Boston Marathon Report

This year marked the 114th running of the Boston Marathon and I trekked to Boston to experience this part of running culture.  

We arrived on the Friday before the race to "typical" New England weather - i.e. it had been beautiful, but had changed to miserable for our visit.  It was in the 40's, rainy, and forecast to stay that way through Monday's race.  Luckily, Massachusetts has a Dunkin Donuts on every corner to keep you warm and caffeinated!  

I didn't get my pre-race mailer until I returned to Wilmington, so I was a little confused that such a well established race didn't provide you with more information.  For example, I went to packet pick-up at 4pm on Saturday (they recommend avoiding the huge crowd between 2 and 6pm) and it was a mass of humanity.  Making it more fun, the subway that serves packet pick up (Green Line) also serves Fenway Park and the Red Sox were in town.  

Speaking of the Sox, we caught the Sunday game.  Although Boston lost, it is always fun to go to the ballpark.  What better way to stay off your feet pre-race? 

Thankfully, the weather cleared for race day.  It was a bit cold in the school field in Hopkinton, and next time I'll bring a blanket or other gear to keep me warm for the couple hours you sit and wait for the call to head to the corrals.  However, it warmed up to be a beautiful 50 deg / sunny day.  

The race starts really smoothly due to the strict corral system.  Little kids are lined up for the first couple of miles high fiving any runner that comes near them.  I was grinning ear to ear and giving a high five to any kid I passed.  I figured this would end quickly, but the crowd and cheering kids were pretty steady all the way to Boston.  

The first 8 miles are mostly downhill and the course is pretty easy until mile 16.  You then enter Newton and some rolling hills.  Heartbreak Hill is really not that bad except that it comes at Mile 20 and is the last hill in the famed "Newton Hills". 

They keep you moving at the finish (stopping to stretch gets a visit from a medical volunteer) through a series volunteers with drinks, snacks, medals, your dry clothes bag, etc.  Process from finish line to end of the procession with my bag was about 25min.  I then got a much appreciated massage from one of the great volunteers in the massage / chiropractic area (they offered both).     

Highlights were the kids along the course, the Wellesley College girls screaming (they are louder than the crowd at the finish) and looking for kisses, the Boston College students (they're rowdy too, but Wellesley has 'em beat), seeing my parents along the course (races are usually too far away for them), and the fantastic volunteers!

Note:  New course record of 2:05:52 was set this year by Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot of Kenya.  (He only out-kicked me the last 26.2).

I know people planning to run this race in the future and I think my arm could be twisted to go back...

Gator Trail Race Report

OK, as usual this post is a little late, but hey life is hectic...


Anyway, March 27th was the Gator Trail 50K in Lake Waccamaw, NC.  This is a great race consisting of 6 laps through the Lake Waccamaw State Park.  Most of the course is trails with just a few hundred yards here and there on pavement.  The run is a pretty low key affair and has a real family / friendly feel to it.   


This year, the weather was beautiful - 50-60deg and sunny.  A real change from last year, which was probably 30 degrees warmer and humid.  


The leaders came through the first lap at around 8:00 - 8:05 pace, which about a half dozen of us in the lead group (including my father in law).  I loved this, as I had a deal with my coach (Paul DeWitt) that I owed him a dollar for every minute I slowed down on my last lap compared to the first.  

Jim Dewitt Leading us across the boardwalk on Lap 1

As soon as we started lap 2 a few guys took off and starting running a more aggressive pace.  I didn't want to let them get too far ahead and so went with them.  After lap 2, there were 3 of us in the lead group.  

Lap 3 and 4 were just more of the same, with the 3rd place runner falling off a bit and leaving 2 of us to go for the win.  I was impressed that the leader was able to hold up as well as he did.  His nutrition plan seemed to be water once every lap and that was about it.  Didn't seem like a good way to fuel and ultra to me, but he was holding up pretty well.  

Lap 5 I had to duck into an outhouse and had my slowest lap of the day.  I came out not knowing if I had been passed or not, and just went back to work.  

