Boston….Because I Can

There were posters all over town stating "Boston...Because I can" and that is so fitting. I did it for the fact that I never thought I'd make it, and for those that may never...Boston. The Mecca. The Super Bowl. The one every runner wants to run. The one that to some is only a dream, and to others a complete surprise (seriously, first marathon 4:48, no CLUE of my potential). No matter what though, if you are involved in running, and particularly in marathoning, you know the significance of Boston. It is THE ONE. But does it live up to the hype? I’d say above and beyond. It was…Boston.

I could write about the whole trip, and maybe I will at another time, but for now, it’s about the race. I managed to get to bed around 9:30/10, I had my alarm set for 5:15, (even with a later start than normal, you have to bus out to the site and busses stop at 7:30 or so and I didn’t want to be rushed) but I was up, dressed, tucking things into my drop bag, debating over wearing Garmin (which I opted to leave behind and just go with my Timex Ironman that I could do my own splits on), and grabbed a little breakfast at the hotel to haul with me by around 5:45…I had woken up twice, but was wide awake before the alarm. I hugged mom and dad goodbye and headed out to catch the train with someone else that lives near the hotel. We took it to the buses and hit the first real experience of the day. Mobs of people all lining up to get on school buses, with their drop bags, running clothes, volunteers in their bright yellow jackets…it was so exciting. The volunteers there were fabulous, friendly, telling you congratulations, directing everyone efficiently onto the buses. Probably 15 minutes wait and we were on the bus taking us out to Hopkinton. It takes about 45 minutes with the traffic and longer route they have to take and by the time we got there it was definitely time for a port-a-potty stop…that took at least 20 minutes, maybe more, and all the lines were LONG. After the bathroom, I saw a couple of friends I was planning to try to get lined up with in our corals but never managed to find (they had gone to a potty line and were heading to corals after that). Decided to relax and sit for a while…then the announcer pointed out the F14s (I think) that were out in the sky, waiting for the other planes to clear out before they did a fly by, something like 100 meters off the ground (at least according to the announcer). This signaled the start for Wave 1, which was at 10. Once the race was off Wave 2 was set to line up. I took a picture of a sign that made me teary eyed, and everything about the day was starting to hit me…I never broke into a full cry, but teared up quite a few times. One more potty stop and got into my coral just before the start gun went off. And next thing I knew we were off…I was running the Boston Marathon.

There is a steep drop coming out of Hopkinton, but honestly it didn’t feel as bad as I had been warned it was, and there are some uphills too, so it’s not just a tearing down of the quads. You run through 8 towns on the way back to Boston and the people lining the downtown areas of each of those towns was incredible, not to mention the people lined up most of the stretches of the road between those towns. I saw Santa around mile 7 (no, I wasn’t hallucinating, see picture) and I saw Elvis around mile 8 or 9 (no, again, wasn’t hallucinating!). I walked through some water stops so as to get gel in me and enough water to wash it down. I did Boston different from other marathons. I went back to gels, which I haven’t used in a while because I really can’t stand them, but I didn’t want to wear race ready shorts and that’s the only way I can carry my beans, shot blocks, etc. I had bought a spibelt so I could carry my camera, and it held my gels, 2 of them at least, and I got a Powergel at mile 17, and a friend was going to be at mile 20 (asked him to have either a gel or Swedish fish)…so between all that I decided it was enough since I wasn’t going for time anyway…

Now the race definitely isn’t easy. Everyone knows that. But honestly, I didn’t think it was THAT hard either. Granted, my time isn’t great, 4:14:20, while not my slowest, was not my fastest either…but I experienced it. I slapped hands. I smiled at people yelling “go Irish” (my shirt was from a 100% Irish race I had done), I hurt a bit…my feet were sore at some points, my glute/hip/pelvis was acting up some…but I continued on…soaking it in. And considering my lack of training (one and only 20 miler was 6 weeks prior to Boston), the time I took taking pictures, talking to my friend, hugging my parents, time actually wasn’t that bad.

