Lame, Late Boston report

OK, I need to get this off my chest and close this chapter in my running career. I wasn't sure if I'd write a report due to my dissatisfaction with my huge collapse/bonk. The title pretty much sums up my performance at the race. Looking back I can identify 2 major mistakes I made that probably helped contribute to the outcome. One was running 200m strides and hills the day before when it wasn't on my schedule. This is a workout that a guy from my club runs and I ran in 2012 before Chicago that got me a PR. So instead of just running a nice easy shakeout run with the club I ran this with him and a few others. The other was not taking hydration early and regularly. I relied on 2 gels and water. The day seemed perfect temp wise but that was deceptive due to the bright sunshine and steady rise in temps toward 70'sF eventually. My training was spotty at times but fairly solid and consistent so that wouldn't cause my late race crash as much as it may have slightly contributed. So basically besides the tributes, emotions, and the significance of this race things started off fairly normal for me with a nice conservative pace at about 7:35. I may have had a couple in the 7:45 range but overall I was clicking off 7:30 or less miles through 16. Then 7:53, 8:08, 8:05.. 8:51, 10:11, 9:43, 10:09, 10:57.. 12:25, 12:22  . Somewhere in mile 20 the wheels started coming off. A guy saw me stop and came up behind and suggested we help each other so we walked to a light pole ran one then walked 1 ran 2 for quite a while. I tried taking a bunch of hydration to compensate but started to feel a stitch coming on so I danced between calf cramping and complete collapse especially in those last 2 miles. I did spend a lot of time talking to the crowd, thanking, and fiving even though I felt like crap. Final result 3:43, my worst of my 11 marathons to date. The aids asked how I was and I told them a little dizzy so they wheeled me to the tent and laid me in the shade. It made me nauseous to lay down and have my feet elevated so I got up and drank a big Gatorade endurance and suddenly felt normal again so it was clear I was dehydrated. This is my 55-59 AG PR so I'm definitely not done. Should be something I can improve on Lord will'n. So my 2014 Boston was as the title states, lame late. Overall this year in Boston was a positive experience with closure beginning to be made, to move on and never forget the victims and their families and to never take evil lightly. The best quote from the weekend: "Love wins hate loses!"

Sorry it sucked. Sometimes, it just does. I think the heat/hydration was the culprit on a tough course and an emotional day. Like you said, time to move on.

Yep, that sounds like a massive glycogen bonk with a big dose of dehydration thrown in for good measure. The weather conditions that day were deceptively tough, and you aren't the only person who got blind-sided. Next time, it'll be a lot better. Recover well.

Sorry that the race wasn't what you wanted, but it is a deceptively tough course (I've run it 16 times and run parts numerous other times and I think I finally got it - for once) and it was deceptively warm as well.  I think many runners missed on the "warm" part that day and paid for it.

It was good to see you on Saturday night though at dinner.  

Hope your wife is doing well.

Thanks for your report, Steve.  Through the good races and the bad ones, we can learn something of value.  Sorry that you had a difficult one.  The warmer temps early in the year are more challenging.  Live and learn.... next time is bound to be better.

On to the next one, should be a good one.

Tough day out there Steve. We both had the wheels come off. At least the last few miles you took in the experience with the crowds. I wish I had done that instead of running p'd off that everything was falling apart.  You'll nail this next time. Congrats on finishing a tough day.