In a week, I'm headed to our nation's capital to run the Ottawa Marathon, the second time I'm doing that race. So it's about time that we put together an Ottawa Marathon race strategy guide and elevation profile so we can go over the course and potential tactics to take on the 42.2K race.
One thing I do realize, I never wrote up a race report last year which I regret since I typically use them to help me write these race guides. (Here's my Garmin data from last year's race)
Enter fellow marathoner and Ottawa run blogger Pat over at The Courage of Lungs. He's run the race four times so I'd consider him a true course expert. I asked Pat to contribute to this race guide and he obliged (thanks Pat!) with awesome section-by-section recap -- also helped me identify the different neighbourhoods.
Course description: The Ottawa Marathon course (see PDF) is a winding tour of Ottawa, constructed from some out and back portions. It takes you through various neighbourhoods where you can see the canal, vantage points of our Parliament buildings. You run into neighbouring Gatineau in Quebec, then on to Sussex Dr. where you will past the Prime Minister's official residence and the Governor General's. On to tony New Edinburgh, then back on Sussex. You complete the marathon along the canal, a quasi out-and-back
Oh, the taper. Fewer runs, reduced mileage, achy joints and plenty of time to start obsessing over your next race - like the Goodlife Toronto Marathon or Mississauga Marathon if you're in these parts. I get a lot of interest here about proper strategy to race Goodlife Toronto, or the same on Mississauga. Today, in light of my lighter load, I'm outlining a relatively simple course strategy for the Goodlife Toronto Marathon, which runs this year on May 5. Here is my Mississauga Marathon race strategy from last year.
A bit of background on my experience with this race. I've run the marathon course the last four years and used it for a successful BQ attempt. The course, if you run the first half strategically, can give you a fast and well earned first half. I'm also a "co-pacer" this for the 3:50 marathon group with my friend Sam (I took it as a last-minute assignment). The way I outline it may have nothing to do with how we actually pace it on May 5.
Course description, the short version: The race (see course map) starts up in North York at Mel Lastman Square. You go slightly north, then plunge down Yonge Street, make a diversion west past the Upper Canada College and Casa Loma before crossing Yonge Street. That first 10 miles is net downhill, with only one big uphill really worth mentioning. You then plunge again down Rosedale Valley Road for about three kilometres, when you basically enter the second half of the race that's flat. The second half is an out and back on the waterfront, passing the finish line on your way out. The race ends at Ontario Place, which spares racers prior versions of this course where you had to march up University Ave. up to Queen's Park.
Race strategy in short: Use the downhill to your advantage in the first half, the hold on for the flats in the second half.
Half marathon strategy is much like the full, except you don't have the UCC/Casa Loma but you do have the benefit of having Rosedale Valley Road. Here's the course map.
I took a look at the elevation profiles for the last four Around the Bay races and for anyone asking if its a net uphill or downhill course the answer is you gain some and you lose some. The definitive answer seems to be it's an uphill course, but not by a lot.
The Around the Bay elevation for three out of four races showed that I gained around 670 feet in uphill with anywhere ranging from 600-to-650-feet drop. Last year's elevation info, from my Garmin, showed only about 650 feet of uphill and 613 downhill. Why the spread every year? Well, for one thing, we know that GPS watches aren't close to perfect when it comes to elevation (though they are pretty close when it comes to distance).
Here's how my Garmin recorded the last four Around the Bay hills.
2012: 647 feet gain / 613 feet loss (see splits/map)
2011: 689 feet gain / 662 feet loss (see splits/map)
2010: 634 feet gain / 593 feet loss (see splits/map)
2009: 743 feet gain / 763 feet loss (see splits/map)
I'm inclined to agree by looking at my multiple runs that it looks like the 700 feet climb (and fall) seem about accurate. Though most of the first 20k is flat, there are subtle rises and falls throughout the first 13 miles.
The Around the Bay elevation chart does show the hills from 20k to 27k take their toll. The screenshots from the past few years show the general breakdown of kilometers and the uphill/downhill.
There are basically three 'steeper' drops as well, the first is a series of rolling hills you get when you're into North Shore, right before one of the first steep rises.
Here's one of the major hills, one that leads up to Lasalle Park. My Garmin shows around a 90 feet rise over the course of this hill.
One of the big hills on North Shore. This one continues for about 500 metres. Google Street View
This is followed by a 50 feet drop, followed by another 50 feet rise.
Yay downhill. Google Street View
Here's an elevation chart of the hills of Burlington. It begins shortly before the half marathon mark, where you see two 'V' shapes. The rise/fall/rise referenced in the two pictures above is reflected around the 13 to 14 mile mark.
You're all probably looking at the big 'V' that begins its plunge around the 15.5 mile mark. That's the most discernable drop before Valley Inn Road. That last (and for most of us the soul sucking part of the race) shows a rise of about 110 to 120 feet. What you probably notice that from the cemetery to the bottom of the valley, the drop is greater than the uphill. Technically that means that any speed you may get from the downhill could in theory be negated by the uphill section (see video of the uphill)
There's a good chance that if you're going long in these winter months in Southern Ontario, Around the Bay is probably on your race schedule. Mine as well as I'm running my sixth Around the Bay in a few weeks. Posts I've written in the past on the Around the Bay 30K Race gets a lot of search interest this time of year. You want to know how hard Around the Bay hills; Strategies to race it; What the elevation profile looks like
Before I tackle some of the frequent questions, you may want to read a few posts I've written, including last year's strategy guide.
Is the Around the Bay hard? How difficult is Around the Bay?
Well, yes, I guess, cause it's 30K. Which is a pretty long distance for those used to doing half marathons. Seriously, the distance is actually perfect, the hard part the last third of the race that is made up of a series of major hills (both up and down). Those unprepared to tackle such elevations can find themselves out of gas. (More on the hills and course.) I suppose if you're 'running' the race that it's totally doable in a comfortable pace. Racing, however, is another thing.
What's with the Around the Bay bronze, silver and gold medals?
The graduated medal system is pretty neat and strict. All racers will earn at least a bronze, but men can earn silvers (2 hours to 2:15) or golds (under 2 hours) while women who do 2:15 to 2:30 can get a silver and under 2:15 with a gold. They go by the clock (not chip) so if you're aiming for one of these medals, you should line up properly and start your watch when the gun goes off.
Around the Bay finish.
Are there Around the Bay pacers?
Yes, and they have enough of them targetting the various levels (for medals). Do pay attention to them, I once followed a 2:20 pacer who was going way too fast one year. I let him go by the 3K mark and caught him 22 kilometres later. I've been a pacer at a few half marathons and I know that a few years ago the organizers were looking for pacers for these time slots: 2:00, 2:15, 2:30 continuous, 2:45, 2:45 continuous, 3:00, 3:15
How hilly is Around the Bay?
In truth, it's as hilly only as the kilometres 21 to 27, so really not that hilly overall. I like to think of Around the Bay as essentially three big uphills, a few medium sized rises, and it has it share of downhill as well. You are deep in hill territory (North Shore Blvd) 21K in. Read my strategy guide from last year on the race for more details.
What's with the Around the Bay last hill?
Yep, it's a killer. Spring Garden Road. BIG downhill. Big uphill. My advice is to coast down the hill and regain your breath, then attack the upside purposefully. There are several rises so you just have to concentrate, don't use up all your energy, bump up your stride at the top, and get ready to hammer it home at the end..
Reader Paul sent a link to a video he took of the hill. Illustrates quite nicely the three-stage rise.
Does Around the Bay do pace bands?
No they don't make 30K pace bands but you have a few options. I use a pace calculator to figure out my splits. Once you know the pace you're going for (say, 5 minute kilometres for a 30K), just find the closest equivalent marathon pace band. The Running Room guys usually stock them at the expo. Of course you can just print out your own pace, or memorize the milestones you want to hit.
Around the bay is older than Boston?
Yep, it's the oldest running road race in North America.
What's with the Around the Bay shirts and what colour is it in 2013?
First, I have no clue what colour it is, so if you know, let me know. And yes, they're pretty awesome shirts. Read here for why
First time running tips for the Around the Bay (food, rest and don't change anything!)
Overview of the 2012 race
You have any questions or any answers to share, by all means leave them here. Happy racing!
Reader Stan was asking for a Mississauga Marathon strategy guide and since we’re about 12 hours to go to the race, I thought I’d oblige with some quick thoughts.
First, I’ve run the marathon there twice, and each time it was a different course at the end. It looks like this year is the same as 2009 when I ran it.
Course in general: It is generally exposed, some hills in the beginning and can be subject to wind since the last bit is on the water. In general, it is a net downhill course, so it is quite fast, especially for half marathoners. For marathoners, the flat and potentially windy (and soul damaging out and backs where you get so close to the finish, you can get a little defeated.
This race report sums up my 2009 version and you can see that I ran a negative split, partly because I was pacing a friend for the first 30 some odd kilometres then bumped it up at the end.
First 10K: You’re running from the city hall/Square One, and it’s a big crowd since you’re pacing with half marathons. I try never to go out too fast but it’s definitely possible to make that mistake. Heading west, you will have both inclines and downhills as you run on wide roads. The second half of the first 10K brings you down Mississauga Rd. which is a lot of fun to run but includes some killer hills that you should get ready for. Before you hit the big downhill followed by an uphill, you visit the U of T campus that’s a nice detour.
10K to half: You run another 5K or so with the half marathoners, then you turn around 15K. I enjoyed getting some peace and quiet when the crowd thins, and it’s a good time to get into the pace. You’re running in neighbourhood so the change in scenery going west is nice. Not much to note other than again when you start hitting south again it’ll be exposed to the sun and wind so plan and dress accordingly.
Half to 16 mile mark: Yep, this isn’t a fun part of the course. Some industrial land. You’ll start to see faster runners who are ahead of you as you hit the lone out-and-back portion of the race. While you should have plenty of energy to go, wind can be your enemy here.
16 miles to 20 miles: Slowly, you leave the industrial part and start heading back toward the finish. Wish it was a straight line but you got a lot of curves. There are hilly bits here and there so be prepared for small rollers. Nothing that will get you but if you haven’t prepared you should.
20 miles to the end: The final bit of the Mississagua Marathon combines running on Lakeshore, where you are running on a main street, running south into a few neighbourhoods. First things first, a lot of people hit the wall on Lakeshore around the 36K mark. They do so because there is a considerable incline. My tactic was always to run it strong and not let the course do me in. Good in a race like this to carry water or Gatorade with you as water stations are not exactly close together (good to check that). The final bit features a lot of running on winding paths, many of them really designed for everyday trail traffic, so it can be quite tight in there depending on when you finish. I've finished a marathon having to wind my way through half marathoners who were just finishing.
Some of the favourite keyword searches leading to my blog this month include such questions as "Is Around the Bay hard?", "Around the Bay strategy", "How to run Around the Bay Hills" and what colour is this year's shirt (I wish I knew, let me know when you find out)
I've run this 30K 'oldest road race in North America' five times, and it's, for me, an annual ritual. The race starts in Hamilton and runs around the Hamilton harbour, through Burlington, then back to Hamilton. Thus, around the bay. I love the race for the T-shirts (read my post about it here), for the tour of downtown and industrial Hamilton, then across to the city of Burlington, where you see the high-priced homes by the water and the infamous painful parts of the course.
2015 UPDATE: The Around the Bay 2015 course (see map) will not have the infamous hill. Here is the diversion around the hill (around a 2K route) which turns hills to essentially flat. Note the first 10K is similar to the 2014 version, which included rollers so now there are hills.
When I think about how to run it strategically -- and many people do to try to score one of the medals for faster times -- I think about breaking up the race into three (okay, four) portions. This is in part based on the makeup of the course but also because this is a distance race that necessitates proper pacing so you don't run out of steam.
I like to think the course in pretty much four stages. I'll outline them here
Hamilton to the bridge: I think of the first 10K is pretty much a no-panic, get your pace in and get used to the crowds type of run. If you placed yourself accordingly in the corral, you should find yourself running at your pace within a few kilometres. Note that there are relay runners who will blow their energy. I like this because it's basically a straight route with a few small turns. The roads are pretty well maintained with the occasional pothole. I love this area also for the locals who always come out to cheer - like a church that always has its priest waving at the runners. If you have a goal pace in mind, you may want to ramp up to the pace, but stick at it. Remember this is a 30K and there is no sense to try to bank time. I've always taking the first 10K in a conservative way.