Wellesley is what they claim it is. Lots of screaming girls and you can hear it for a long time before you get there. The hills start at just after 15.5 and the first one is killer…I managed to run up each one. And then I saw mile 20. A friend was going to be handing out beer with his hasher group just after mile 20…and ahead of me I could see Heartbreak…and just before that I found my friend. I took a beer. I drank the beer. I had a hug from him. I gave him a kiss on the cheek…I asked him for a piggyback ride…had one more sip and I was off…up and over the top, down and over the second top (yes, Heartbreak peaks, has a downhill and peaks again slightly) and I managed to run the whole thing. And when I came around the curve at the bottom, that starts heading you toward Beacon, I saw a sign, just after mile 21…It said “Sorry feet, time for the brain to take over”…and it did…and I was hurting, and I kind of wanted to walk, but the crowds from this point in are so packed in, and so loud, you just can’t disappoint them. A little bit past 21 you turn onto Beacon and then you see the Citgo sign, and while you can see it for a while, it actually is something to hold on to because that sign marks the 1 mile to go point…so I was pushing for it…and just after mile 24 look who I saw!

For those that can’t quite make them out, it was the Hoyts…I yelled for them. Then there is Citgo…Fenway…and more crowds…and then down an incline, down then up, and there is the turn to Hereford, and I knew I was going to see mom and dad shortly…and you make that right, and you can see one block up, Boylston…and mom and dad were right there, and mom saw me right about the time I saw them…and I headed straight to them, gave them a hug, got a picture and told them “I’m going to get my Unicorn”…and 4-5 blocks later I crossed the finish line and my Boston story was mine. Marathonfoto even caught me running to mom and dad, which I think is cool. I’m definitely heading away from the “normal” crowd and short turn they take.

Even having run Chicago, with more runners, the finish area is just packed. I don’t think anyone wants to leave, for the experience…that and you can’t get your medal till you turn in your chip, and that took some time since they chips were all laced in, who wants to lose their Boston time?

After that I went to the meet up area and waited for mom and dad and we went to have a celebratory drink…they saw my medal, but for some odd reason we never managed to get a picture taken of me with it, or the three of us at the bar having the celebratory drink. But still…A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. The race…the people…the excitement…everyone there, everyone enjoying themselves…first or fortieth, I can’t imagine Boston not being a great memory each and every time. I’m qualified through 2010…I might go back…but next year…maybe I’ll be able to train harder, and honestly, I think I can beat it…and maybe even get a PR there…

Priceless

Qualifying marathon entry fee: $85
Boston marathon entry Fee: $116
Plane ticket to Boston: $320
Hotel room for 3 nights located on the T: $700
Blood, sweat, tears and work going into qualifying and then running…???
Opportunity to capture the elusive Unicorn: Priceless

Boston is more amazing than words can say and I’ll be posting more in the next couple of days. I just need time to get my thoughts and words together.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday. And Santa is a wonderful man. I am set for Boston. I have my chip, and I was given money to put toward my jacket...as soon as it's available!!

Wonderful Email...Finally!

Dear Danielle,

This is to notify you that your entry into the 113th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20, 2009 has been accepted, provided that the information you submitted is accurate.

You can verify your acceptance into the field by searching the 113th Boston Marathon "Entrants" database on the B.A.A. web site, www.baa.org/2009/cf/Public/EntryLists.cfm. Additionally, an acceptance postcard will be mailed to you via US Postal Service mail.

In early April 2009, an official Number Pick-up Card and extensive information regarding the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and related race week activities will be mailed to you via US Postal Service first class mail. If you do not receive your Number Pick-up Card (required to claim number) and brochure by April 11, please contact our Registration Office at registration@baa.org. Registration related inquiries may also be directed to 508-435-6905.

Note that bib numbers will not be distributed on Race Day. Your travel arrangements should take into account picking up your number at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston on Friday, April 17 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., or Saturday, April 18 or Sunday, April 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you in April!

Best of luck in your training!

Sincerely,
Boston Athletic Association

Part One – The Road to Boston

I had started a bit last night, but decided I need to really get back and post more on this than I originally maybe started. After all, this is the culmination (although seriously, I know I have a faster marathon in me, you’ll hear about things behind this in the report, but I might have to do another fast one one day in better conditions), the pinnacle, I made my goal to run the World Series/Super Bowl of Marathons…and those of you out there that do them, I know you know what I mean!!

