complain too much. Even heard that the Boston course is so difficult that a better way to judge it is to add 12 min to your PR, which taken from my time would put me at a 2:50, exactly what I was training for.
So. 3:02. Damn if breakin' that 3:00 ain't teasing me now. I was plannin' on bein' all content and shit. Not running another marathon 'till the Catalina next March. Now its looking different. And crazy Megan, our Wild Miles race capt., is suggesting the Chicago marathon. Its a fast course, and one of the worlds biggest 5 (Boston, New York, London, and New York being the others), which oughtta make it interestin'. But damn. Hmmmm. Since I'm at the 2:50 level on a flat course, and indeed the Chicago is flat, should I train to that time or kick it up a notch? We'll see, we'll see.
So post race, we all hit up some rooftop party at mile 25 to watch the pain run by, the occasional collapse getting taken off by the local medics. Beer was consumed, oh yes. Then out for some barhopping w/some ye ol' minutemen. Then sleep the 3.5hrs before its time to get up to the airport and fly back to the sunny land of San Diego. Tuesday was of course a blur. Then I did lit presentation all day Wednesday. Now its Thursday, how the hell did that happen?
And all through the week, my legs have been lovin' me somethin' special. Oh yes, feel the love.
No tutu for the 'thon?