How I Got Over

First things first, here's my Boston Marathon report:

It was hot.

Did you like it?  After putting in month after month of hard training this winter and into the spring only to be faced with a 90 degree Marathon Monday.  Temperatures were even steady the week leading up to Boston in the 40s and 50s.  There was no time to adjust to the heat.  Any chance at a PR or BQ was gone.  My strategy going into the race was to start easy but to try to run in the 3:05 range despite the heat.  This was foolish.  By body broke down very early in the race.  It was awful.  My heart rate was greatly elevated after the first few miles, even running at an easy pace.  I began to get dizzy and lightheaded too.  These conditions were dangerous.  Fluids were not helping me in the slightest to regain my strength.  I felt weak, tired, and my pace faded quickly.  I dropped out just before the 20k point at an American Red Cross station.  They took information from me and gave me fluids right away.  I learned that I had lost over five pounds of my body weight at this point in the race.  The medical personnel told me that my day was over.  My health was at a dangerous point and if I kept going things could have been much worse.  This was devastating.  I set my heart on one race, with one goal in mind.  I wanted to BQ at my first Boston from the day I got into the race.  After my stay in the medical tent, I was transported to the finish area in Boston with a number of others who had gone through similar ordeals.  One guy made me feel better, noting that all of the people around us were from cold weather areas (he was from Michigan) and had not trained in the warm weather.  He then said that it all has to do with genes.  Some of us can run in the heat, some of us cannot.  I was not in a position to run well in the heat at Boston.  As I rode on the bus into Boston, I put my head down in shame.  I had failed.  Everyone keeps telling me there is nothing I could have done and that they are happy that I came out with my health.  I, however, cannot do anything but blame myself for this result.  It has been tough to deal with over the past couple weeks.  I was down and simply did the only thing that could make me feel better: RUN!

Luckily, my run on Marathon Monday did not take anything out of me.  I hydrated well the rest of the day and in the days after too.  I cranked my training back up and ran 95 miles the week after Boston.  I already had another marathon planned out in my mind.  The Cox Marathon is right in Providence on May 6th.  This is a local race and much of the course is where I do all of my training.  During my 95 mile anger-week I put in a strong 17 mile run at a 6:52/mile pace on the Cox Marathon course.  I knew I had not lost any fitness and still had my base from Boston.  I am excited to say that I will be running the Cox Marathon on May 6th and be shooting for a sub-3:05 effort.  I played around with my training this past week and put in several quality efforts.  There was also one thing I wanted to do between Boston and the Cox Marathon.  RACE.


(Rambling it Up!)

This past weekend I ran the James Joyce Ramble 10k.  I regained my confidence by crushing my PR with a 39:09 (6:18/mile).  I won first place in my age group (19 and under)!  The course was amazing, taking us through rolling hills around Dedham.  There were also actors along the course reading bits of James Joyce to the runners.  This made me laugh at several points during the race.  I also am happy about this run because I was able to really "race."  I ran in a pack of about five runners through the middle miles of the course.  This kept my effort even and lead to a great result.  I really did get "lost in the moment" during this race.  I enjoyed this run in its fullest.  I would strongly reccomend this race for any runner looking for some type of historical aspect in a race.  So many positive vibes came from this race that will stay with me in my taper week for the Cox Marathon.  I am looking forward to this challenge and am feeling very relaxed and at peace with my running.

Run Happy,
David

"I don't think about the miles that are coming down the road, I don't think about the mile I'm on right now, I don't think about the miles I've already covered. I think about what I'm doing right now, just being lost in the moment." - Ryan Hall

Look for me right at 30 seconds into the video!

Relax, Relax, Relax, Calm, Calm, Calm.

