The 2015 Boston Marathon Race Report

I am a strategist….or at least that’s what I aspire to be.

When I started this training cycle, I had some hopes and dreams for the outcome of Boston 2015...namely, I wanted to crush it and run sub 3 hours …or as a secondary goal, run 3:05 (7 minute pace).  

Let’s break down the race day data...and see what happened.

• Time:  
• 3:13:56 (new PR by 35 seconds)

• Heartrate:
• Average HR:  155 (right in the middle of the sub-threshold zone), same HR as 2012 Lansing Marathon (flat, flat, flat), which yielded a 3:19 time.
• First 30 mins average HR: 155
• Last 30 mins average HR: 157
• Upshot:  Good, even, reasonable….probably could push it harder 

• Cadence:
• Average cadence: 176
• First 30 mins average cadence: 174
• Last 30 mins average cadence: 178
• Upshot:  Good, but I do have a sense that focusing more on form might make sense. Need to investigate this more.

• Nutrition: 
• Ate about 1000 calories before the start: two bottle Ensure, bagel, almond butter, Gatorade, Red Bull…my typical pre marathon/Ironman nutrition
• Clif Bloks (100 calories) every five miles
• Saltsticks every five miles
• On course Gatorade and/or water often (75% of aid stations)
• Upshot: worked well on this event

Success and Race Day Decisions

Any day you run a PR is successful, right?!  I cut off 35 seconds. At Boston.  That equals success.

But I didn’t meet my race day goals.  I trained for 3:05 or faster, but really wasn't close to that.

So what happened?  Why so far off?  Here's what happened:  I made a decision before the race to back off my seven-minute goal pace.  I did this because of the hamstring injury I had been struggling with over the last two months, and a bit of self-doubt in the days before Marathon Monday. I made the decision in the interest of my “best bet” at running 3:10 or better, I decided on the following steps:

1. Start the race slower and establish the hamstring was going to be OK.  On race day, I went out at 7:24 and the hammy felt good.
2. Work my way into a 7 minute pace if it felt OK…but most of all, listen to my body even if it meant going slower than 7 minute pace.  Turns out that on race day this pace came in at 7:15.
3. Arrive at mile 16 (start of Newton Hills) and don’t push too hard through the next five miles with hopes of a strong finish.  I averaged 7:36s through these five miles with an average HR of 157……this is a strong data point, I think.
4. Hope to be strong at the top of Heartbreak and fly into the finish.  I averaged 7:35s in this five mile section with and average HR of 157.  Given that average HR I could have pushed harder.  Five beats higher is easily within range for me.  However, just like last year, my quads were hurting so much that running even a slight downhill was painful.  I ran a 7:24 at mile 22 and had some thoughts of it continuing, but mile 23 to 24.5 (all downhill) wasn’t going to have it.  Painful.  A slight uphill and I could have gone faster. It is what it is. I just dug in the best I could and got through it.

How I dream of being strong at the top of Heartbreak.  Probably next year. 

I didn't meet my race day goals; I made strategic decisions in order to have my best race.  I ended up with a marathon PR.

For Boston 2016 Training:

And last, the bigger picture: Running and triathlon continue to fulfill important needs: fitness, friendship and fun in the forties!  I really love this ride, and I'm glad you are on it with me.  Next: triathlon season begins!

• More downhill running at race pace.  I did much better on this than in 2014, but more is needed. 

• Gotta build muscle.  I’ll be 27 this weekend, I mean 47. It makes sense to maintain and/or increase muscle mass.

• Keep the Hansons plan. 

Sincerely,

K. Karr

Strategist