Bridge to Burlington: I like to look at the 10K mark, when you pass the first relay point, is a great time to hammer it. The crowds of the start will probably start to thin, if it's a sunny day, then you'll get the perfect temperature and you'll have some energy to use up after a smart start. One danger is the wind speed as many places on this course are exposed. There are also slight inclines and that are worth putting stress on other muscle groups. I've often stepped up the pace in this stretch, especially if there is a good group of other runners to pace with.
Around the Bay is essentially flat, with little rises, until you hit North Shore in Burlington. For everyone who runs Around the Bay, it's these hills and how you negotiate them that defines this historic run. For those who train for Boston, for example, these hills are good training for the hills of Newton. What you do get is a special test, from around kilometre 20 to 26. Over this space, you'll tackle hills, both uphills and downhills.
The hills have different profiles. Below is one of the early risers (after Glenwood, a street where R's parents live) that stretches for nearly 500 metres. It's one of those long slow climbs. My strategy for this hill is to run it with the same effort that you'd run flat. Don't stop, even when others do. You can regroup on the flats and downhills.
One of the big hills on North Shore. This one continues for about 500 metres. Google Street View
With the hills, of course you'll get downhills like this (which you'll encounter about 150 metres after you climb the hill above. Coast down these hills, let gravity do its job, and recover your breath. Of course, right after this downhill, you have to climb up again. I kinda hate this hill.
Yay downhill. Google Street View
So the hills are spread out. I find some of the smaller climbs to be tough, when you are trying to maintain that same pace you started the race with some 25 kilometres earlier. And that's what gets you about these hills. They come late. Go out too fast, and you could be done. Forget to take a few gels, and you could be out of gas. If you didn't train for endurance or for hills, then they can eat you up.
But Around the Bay is probably most famous for two massive hills at the end, appropriately at the end of a big cemetery.
You'd rejoice on this big downhill at Spring Garden... Google Street View
Here's the huge drop at Spring Garden Road. The elevation chart above
shows it as the beginning of the big V. You can really motor down this
run, and you better, because you've got to climb up it.
But then you have to climb this... Google Street View
The view above is if you looked back after climbing Valley Inn Road. If you've never run it, all I can prepare you for it is to think of it as three steep climbs. The first takes you under a bridge, followed by the second that gets you up the length of the hill, followed by the final hill that takes you around the bend.
Downhill home: After conquering the bridge, you still got some more to go until the end. I've exited the final uphill with pace and cruised home with my fastest splits. Nothing really more to say that if you parcelled out energy through the first 26ish kilometres, the last bit -- which features the Grim Reaper -- can be a nice little victory run after the hard hills. In past runs, i've had to deal with cramping or just hitting a mini wall. Other times, perfect ending.
Whatever the end, nothing beats running towards Copps Coliseum, where you will run into the arena to the finish. Watch the little ramp downhill when you're making your big entrance.
If you skipped the text, here is the best way to run ATB:
KM 1 - 10: Run it smart, but you can run it at your goal pace
KM 11 - 20: If you feel good, continue on that fast pace, or even put some time in your bank with faster splits
KM 21 - 27: Take the hills with confidence, but take advantage of those downhills, as they'll give you your time back
To the end: This is downhill mostly, so if you got energy, burn it up!
I'm exhausted just thinking about prepping for the MCM. Still one of my favourites, but the three in a month was a bit much. The weather, almost perfect if not three or four degrees cooler than I'd like. Still, compared with a hot day, not going to complain at all.
I left R's place at 6 to catch the 6:20 train at a subway near by. Cutting it that close to the 8 a.m. start pretty much meant I was rushing my way through the walk to the bag check, portapotty and start line. Knowing the race layout, I knew to rush it and found myself with plenty of time to line up around the 3:40 - 3:50s. As usual, the Marine and Navy show was pretty awesome, especially when they did a low level flyover of some two helicopter/plane hybrid.
My wrist band had a 3:45 but I knew I would just be running by feel. I had switched to tights the night before given the cold morning so that was one unknown (i've never run a marathon in tights).
We set off and I just tried to keep a very comfortable pace, taking care not to go out too fast. The heel that's been bothering me was in okay shape, but enough feedback to tell me it wasn't fully healed.
The MCM's first 5K aren't easy, as it has a lot of rises. I've gone out at 3:10 pace and those hills really don't help you when you're trying to manage energy expenditure. Just tried to keep warm and paid close attention to my breathing. I'll have to say that my cardio and legs were not too happy to be running with effort again. What do they say, for every mile you race you should take a rest day. Well, I had raced two marathons before this point.