How would I describe the Boston Marathon Expo?  It's basically a springtime Christmas for runners.  I went into Boston to pick up my number this morning and now am feeling nervous/excited/more nervous/more excited for Monday.  The Expo was a blast!  Every single big name running store (and small name too) was there urging each runner to come get the latest gear and shoes on the market.  There were all sorts of protein bars, energy bars, and recovery drinks to try out as well.  I also attended a Power Bar seminar that featured American 50k record holder Josh Cox, runner-up at Boston in 2011 and Olympian Marathoner Desiree Davila, and two-time World Iron Man Champion Tim DeBoom.  The seminar was also conducted by Runners World Editor Bart Yasso.  It was great to hear the insights from these elite athletes about proper fueling and on the Boston course in general.  The advice that they shared was quite simple.  Do not: try anything new leading up to or on race day.  Any items you purchased at the expo should be saved for the weeks after the race.  There has also been a lot of talk about the weather at this year's race.  These running champions emphasized to be careful, but also to enjoy the race.  Josh Cox's advice on the marathon really stuck with me.  He explained: when you feel good early in a marathon, hold back, when you feel good a second time, hold back, when you feel good a third time, hold back.  When then, I found myself asking, do you go for it?  Josh expressed that if you can still feel good well after 20 miles, then you can pick up your pace and push towards the finish line.  Desi shared the same views.  For her, it is important to run your own race.  She also provided an interesting insight on running uphill: you are using a different muscle group than when you are pounding the downhills.  Desi further shared her mantra: Relax, relax, relax, calm, calm, calm.  This is a great thing to remind yourself in all the excitement that will be at Boston.  I do not know how my body will respond to the heat on Monday.  I am in great marathon shape, and pursuing a time under 3:05.  I did learn today to let the race come to me on Monday and to enjoy it.  You only get to run the Boston Marathon for the first time once!  This is going to be one of the best experiences of my life.  If things do not fully go according to plan, there will be other marathons and times to beat.  With that being said, I cannot pass off this opportunity to chase a dream.  The race should and will be the fun part!  Anyway, I hear there's going to be a tailwind on Monday!

(Me with Josh Cox)

(Gebre)

(Me and Desi)

My Running Playlist

One big question for runners leading into a race is: What's going on the playlist?  I don't bring music with me when I run, but I almost always listen to music before a run.  With Boston coming up in five days, I have put together some of my favorites that help put me in the right state of mind.  Maybe they will work for you:

Song Away by Hockey

All Hands Against His Own by The Black Keys

Float On by Modest Mouse

Hurt Feelings by Flight of the Conchords

Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Lights & Music by Cut Copy

Sail by AWOLNATION

Kids and Heartbeat by Childish Gambino

Here I Come and Marathon Man (remix) by The Roots

Lose Yourself by Eminem

Monster by Kanye, Jay-Z, Nicki

I'm Shipping Up to Boston by The Dropkick Murphys

Run this Town by Jay-Z & Rihanna

Umbrella by Rihanna & Jay-Z (on only because it's close to 180 bpm)

All of the Lights by Kanye & Rihanna

Wavin' Flag by K'NAAN

Superstar by Lupe Fiasco

These are the songs on my Boston 2012 playlist.  I like a nice mix of styles before a run.  Some of the best running advice I can give is to go with what works for you.  Find what makes you comfortable and ready to run your best!

Too Excited Right Now! Five Days!
David

Thank You Notes

It's now one week out from the Boston Marathon.  That's usually when I check my inbox, return some emails, and of course, send out my marathon-versioned thank you notes.  If you guys do not mind, I am running a bit behind schedule and was wondering if I could write them out now.  Here goes:

#1 Thank you to my sponsors: my family and friends.  You guys rock!  I would not have been able to get to this point in my training without your support.  I know I have been a lot to put up with, having only talked about running since December (and probably even before that), but all of you have been with me from the start and words cannot express how much I appreciate and need that.

#2 Thank you to my running shoes: the Brooks Launch.  You are the perfect date, always ready when I am and willing to stay out late.  You really treat me well.

#3 Thank you to my Training Logs.  I update three separate logs and use all of them to look back at my past training and paces.  If I were to lose two of them, well then, I would still be just fine.

#4 Thank you to Luna Bars.  You are a feminine brand of protein bars that I have been consuming after many of my training runs.  I get them for free, so it's whatever.  I did just get a new batch of Cliff-Bars, but I will not forget what you did for me.

#5 Thank you to getting injured!  Hey there, yeah IT Band, I'm talking to you.  You thought it would be a great decision to give out right at the end of February?  No, you're right, that was probably for the best now that I am healthy when it counts.  You were quite the nuisance but I can rest happy this week having fully recovered.

#6 Thank you to Smith Hill.  You instill fear even into the infamous Heartbreak Hill.  I waged battle against you countless times during this training cycle.  You threw punch after punch at me, hoping I would give up and not conquer you.  I hope we have reached a new level of respect for one another and can move forward as friends.


#7 Thank you to the wind.  You just had to have wild, raging parties for the past few months.  It was very rare to run on a day under 10 mph of wind and I was much more likely to see 20+ mph.  When you come strong at me, in my face, you slow me down and make it difficult to run.  Without you, however, I would not be ready to handle whatever the elements throw at me come Monday.

#8 Thank you to all the Dunkin Donuts' and Starbucks along my running routes.  I am never looking to make a purchase from you.  I enter into you with the sole intention of getting water and leaving as quickly as I can so that I can continue my run.

#9 Thank you to investment.  Since December, I have run 1018.75 miles in 117:55:57 (hours, minutes, seconds).  This marathon thing is not that easy and it takes commitment to go out everyday and try to get better at it.  Running has fully consumed my life and this is why I have trouble not mentioning it.  It's part of who I am and who I want to be.

#10 Thank you to all the haters.  At this point, doubters can suck it.  I just do not understand why people feel the need to put runners down as a whole.  Try to be nice, okay?

So those were my thank you notes.  I tried to mention some very important things to me over the past few months.  My training for this week involves a couple of off days and very low mileage.  There is a lot that I cannot control about the marathon, but I know there is nothing I can change now to help me.  I will surround myself with good people this week and hope for the best.

“I had as many doubts as anyone else. Standing on the starting line, we're all cowards.”

- Alberto Salazar

ONE WEEK UNTIL BOSTON!

Run Happy,
David

If you didn't get the reference to the whole thank-you note layout above, it's what Jimmy Fallon does every Friday night on his late night show.  Enjoy:

The Marathon Beard: It's a thing!

(Hopkinton to Boston)

With just two weeks to go until the Boston Marathon, I will be tapering and making sure that I am able to stand on the start line in Hopkinton ready to go.  This past week, I nailed a great 2 x 6 mile workout with the repeats in 40:55 and 40:40 (6:49 and 6:46).  The target was 10 seconds faster than goal marathon pace.  I also completed my simulator workout on course, running miles 6-23.  I was lucky enough to have someone (Serge) out there with me, helping me take in fluids throughout the run.  I averaged a 6:48 pace for 17.5 miles.  The run included the infamous hills of Newton and I previewed Heartbreak for the first time.  The hills did not seem to be worse than anything I have gone up in Providence (Smith Hill shout out).  I now know that I am ready for my first Boston.  There is nothing more I can do in training at this point.  I am going to be restless for the next two weeks, with my mileage steadily being cut.  It is an exciting time for me right now and I cannot wait for Boston! 

Runners are one of the most superstitious groups of people, myself included.  There is one essential items that I need to ensure that I have to give me confidence come race day.  I keep a CD, called Love and Politics by the Franchize in my running bag.  It fell into my possession following a trip to New York City.  It is some of the worst music I have ever heard, but it is important enough for me to keep with my running stuff.  It is a rap album, that the artist advertised to us as a jazz album on a random street corner.  Another supersition I have going on right now is the growing out of my "marathon beard."  I started to grow it out in March, prior to the New Bedford Half Marathon.  Since that point, I have found success in many of my workouts leading into Boston.  The "marathon beard" has to be a thing because so many greats have gone this route as well:

(Forrest)

(100 yr. old marathoner)

(Ryan Hall)

These famous people have some pretty awesome beards.  I am in some good company here.  The main point that I want to stress is that the next two weeks will have me in a constant panic.  Every time I take a step, I will think that I just pulled a muscle.  I will be obsessive over what I eat and drink.  I will be checking the weather religiously over the next two weeks.  In short, I demand nothing short of perfection.  Things will be crazy at times, but I just need to keep telling myself that I am ready. 

Run Happy,

David