This blog started after my marathon career started…so let’s go back 4 years…or, better yet 6 years. I had started running again (ran in high school and then just very sporadically after, in fact a friend in college used to run 5-7 miles a day and I thought she was nuts!!) and told some friends, well, I might do a 5K someday, but no way I’m going to do a marathon…that was the year I ran my first 5K, 10K and half (that 10K is still my only 10K race so my current PR is 59:30, so guess I’ll have a 15 minute or so PR on that when I run another!). I even ran 10 miles of the Twin Cities course with a friend as my last long run. My half was a 2:14:30, it hurt and no way I could see doing twice that, but it was in my mind by that point to do one. That was all when I was 28…so the year I turned 30, 2004, I decided OK, time for a full. To celebrate my 30th birthday I semi-trained for Grandma’s marathon, my parents came for it, it was Father’s day weekend and I ran a 4:48. Knowing that my training wasn’t great, I thought, well, I’ll probably do another one. It had been a fun weekend and my dad was very proud, he’s always been a supporter of any goal I set. Of course by this time I knew more about the sport and about Boston, but having run over 10 minute miles for the marathon, 8:22 I believe would get me to Boston, no way I can run that, fast for me then was 9 minute miles, maybe a couple under 9…

Fast forward and in 2005 I ran Mad-city in Madison with a 3:42 or something like that, and then Chicago (last really nice weather year for it I think too, as then it was cold and then hot), which I honestly thought would be my last race in 4:20. I had done 3 by then and thought well, that’s enough. Why would I do more?? But shortly after Chicago I thought well, maybe, I’d like to go under 4 hours. So 2006 I started training much harder, changed what I had been doing and followed a really good program. I was shooting for under 4, and as the training went on, a part of me started thinking hmmm…Boston MIGHT not be out of reach. I thought maybe I could go under 4 at one in the spring and hit BQ at one in the fall. I ran Marathon to Marathon in Iowa and had my PR of 3:42:54. I was on Boston pace there for 20 miles…I really hadn’t known that was possible even at that point. Anyway, I had already registered for Marine Corp as well, so I started in right away training and that was probably a mistake. I was tired and sore and went to Marine Corp not trained for the 3:40. Well, I was, but I spent a lot of time trying to catch the 3:40 pace group and burned out at the half…so it was a death trudge for the second half. Not fun, but still finished with my second best time to that point in a 3:56 or so.
2007 I took off. I ran a 5K and PR’d on that, but I was having hip/back issues and I did run a 25K (and technically PR’d but the prior one was terrible so it was a given). I had registered for Grandma’s, thinking to use it to qualify but I didn’t end up running because of the issues…I wasn’t running another one if I didn’t have a shot to BQ at it was my frame of mind at that point.

So see, for those of you that don’t think it’s possible, I’m telling you it is. You just have to get out there and run more. That’s what it takes apparently. It’s what I had been told, I hadn’t fully believed it, but as I’ve run more, my times have gotten faster. I know I still have a lot of PRs in me, including marathon…I haven’t fully reached my potential, so next year might be a focus on shorter races to see what I have!

Boston Bound

So title probably tells it all!! A longer report to follow, probably tomorrow, but my chip time was 2:37:53, technically got me in with 4 minutes to spare. Weather wasn't the best, cooler temps but a downpour miles 7.5-10.5 made it chillier!!

Important thing is the end result. I PR'd by 5:01 too.

New York to Boston

This month I had a wedding to go to. It was in NY. I found out the date and got the invite in February, since they needed responses by June 1 and people needed to book tickets etc…I booked my ticket not long after I knew I was officially invited…then come May, it’s announced that there aren’t enough people that can make it and they are now doing the wedding as a private ceremony that day and that they apologize to those that made flight reservations already but they hadn’t had responses and people were going to end up spending money they didn’t have to go, so hence the change.