1 8:27.2
2 8:37.4
3 8:28.4
5K: 25:39
Usual MCM, big crowds, decent paced groups, inspiring wheelchairs and lots of guys (and some gals) ducking into the sidelines to take a pee break.
We get a little break from the uphill with the gradual descent until we cross the bridge into Georgetown and I absolutely recall how crappy (not in the sick way) I felt at the 5 mile mark. It was cold, and I wasn't feeling the 'easy' early part of a marathon. I just told myself to keep it up and get ready for the next hill after Georgetown. It's a very long one.
4 8:13.5
5 8:16.4
6 8:14.1
10K: 52:24 (with a projected 3:41)
At the top of the hill, somewhere after the 7 mile mark, I'm glad to have the two major rises over with. The sun was bright and I was feeling nice and warm. Coasting down the hill back toward Georgetown, my heel was reminding me not to go out too fast.
7 8:21.5
8 8:05.4
9 8:06.0
I love the part back into Georgetown. You see the other runners behind you like the 5 hour group, and you appreciate how much pain you are in while feeling a little for the group that will spend more than an hour longer than you will. The crowds really help too.
15K 1:17:49
Finishing the turn to hook up with Rock Creek, past the Kennedy Center and the orange slice station, I was settling into that rhythm of running. In retrospect, I probably should have slowed down a wee bit to a more comfortable pace.
10 8:17.4
11 8:08.9
12 8:04.6
Into West Potomac Park, I spotted another runner who I passed with a Chicago Marathon hat. I thought about my little streak and had this distinct feeling of blahness. What do they say about racing a marathon? That the first 13 miles should feel almost easy. Did it? Nope. Was starting to feel that tiredness that I should have been feeling around mile 18, even as I was continuing to fuel with gels and take my water.
20K 1:43:15 (with a projected 3:37)
That split should have told me I was going out too fast. Oh well, keep going, I thought. My goal in my head was to make it back around the mall and well into the highway before I would even think about how tired I was.
13 8:08.8
Half: 1:48:50
So I pounded out the miles. Tried not to think about how long I had to go. Tried to keep up the pace, which for some reason, I was able to do. The Mall was fun. A few years ago, I had hit an early wall at mile 18 while still in the Mall. It was a month after a 3:10 marathon attempt where I again tried to go out at 3:10 pace. My body wasn't having any of it.
14 8:21.3
15 8:14.6
25K 2:09:07
16 8:11.5
17 8:16.0
18 8:16.3
30K 2:35:00 (with a projected 3:38)
Smashed through that point and into the highway and bridge. It was getting a little warmer by now. There have been years when i've gone out slower that I've actually sped up in these miles. If you see my splits after mile 20, you'll see this wasn't one of those years.
19 8:19.8
20 8:34.7
21 8:29.0
35K 3:02:20
Hitting the 3 hour mark, I was mentally done, so I resigned myself, or even treated myself, to walk breaks. Walk breaks, of course, are my pace killers. You give yourself one, it's addictive.
22 9:10.5
23 9:34.0
24 10:13.8
And by the time I hit the Crystal City out-and-back, I was in full out exhausted mode. It was cold, I was tired, and my left calf was starting to cramp. I had no way to actually speed up so I just took whatever pace I could manage.
40K 3:33:59 (with a projected 3:45)
And this the sub-11 minute miles. The marathon reminds you that it demands respect, both in how you train for it and you race it and how you recover from one (or two). Thanks 26.2.
The final stretch my goal was to come in under 4 hours. I knew I had that, but at some point I wondered if I'd come under 3:50. My slowest marathon was NYC last year, the last of another month long streak of three marathons. I remember that one as a little more joyful. This one, I knew R was there and soon after that, the freaking hill.
25 10:28.0
So as I was jogging along and taking many stretch breaks so my calf wouldn't fully seize, I finally saw R and went over to her for a kiss. Then I ran on for bits, followed by walk breaks to calm the calf. It was a little ridiculous as other runners were streaming around me, so I started to run again the final turns, and up the stupid little hill where I could literally feel like I was moving in slow motion. I find it hard to jog slower than a certain speed, but this hill and my legs simulated the feeling of running with leaden legs, like those dream sequences when you're running away but can't move.
