Tuesday, April 17, 2012

My Seventh Boston Marathon in a Row

Yes this was my 7th Boston Marathon. It was WICKED HOT!
I kept to my plan and did not run faster than 8:30/mi. I took 5 GUs, 3 salt capsules (mi. 5, 11, 19) and 1/2 a bag of Sports Beans. Also I took bananas and oranges from spectators. But the best thing was the spray tunnels at the Fire Stations and the ICE that wonderful spectators gave me. They were lifesavers!!!
I ran a 4:18:10 and if I hadn't had such a miserable Hyannis Marathon I would say it was all the heat but...
I got to see a lot in the third wave. People were walking before Wellesley and that was not good. The people walking were 3 and 4 abreast which was not good for running but I'm sure they were too tired to think.
I saw a Dana Farber pair, each person running is running for someone who has cancer and they wait for their runner at mile 25. It was a wonderful moment to watch and it gave me chills, which was great for such a hot day.
After I finished a women came up to me and said she had been behind me for a long time and that I had run a great race. That meant a lot.
I ride to the marathon on the Hartford Track bus; most of the runners are younger and faster and don't know what it takes to keep running in their 60s. I was talking to the bus driver before the race and after we got back to Manchester to drive home he said to me as I got off the bus if I finished. I said yes in 4:18:10 and he said that was good. I said yes it was.
I'm not sure if the future will be kind and I will be able to run Boston again but I'm going to try to keep my streak alive.

No comments: