Boston Marathon Race Recap

Earlier this week, I ran in one of the most iconic races of my lifetime.  I ran the 2015 Boston Marathon on behalf of Team Stonyfield.  Weeks of training had led up to this one moment, and I was unsure if I was really ready.

The night before, I laid out all my race gear and my race outfit.  I was not prepared for the cold and rain.  I bought a pair of mens socks to make home made arm sleeves for the race.  It worked to keep my arms/hands warm… although in the end I was chaffed so bad from the wet/cotton.  Lesson learned.

I fueled with my BelVita breakfast cookie and a banana with Nuun Hydration and lots of water.  I was up and ready to head out by 7AM.  However, because of the late start, I hung out in my room till 8:30 when I received a text from Laura.

I met Laura and Jill at the Boston Common to catch a bus to the race start.  The energy and buzz was exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time.

We arrived at the Athletes’ Village where there were thousands of athletes gearing up for the race of a life time.  We all were cold and searching for the sea of blue port-o-potties.  Thank goodness there wasn’t too long of a line.  Plus the race coordinators put up a huge tent with sides to block the cold wind and rain to keep us kind of warm and dry before we started.

Before we knew it, the announcers were instructing everyone to head to the start line.  We were in Wave 4 Coral 6 with all the other charity runners.  Exciting times.  The photo below is all the people behind me… and there were probably over 20,000 people in front of me!

As we shuffled forward, I took off my sweatpants.  I decided to keep on my sweatshirt because I was just so cold.  It was already raining while we waited to cross the starting line, and I wanted to stay as warm/dry as possible.

I am thankful to have started this race with Jill, Laura and Angela.  We were filled with giggles and eager anticipation.  After talking with Jill, we decided to run together.  Our training runs had been pretty close in time (she was a bit faster than me) and we were up for the company on the run.

We kept moving forward, and before we knew it we were crossing the start line timing mats.  We were off!

Before I start my recap, I do want to share that I did wear my Polar M400 GPS watch to log my race.   I did not wear my heart rate monitor.  I wanted to run completely by feel and heart.  I also had my watch only show the distance covered.  I rarely looked down at my watch because it was off by .58 of a mile from weaving through the crowd and not running the tangents of the course correctly.

Miles 1-6

The first six miles were all downhill.  There were a few small rolling hills mixed in to keep things interesting, but these miles were so much fun and filled with high energy.

We were instructed to start slow because these down hills at the beginning of the race will bite us in the end.  I knew our pace was faster than what we had planned… but it just felt right and we went for it.  I felt good and wanted to enjoy that moment for as long as I could.

It was very crowded.  I think I got elbowed a few times and almost tripped over other runners shoes because it was very congested these starting miles.  I tried not to bob and weave, but it was hard when people would go from running to stopping right in front of you… or be walking 4 deep.

I ditched my soaking wet (heavy) sweatshirt somewhere in those first few miles.  I was nervous to lose my layer of warmth/protection from the wind/rain… but I felt better once that heavy layer was shed.

Mile 1 – 9:49
Mile 2 – 10:19
Mile 3 – 10:25
Mile 4 – 9:23
Mile 5 – 10:20
Mile 6 – 9:45
10K time: 1:03:38 (average pace 10:14)

I did walk and take in hydration at the majority of the water stations (starting at mile 2).  It was a great mental break to see the huge line of orange volunteers handing out water and Gatorade.  We would run to the orange, take in hydration while power walking, then take off running again at the end of the water station.

Miles 6-12

These miles flew by!  It seemed like every few steps there was another hydration station.  I would continue my run/walk strategy of running to the orange and then recovering.  It was working, and I liked the mental break.

The crowds were amazing and SO loud (often deafening at times).  Jill and I enjoyed dancing and fist pumping to Sweet Caroline and other loud music that blared along the course.  We high-fived kiddos and adults along the course.

These miles were what I would classify as my run all day miles… I felt great, even though I was anxious about the hills that were coming ahead.

Mile 7 – 10:12
Mile 8 – 10:01
Mile 9 – 9:55
Mile 10 – 9:55
Mile 11 – 10:13
Mile 12 – 10:31

Mile 13 – 10:01
Mile 13.1 – 2 :14:23 average pace 10:15

At the half marathon point, Jill and I stopped amidst the crazy cheering crowds encouraging (yelling!) us to run fastAH and keep running.  We took a selfie at the halfway point and posted it to our facebook wall.  We were having so much fun!