But with a real life marathon, the beauty is the finish line. I wasn't any happier to see this one.
Took me a while to put this together, not because it actually took too long to write. Collected a few too many pictures and videos and was a pain to gather them here for this post. First, my favourite self portrait which is premature because I took it at the end of the 26.2 mile journey, on the street named Boylston.
But I digress.
The start of the 114th Boston Marathon began even before I realized it was already on. We were jogging up the hill on the main street and I did not see that the start mat and the chip were a few metres apart. Not a bad thing though, took a bit of the stress out of such a big race, seemingly with no fanfare we were off.
I felt absolutely no need to pile on the pressure. I've since read a few race reports of other runners who pushed it that day, and ended up with times not far off mine, the difference I can see now. Actually, I saw it from the start, with camera in hand. This marathon was years in the making and there was no way I would let the excitement turn into speed and burn(out). My training this winter told me anyways that there was no BQ this spring and knew that I had my second spring marathon in a month. Also helped that I had a cohort to rein me in.
Fran was running his second Boston, and he ran last year's in a personal worst time, which I thought was a totally inspired idea. We have also paced with each other at a race or two in the past, both of us are about the same running level. So that was my plan, run Boston in slower than 3:40 (which I ran Marine Corp in last year a week after my BQ marathon, at which I had a blast.). You see, you can race a marathon, or you can run it, and in my opinion, while there isn't a mile of a difference between the two words run and race, there is a measurable difference in attitude. To race with hunger, apply tactics and test your limits. You run, well, for the joy of running. We targetted a 8:23 mile pace, fine by both of us, a little slower than our Sunday long-run paces. I tend to do mine at 8:00 to 8:05s during the summer. In other words, Boston was a catered weekend long run on the most historic of courses. A real victory lap taken with a trot and a camera. I'll take that.
With that preamble, lets get to the fun! First things first, I had totally got the running-and-taking-picture thing down. Take that Marathon Foto. Oh wait, you weren't there. A first self-portrait WHILE RUNNING Boston!
I even stepped it up a level and decided to also tweet, which meant taking the picture, launching the Twitpic app on my iPhone, typing in a few key words, then sending it and waiting for the little whirly thing to do its thing or else the app would crash. Yes, this made running a little more trickier than usual. Those iFitness belts work well, which is where I stashed the phone in once in awhile.
Yep, the first miles includes a few downhills and surprising for me, a few little rollers. A picture of the view ahead of me.
And what it looked like after 1 mile.
And aiming the camera behind me was we were running.
A really enjoyable way to start off a marathon, because we were starting at the back, we weren't really in too crowded a group, in fact through the race we slowly made ground and passed a whack of people.
I remember sitting at the expo looking at the course overview on Friday, thinking what a desolate route it looked like. I imagine that they shoot the course video in the early spring when there is decidedly little growth on the streets. I remember having my jaw drop a few times when I just imagined running all those miles.
But that's what I didn't get until Marathon Monday. This race, this course, comes alive. The roads ahead, they are filled with runners. The sidelines, they were filled with fans. From Hopkinton to Boston, there were only a few stretches that didn't have a line of fans: families who were comfy in their lawn chairs, nudging their kids out in rows with their stretched out hands seeking a high five. How could you not want to high five those little kids. It's the LEAST we could do. So high five we did.
Over. And over. And over. I high fived rows of little kids. I high fived service men. I highfived high school kids. College kids who think high five is to tear the arm off a runner. But the best were those kids. They were not expectant, but got a big smile out of those runners charging at them.
The first 5K were pretty much dead on. We stopped so Fran could hit a portapotty. We saw a lot of guys dash out into the woods in the first few miles.
I don't know, the miles just started to go by because I was so entertained by the spectators. Take these folks welcoming us to Framingham.
And then Fran sees a bunch of guys drinking beer, shouts 'beer' and they beer him. He cracks it open and chugs.
Hands it over to me and I take a few swigs. I hate light beer. Tasteless. But still fun. I dunno, this was subject to one of my favourite race tweets.
A little while later, we see these kids jumping around. Pretty much that was the pattern to be repeated. I'd see something worth remembering, took out my camera and tried to get a picture all while running toward, alongside, then past it. Missed many a good picture opportunity. HAD to almost stop to take this picture.