I hadn’t even responded to the message that it was changed, the groom asked me about it (he had had others email some saying they were happy for them, some saying they were angry at the change) and I said I should be used to people flaking on me by now, I mean I didn’t say it to be mean, but it was just one of those things. Never had a response back from him. Fast forward three months and I had an email from the groom, apparently people were asking what they are doing that day, and he included a link about the the private ceremony they are having, but they are still doing a boat wedding, like the original plan, and it does include some guests…umm…yeah, my invite for that must’ve been lost in the mail, or something…really irritated now as he KNEW that I had booked my ticket already so I could’ve been included so I wasn’t flying for nothing or didn’t have a wasted trip. Ah how fun and how great friends can be.

So before I even knew about the wedding change, I was contemplating just cancelling the ticket and using whatever remained for one of many other trips I’m supposed to make (to see my friend in San Diego, or my friend in San Francisco) and just as I was about to make decisions on that (not wanting to impose too much on the friend in NY even though he told me I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted) ANOTHER friend, one that lives in Boston, emailed me asking if I wasn’t coming out there sometime soon. I had emailed him after the wedding fell apart and he had invited me up to Boston. His remembering this and asking me about it again, I thought sure, why not go up there and hang out with him. He invited me to stay as long as I could, and since I love Boston, I thought why not. I checked into the train, figuring hey, can jump on it easy and run up…it was going to be $62-89 for a 4 ½ ride, ONE WAY!! I checked flights…just over an hour and it was only $150 (round trip)???? What’s up with that??? Seriously? Does Amtrak realize the ridership it loses?? Sure it’s not that bad if you buy a pass, but I’m not there long enough to need one. Anyway, all said and done I fly into NY on Thursday morning, Kurt is picking me up around 11 am and we are hanging out, then he’s dropping me back at the airport on Friday and I’m flying up to Boston to hang out with Bill…now debating letting my friend Craig, who is the reason I know Bill, that I’m going to be up there as well. Craig is even in town right now for work and will be seeing him tonight again (guess depends on how drunk I get if I let him know about my trip or not!), and I should probably tell him. If he finds out and I haven’t told him that might be weird…but at the same time, I kind of do want to see and spend time with Bill, but at the same time too, I’d like to meet Craig’s girlfriend that he has still failed to tell me about…darn him…if things are serious he’s supposed to share!!

So I did tell him...And we all went out for a fun Girls night on Friday, well, girls plus Craig!! I didn't get up early for my run on Saturday since it was a late night and instead headed out later, around 4, and managed 14 miles at an 8:54 or so pace...I'm still shooting to get the long runs to average 8:45 and I'm hoping at least by the 20 milers I can get one of them down there...I followed that up with 7 miles around Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles today. Averaged 8:50 pace there. And for the week I logged 54 miles.

What a Fun Trip

Minnesota still hasn’t accepted spring into the air. I noticed a few things are turning green, but on Monday the high was only 45…this is 20 degrees below normal according to the weather person I was listening to. Today is supposed to hit in the 50s and a bit warmer later in the week but no real springlike temps again till maybe next week. We got a teaser…I got even more of a teaser last week and now back to bad. Why do I live here??

I had a work “summit” on Wednesday and Thursday…the hotel was nice and right next to the office so I could walk over there. Dinner both nights was at the hotel bar, gotta love company buying as I had filet mignon one night and a great pasta dinner (including lasagna, a salad and tiramisu for dessert) the next. After the summit was over, it was back to Providence where I went to my friend’s place to hang out. He’s a swim coach for Brown (yes, that Brown) and had a banquet that night to attend for a couple of hours, so I took the opportunity to enjoy the nice weather and get a 4 mile run in. I could smell the trees and stretched in green grass…then took a nap before showering and getting ready to go out. My friend got back and we got some beer to drink at his place then went out and hit the town. Unfortunately the bars closed at 1 am on a Thursday in Providence…ah well. Went back, ordered pizza and watched TV before sleeping for the night. Next day we got lunch at a great diner and then my friend went to work and I headed to the beach. I wanted to run on the sand. It was sunny, not the warmest, but it was still nice enough to get out in shorts and short sleeved top. After about a mile in loose sand, I called it quits (a bit hung over and tired too) and went for ice cream. Where I ran into someone that asked if I was from the Twin Cities (based on my I Love the Lakes top) and she is from there and her mom lives here so we chatted a bit. Back to Providence then and a nice nap, got up, showered and went in search of dinner…my friend got back from work and we jumped in the car and headed up to his buddies place in Boston (my friend had to coach at Hah vahd on Saturday morning). Got to his friends, had a glass of wine and then a shot (I got out of the tequila and did chocolate vodka instead) and we headed out on Boylston for drinks…plan was to head as far east as we could get before bar close. We had beer at one place, then on to the next where we had another beer and got out of there quickly because it was just not our scene…a trip past and picture of the finish line (yes, THAT finish line) and then on to the next bar. Next place we weren’t able to get in because my friend looked a little too drunk, so we went to the next place where our trip stopped due to miscommunication. Since my friend was tired and had to be up early, he took off and his buddy and I remained to close the bar, then make it back just in time to grab a quick slice at the nearby pizza place (yummy!).

