Boston 2011 Part 1-Pre Race

So it all led to this. Really, it was 12 months of thinking about and getting ready for this race again. The focus on a half last fall was really about getting faster to get ready for this race again. More miles and more quality that I've ever done to get ready for this race. Averaged nearly 75 mpw since December. Twice ran 10k PR's as tempo runs.

The taper went well. Nothing very notable about it, though I did run the fastest 3 miles of my life in my 3 x 1 mile workout about 11 days before the race, they were all right at 5:42, 5:39, 5:42 with 3 minute rests. That was certainly encouraging. I also really worked on the weight and got down to 164 on Thursday before the race. I don't think I weighed myself again after that. I also really maintained the strength work, mainly good core work every other day, through the taper up until Thursday. I felt strong and light.

I flew to Boston on Saturday morning. Gave a few tips on the plane from Chicago to an older guy running Boston for the first time. I T-ed it to the hotel, checked in and headed to the expo with Richard. He met some folks there, I got my number and shirt and powered through quickly, it was too crazy there. Only bought arm warmers in fear of a potentially cold morning on Monday. On the way back, Eamon and I hit the Shaw's for provisions. Went over to Jury's bar (ah, wish we could have stayed there again) and met Jeff V. and Jay F. and their wives for a drink, Troy and Eamon showed up too. We then headed to the N. End for dinner to Ricardo's. They had a nice big table for 14 of us and we had a nice relaxed meal. The food was pretty great I must say. Here is a pic from dinner, with Jay to my right and Troy to my left.

Then of course Mike's (one traditional for me) before walking over to the BeerWorks.

After two more beers at BeerWorks, I probalby should have stopped. But I did not. I drank WAAAAAY too much. Carol showed up with Marlene. Nick showed up. I met people who I currently have no recollection of meeting.

I apparently had so much to drink that I slept through major calf cramps in both legs. I woke up feeling like I'd done 20 miles in Vibrams, my calves were that sore. I was terribly hung over. I was concerned I just might have wrecked my race.

I got up and had coffee and went with Nick and D over to the common for a run. I did my fast mile and couple of minutes all out for the Aussie carbo load and started with the UltraFuel when I got back to the hotel. I apparently did not bring enough as I only made two big gatorade bottles of it, but I snacked on pita chips throughout the day as well.

Nick and D and I walked over the expo to get her number and then had lunch at Uno's. Stomach was not right and I pounded water. After lunch, I lay in a dark hotel room napping on and off during the Spurs game. Got up around 4.15, walked over to Jury's, but didn't see anyone and then just walked around Copley a bit. I met up with Rafa and Kircher and his dad, and Nick and D, in the hotel lobby to head over to the N. End again. The restaurant first tried to say they didn't have my name but I made them recheck "the book" instead of "the list" and they found us. Decent meal, I actually think Saturday night was better. The portions were ludicrously huge. Mike's again for some of us afterwards and then relatively early to bed. I had a hard time getting to sleep because of the nap, but once asleep actually slept pretty well.