Okay, I guess I'm not writing about running much, but we were going a little faster than pace, decent pace, easy even. I can not even really much about effort or stuff but I did manage to remember to take my first gel at mile 5.
Mile 4: 8:03
Mile 5: 8:10
Mile 6: 8:04
10K: 0:52:12 (25:24)
The 10K split was pretty much on pace. It was a gorgeous day, and a really laid back atmosphere at the back of wave one. Some faster runners from wave two started to catch up but mostly we were plugging away, making up ground, passing other runners or just keeping pace. Quite a few charity runners were among us, lighting up the mood, one group tossing a football (okay, that was a bit overboard), others just laughing and chatting.
By then, me the rookie was still really wide eyed. I kept on saying to Fran as we ran by Santa Claus, the Chickenman, groups of Canadian spectators (who we whupped it up for every time) and singers and bands, and of course the mass of crowds, that... I kept on saying... 'Are you kidding me?' with a big smile. I have done Chicago, run Marine Corps three times so I have my share of big-city marathons, but nothing like this. New York I hear is louder at parts but this was different.
Mile 7: 8:05
Mile 8: 8:13
Mile 9: 8:25
15K 1:17:53 (split of 25:41)
Miles chug on as they do. I continued to snap more pictures, conscious to save up battery power for the second half. I figured I didn't want to use up the juice to have nothing left for Boylston.
Always interesting sights and signs.
Mile 10: 8:01
Mile 11: 8:17
Mile 12: 8:01
As we hit the 12 mile mark, I asked Fran, 'Wellesley's coming up, right?' 'You can hear it from a while back,' he says. He warned me that he ran by too fast last year like the rookie he was. Boy I was looking forward to this.
20K: 1:43:19 (split of 25:26)
Of course, for those of you who do not know about the legendary Wellesley College, it's an all-women post secondary school (notable alum include Hillary Clinton) where there is the famed 'Scream Tunnel' where the gals, well, they cheer, and offer kisses to passing runners.
Fran goes tearing off into the distance and I just let him go, whipping out the iPhone for some images. It's freaking awesome.
Of course, a major fail on me and my iPhone video taking skills, so here is a video I found from some other runner from this year's Boston. You get the idea. (Hint: At 1:05 and 1:18 you see examples of the kiss and run).
So I'm running, enjoying the hilarious signs 'Kiss me I'm desperate' 'Kiss me I'm a senior' 'Kiss me I'm Canadian'... Wait, Canadian! All of a sudden, I'm dashing in for a peck to the cheek of this cute Canadian. Don't worry, it was a kiss a guy with a girlfriend would give a Wellesley girl. Some guy behind me is laughing while he dives in for his kiss.
Love Wellesley. We do take our time and I catch up to Fran while high fiving more Wellesley girls.
Mile 13: 8:15
Half: 1:48:55
Mile 14: 8:08
Mile 15: 8:48
Mile 16: 8:12
25K: 2:09:31 (Split of 26:12)
With the high of Wellesley over, we have a few miles before Newton. We take a portapotty break and then get ready for the next five miles of hills. I don't know. They were hills. They were not easy. If I were racing, they would be difficult. Today, I was just concentrating on taking the hills, letting the heart rate not get too high, pacing with Fran. I made sure to take pictures and tweet, which actually took my mind off the hills.
The first one, for instance.
Followed by a gel stop.
I have to remind myself to talk strategy with those who have raced Boston, I want to hear their thoughts on how much effort to use up through miles 16 to 21. I figure if I was going for 7:15 to 7:30 miles on flats, that I would give back a few 7:55s to 8 minute miles on these hills. Same effort, different pace is what I tried to remind myself.
I didn't have it so bad after all.
Cause there were more hills to come.
Mile 17: 8:41
Mile 18: 8:42
Mile 19: 8:34
Miles 17 to 19 were pretty much having us tentatively taking the terrain. Fran by this point was dousing his legs with cold water, saying he was starting to cramp up on his quads. He was running another marathon (Big Sur) in six days but I told him, no worries, I would stick with him and walk if he had to. He continued to try to shake off the cramping. (As it turns out, he thinks it was salt loss, something I always worry about. I actually put pretzel pieces inside my morning peanut butter bagel that morning. More salt is better for marathon day.
30K: 2:36:28 (Split of 26:57)
30K was perfectly on pace for 3:40, down to a few seconds.