Next day we might have gone to Maine or something but instead the darn draft got us caught up. Except for the 4.5 mile run my friends buddy and I did along the Charles, my friend wasn’t feeling it. After that my friends buddy had a date, and my friend and I headed to the north end for some fantastic pasta, OK gelato and the best canoles I’ve ever had. He had sent a message to his buddy, whose date was done and he jumped the train and met up with us at a nice little dive bar called Sullivans. I liked it. We closed the bar, got a cab and got back in time to have another slice (we’d had pizza for lunch too, it is really good pizza!!) and then canoles…before some interesting youtube (including the Muppets) and some porn for good measure…yes…we watched that. What can I say, after drinking, it can be mildly amusing!!

Next day we went to the grocery store and bought some shrimp to cook up and eat, along with a multitude of other snacks and more draft watching. Eventually though, it was time to head back to Providence, told my friends buddy goodbye and that I’d hopefully see him in a year when I’m back for the marathon…he offered me a place to stay even and he’s literally walking distance to everything, I just have to train hard and get that time. Got to Providence just in time for me to get to the airport and catch my flight (just before having an excellent tortilla salad at the bar right next to my gate). Flights out and back were actually great. On time both ways, and except for the fact that we were at the last gate on the longest concourse in the Minneapolis airport, and then sent to the furthest away baggage claim carousel, which then they changed to the complete opposite baggage claim carousel (which we had come in by coming from our gate)…but you know, that’s OK, I really did need the exercise. I am now back to about 5 pounds I have to lose (guess I should not have had the pasta, gelato, beer, slice and canole!) now and won’t make my goal time frame…oh well. As long as it’s gone by Twin Cities all is good.

Thunderstorms are Cool!

What a great day! So I went to see my chiropractor today (have I mentioned that she is also a runner, ran in college, for U of MN, and runs marathon, including Boston) and she looked at my foot, touched all areas that would indicate PF and in her opinion it is NOT PF. There are tons of muscles and things there and most likely it was, like I have been saying it feels like, a bruise. She said to keep icing it and take it easy….after I told her that I was taking myself off rest, she was fine with that. She did berate me a tiny bit for the heels I was wearing (but agreed they were cute) and I promised to stay off heels for a while, even this weekend when out, so it’s given more rest. Anyway, I did have them do massage and ultrasound on it too, so hopefully that all help make it better.

Also, big congrats to my friends Andy and Hugh who ran the Boston Marathon today. They both had huge PRs…hills agree with them apparently and both had times that qualify them for Boston again next year (maybe they can be convinced to come with me next year) and Andy finished only 8 minutes or so behind Lance Armstrong, without speed work and went under 3 hours for the first time.

And to make things even cooler…we are in the middle of our first thunderstorm of the year!! I love thunderstorms…and nothing like rain (and 70 degree temps) to clean up and make things green.

I’ll try to update more tomorrow night. I’m traveling for work this week out east, work things on Wednesday and Thursday and then visiting a friend over the weekend…had I been smart I would’ve gone out the weekend BEFORE and watched the marathon yesterday…so dumb somedays!!