I came to the start of lap 6 hearing that I was in second, 3min down on the leader who was starting to slow.  I had saved something for the last lap (forget the money, pride meant I didn't want to give my coach a single penny) and took off after the leader.  I caught him probably 1.5 - 2 miles into the lap and didn't seem to get a response (maybe his nutrition plan finally caught up with him?).  A few miles later I captured my second Gator Trail victory and running my last lap faster than my first!

  Coming to the Finish

Thanks to Grant Egley for putting on another great race!

Sunday Run

Anyone up for a long run tomorrow, just get up with me.  


Nothing too early, I want to give the sun time to warm things up a little bit... 


Thinking a couple hours +/- with Henry.  


You know you want to run with us....

Gene Doping? Really?

A story on gene doping aired on today's "Talk of the Nation, Science Friday" on NPR.  Apparently, this is projected to be the next big thing in sports cheating. 

Why worry about buying EPO when you can have gene therapy to just make more of it in your body?  I guess I shouldn't be surprised...  Sports Illustrated had a little blurb in the latest issue that 30 people were disqualified from a Chinese marathon for using public transportation and / or giving their timing chip to a faster runner.  You also hear about the stunts of age groupers in little local races.  So, if this is what people will do for a silly little trophy, the lure of gene doping would probably be even more attractive when a sponsorship deal with Wheaties is on the line...

However, what happens to your body when you have been producing unnaturally high levels of EPO or any other compound for years?  Will Dr. Frankenstein turn off your genetic modifications after your competitive years?  

I was also horrified to hear that there is a Pro-Doping Agency.  The guest on the program (Theodore Friedmann with the World Anti-Doping Agency) indicated that these clowns even favor allowing people to have surgical implants such as webbing (think swimmers) to improve performance.    

You can hear the story here.

BTW - If I place at the Boston Marathon, check my pockets for a T pass...

More Barefoot / Midfoot Thoughts

Continuing the thoughts of the previous post, the following links arrived in my inbox recently and thought might be of interest:


"Running Barefoot Kicks Up Mixed Emotions"


"Run Softly, Naturally"


I do disagree with Mr. Plaatjes quoted in the first link.  He owns the Boulder Running Company, where I first found relief from my horrendous form.  They sold me a motion control shoe and ignored the root cause of the problem (i.e. my form).  This worked for a while, but eventually caught up with me.  I have since taken several steps down in support, even doing some of my running barefoot or in the Vibram 5 Fingers.  Note that the root cause (bad technique) had to be addressed during this process.  


That said, I don't think I would go from a motion control shoe to running a marathon barefoot.  Patience and working gradually is probably advised...  
  

We Are Supposed to Run Barefoot

I have become a fan of barefoot running or running in the Vibram 5 Fingers shoes.  I think it helps form and helps train the nervous and sensory systems.  I have really noticed the difference when running rough trails in the 5 Fingers compared to my "normal" running shoes.  Now, all the above is purely anecdotal, non-scientific, and only my opinion (i.e. probably B.S.).

Or is it?  This story was on yesterday's broadcast of NPR's "All Things Considered":

Study:  Humans Were Born to Run Barefoot  

Summing it up, they found that barefoot runners had less collisional force during footfall when compared to those wearing running shoes.  Those in shoes were also much more prone to heel strike.  

Interesting....  Maybe I'm not completely full of B.S.  Or then again....

Mt Washington Wind Gust Now in 2nd Place

Being a New Englander and having spent some great days on Mt Washington, I was very disappointed this morning to read that the record for highest recorded wind speed on the surface of the Earth has been stolen by the Aussies (first the America's Cup and now THIS!).  


Apparently, a 253 mph wind gust was recorded in 1996 on Australia's Barrow Island during Cyclone Olivia.  This tops the 231 mph "Big Wind" recorded at the summit of Mt Washington on April 12, 1934.  The Aussies were so wrapped up in their Kangaroos and boomerangs that they failed to notice they had the record until recently.


More information: here


At least Mt Washington can still claim Tuckerman's Ravine and Huntington Ravine and the host of outdoor activities one can enjoy there.  According to Wikipedia (source of all things factual, I know) "Barrow Island is noted for its flat spinifex grasslands spotted with termite mounds."  Personally, I'll stick with the Presidential Range... 

Tuckerman's Ravine