Loved seeing my people on the course.
Later on, we saw three guys running and Fran made a comment. I saw on their backs they had two big letters each. One had DA, one had NA and it took me a few seconds to figure out it was CA NA DA. CA was trailing NA and DA so I yelled out, Hey guys, lets keep Canada together! Yes my lame unity joke (don't groan, I was running Heartbreak Hill!).
Speaking of, here's a picture I took, aiming the phone downward so you could appreciate the depth. It was not that bad except for the fact that I gagged on BBQ.
Miles 20 to 22 were our slowest. Fran's cramps were starting to bother him and we walked a few stretches. We took the hills though, and were making our way 'downhill'. But not before we passed Boston College and the crazy kids. They were louder than the Wellesley and after high fiving a drunk guy who tried to rip my arm off, I decided to give them room to cheer.
A runner had an American flag, so for a while, the BC crowd were cheering 'USA! USA!'
Video from along this stretch
Oh, gotta love this unintentional but artsy shot.
And good bye to Newton.
Mile 23: 9:12
The mile above is my last with Fran, he was starting to suffer and I just knew that he would probably just want to shake out the cramps and take his time with the rest of the marathon. I thanked him for running with me, wished him luck, shook his hand and made my way along for the rest.
Maybe it was appropriate, it felt right to turn it up just a little for the last go, I suddenly had time to reflect. If it had to be, I would run the last 5K alone.
Mile 24: 8:03
For the first time in the race, I felt I was sort of running in one. The crowds were getting thick and although I was still fresh, it was still on my feet for more than three hours. If my cardio wouldn't be my undoing, maybe a cramp would. I felt mini cramps on my lower quads.
But it was good to feel the burn, this is what marathoning is also about, pushing your body beyond the limits of your energy. Getting back on to goal pace was a good feeling, so was seeing this most beautiful sight, the sign I've long heard of, the one that on a bad day takes forever to get to. This is the Citgo sign, right in the heart of Fenway, in the shadow of which is the mile to go mark. From far away, it was a mirage, and when it became all too real again.
Fuck, I'm running Boston. I really am. And I earned it. Sweet.
40K: 3:31:08 (Split of 26:40)
Mile 25: 8:10
Spectators were two, three deep. Five in other areas. Sometimes more. Some runners forced to walk couldn't make it far without being urged on. I know what that feels like. You want to give so much, but your body has nothing left to give. It is a feeling I had in my first marathon when I went for it, but hit the wall hard after 22 miles. I hit it again marathon no. 2. The feeling of defeat, of being drained of everything, to actually know what 'running on fumes' feels like. I think it's something every marathoner should know. It makes good days feel like a blessing, when smart training combines with smart racing, efficient fuelling and perfect weather. And sometimes guts.
These were the thoughts running through my mind. I was trying to have the moment, then realized I may not have many chances to take pictures so I snapped away.
I was actually slowing down. I was keeping to the right. I have to say that I really wanted to put away the camera but I also wanted to take pictures to remember.
Almost too fast, I was going underneath the overpass and I knew that all too soon, it would be over. It would be the final two turns of the race, right on Hereford, left on Boylston.
A day earlier, Lee and his wife were telling me how she had cheered on Lee for his first two Bostons. R. took their advice and met up with Lee's wife and they planted themselves to the right of the runners on Hereford. Perfect place.
So I turned the camera on, aimed at at the crowds, and looked for my sweetie. Because the rest of the runners were running the tangents, I was the only runner keeping to the right. While I was seeking her out, I suddenly saw about 15 metres ahead her waving wildly at me. She saw me, and I saw her. Apparently my orange shirt also stood out.
Yeah, I stop, and chat. I have a thing about doing that to her during my fun marathons. Everyone around her thinks I am crazy for stopping to chat. 'It's the Boston Marathon, I'll take my time. How's it going?'
And then take this shot of the two of us. Love the guys in the background.
Then I would put the camera away. No time for the emotional moment. Just soaked in the end with my arms raised and loved every last few seconds I could drain from it. Personal worst marathon time, the most awesome marathon time.
Mile 26: 8:28
.2: 3:38
42.2K: 3:43:10 (5:28Ks or 8:48 miles)
Another Canadian offered to take my picture. Which like any ah-shucks tourist I posed for.