It took me a while to get my phone out of the plastic baggie because my hands and fingers were frozen (they weren’t working or moving right).  After fumbling with my phone and pack, we were headed off for the second half of the race… with smiles on our face!

Miles 14-16

These three miles were all about keeping the momentum going.  We knew there were some monster hills approaching and we were anxiously waiting for them.

Mile 14 – 10:32
Mile 15 – 10:46
Mile 16 – 10:16

Miles 16-21

Hills!  There were some monster uphill’s… as well as downhill’s during this section of the course.  Not going to lie, these up hill and then down hill rollers were killing my hip flexors and quads.  By this point I felt my stride shorten and mental attitude shift.  I remember saying out loud to Jill, multiple times, We are having fun! We are running the Boston Marathon! We can do this!  I just needed to remind myself because it was starting to get hard… and cold!

Mile 17 – 10:51
Mile 18 – 10:59
Mile 19 – 10:55
Mile 20 – 11:15
Mile 21 – 12:15

Mile 21 was the infamous Heart Break Hill.  It wasn’t necessarily super steep… it was just a long (never-ending) hill after all those rollers the previous miles.  To break up the hill (and previous hills) we would run to markers along the course and then recover.  Let’s run to the white flag and then recover to that tent.  It helped break up the hill as well as let us catch our breath.

Miles 22-24

The crowd kept reminding us that there were no more hills after heart break hill.  They were wrong.  There were more rolling hills… not as steep or as long as the previous miles, but hills nonetheless.  Those hills on tired, cold legs while running… was not a good sign.

My wheels were starting to fall off.  Yikes. Not a good sign.  This is where I am so thankful to have had Jill running with me.  I would have given up during these miles if it weren’t for her running with me.

Mile 22 – 10:35
Mile 23 – 10:36
Mile 24 – 11:20

During those last miles, my lungs and heart were doing great… my legs were shot.  Yet I kept on running and moving forward.  My brain was in its own world at times… zoning out.  Somewhere in those last few miles, I remember Jill looking down at her watch.  She made the comment that if we kept the pace and picked it up the final stretch I would get a monster PR.

Now, I wasn’t looking at my mile splits or the time, so I had no idea what this meant.  I just knew that I doubted that I had anything in me to push harder those last few miles.  Heck, I found myself wanting to walk more and run less.

Final 2.2 miles

The last 2.2 miles were a complete blur.  The crowds were large and loud.  The rain was starting to pour down.  The wind was gusting at our cold soaked bodies as we headed in to Boston.  I was so excited and happy… yet at the same time was so ready to finish so I could warm up.

Mile 25 – 10:52
Mile 26 – 10:03

I completed the 2015 Boston Marathon in 4:41:26. 

My race time was not a personal best… but it was by far the most memorable race experience to date!  Cold. Wet. Rain. Wind.  The running community is one amazing group of humans and I am so thankful and blessed to be a part of this crazy group!

The above photo is of me crossing the finish line.  I am on the far right in the blue capris with the orange tank and visor.  If only you could see my face, it was a look of sheer determination to find those warming blankets.  Mama was cold.

The warming blankets were awesome.  The volunteer who put mine on me was SO patient and kind.  I was shivering like crazy and was unable to really use my fingers.  Weird, right!?

As we made our way down Boylston Street (through the finishing shoot) we got our medal, snacks, and eventually parted ways.  Jill went to go meet her friend, and I headed (power walked) to my hotel to take a hot bath AND a hot shower.  No ice baths for me!  I needed to warm up! Ha!

I can honestly say that because of Jill… and running with her… the 26.2 miles FLEW BY!  Seriously!  It was the fastest and quickest (feeling) run I have had in the longest time.  She made my run, and I am forever grateful for her friendship, encouragement, and sticking with me those later miles when my wheels fell off (those darn Newtown hills!)

No music… in fact, I threw out my headphones during the race.  My fingers were too cold to continue fumbling with my pack and phone.  Plus with the rain, I didn’t want to ruin my phone.  AND the crowds were so amazing (and loud) that music wasn’t really needed.

There you have it.  My 2015 Boston Marathon race recap.  I have now completed 3 full marathons.  I still love running.  I still love the marathon distance.  I would love to run another full marathon again in the future… but for now I am going to enjoy the recover and rest part of my training.

I want to send out a HUGE THANK YOU to Stonyfield Yogurt for making this whole thing possible.  Thank you!

Thank YOU for your kind words and support as I struggled with my training runs and began doubting myself leading up to the race.  YOUR love, support, prayers and kind words really mean the world to me.  Thank you!