Run to Win

I knew that the Boston Marathon was going to close early this year. In fact, I expected it to close between Christmas and the New Year and no longer allow entrants in the same year as the race for the first time in race history.

I was only partially right, however. Registration for the marathon closed yesterday, November 13^th. It is the first time I have ever seen it close earlier than late January.

So, if you are registered for the race, congratulations! If you delayed registering, then what race are you going to run?

(More Info: Press Release)

The Boston Marathon is quite an experience, and this week I’ve read quite a few reports that capture what it feels like to be part of it. This is Mike Girouard’s view of the marathon from the first corral. I met Mike at the 2009 Boston Indoor Games. If you’d like to know more about him, he has recently started a new blog at giromike.blogspot.com.

This was easily the most relaxed I have ever been going into a Boston Marathon, my 4th one. After finally deciding to do it in January, I went into it with one goal: to enjoy it. I wanted to, for once, appreciate the whole marathon experience. I didn’t feel like there was any way I’d be ready to duplicate the kind of race I had at Bay State in October so soon (2:49:19) and I didn’t have the energy to try. And I really wanted to enjoy it. For once. That seemed like a good goal. Enjoy the Boston Marathon.
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The Boston Marathon is quite an experience, and this week I’ve read quite a few reports that capture what it feels like to be part of it. I’ll be reprinting a few of them here, starting with Candice Chappell’s report of her first time running Boston. I met Candice through the Running Ahead forums, where she is a frequent commenter.

The day didn’t start out quite how I had pictured it. Deanna, Ben, Tony & I headed down to the shuttle from our hotel at 6:30 am. I couldn’t decide if I was happy to be up and moving around 4 hours before the race or not. I went with happy though… there was the usual pre-marathon tweakishness in the air, but somehow there was also an overpowering feeling of calm.

I was ready for this and I knew it. I believed in my training, and in how far I had come… there was no way I could wait any longer. This was the day I had to put it all out there. It was time to shine.

The shuttle took us from our hotel to the school buses that would take us to Athletes Village. This is when things started to fall into becoming exactly how I had pictured them… a bunch of runners, riding on a bus for 45 minutes so that they could turn around and run back the 26.2 miles they had just traversed. Seemed kinda silly.

When we arrived at Athletes Village we had roughly two hours to spare (correct me if I’m wrong) we spent the first half of this- it seemed- in line for the porta jon. Somehow we had gotten into the line with apparently the most non competitive runners in Athletes Village. (read: slowest moving line)

A porta jon would become available and they would just stand around with circus music playing in their head, apparently. Ben, Deanna and I did what we could to motivate them… telling them they could do it, that they were looking strong, as well as clapped when they finally decided to make their move toward a vacant one.
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Just yesterday, Kara Goucher was considering the London Marathon. It took about a day or so, but her coach, Alberto Salazar, has talked her out of running.

The AP is listing her possible attempt at running London 6 days after Boston as having been unprecedented, but I know that that isn’t true. At least 5 people ran both in 2005, when London fell the day before Boston.

Pam Reed not only ran London and then flew over the pond to run in Boston, but also ran from Boston to Hopkinton before the start to get over 50 miles in on the day.

While it is probably the wiser move for Kara not to run next weekend, it still would have been awesome had she managed to have another great performance in such a short span of time.

(Photo Credit: Roger Morse – Less Info: Associated Press)

Try to imagine that you have an honest chance of winning the Boston Marathon.

You run the marathon, and there are still 8 women in the lead pack past 20 miles because the pace is so slow (remember, you have an honest chance of winning!)

Then imagine that you are outsprinted in the last mile to finish 5 seconds behind the winner and 4 seconds behind 2^nd place. You ran a great race, but you fell a little short of your own expectations.

What is your first thought?

If you said, “Kick back and party, then go run the London Marathon in 6 days,” then you just might be Kara Goucher…(video after the break)
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It was a fun but tiring weekend, so details will be forthcoming later. In the meantime, I’ve got a few announcements:

• I’ve uploaded my photos of the marathon.
• I haven’t had a chance to look at the video I shot yet.
• Congratulations to the Dirigo runners, especially to Sheri Piers who finished in 11^th place with a time of 2:37:01 (less than 5 minutes behind the winners!)
• Universal Sports has continuing coverage on their website:
  • On Demand Race Coverage
  • Men’s Highlights
  • Women’s Highlights
• Here is another photo gallery worth looking through, this time by Roger Morse.

I received an email this morning from Patrick Vesely at Universal Sports, who will be providing live coverage online on Monday for the Boston Marathon. Here are the details for those who can’t be there live to watch it in person:

Universal Sports will provide live, worldwide coverage of the 113th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20 via Universal Sports TV and UniversalSports.com. Fans can tune-in to watch the world’s top marathon runners compete head-to-head in this coveted event.

Four-time Boston Marathon winner, Robert Cheruiyot from Kenya and USA Olympians Ryan Hall, Brian Sell and Kara Goucher lead an Elite field through the streets of Boston.

Fans can visit UniversalSports.com/marathon to watch the Marathon LIVE or find where Universal Sports TV is being offered.

What: BAA Boston Marathon
Day: Monday, April 20
Time: 9:30am ET LIVE

UniversalSports.com/marathon will have the On-Demand Coverage available along with up-to-date broadcast schedules, breaking news, video highlights, special features, photo galleries and more.

I am going to be watching the race live, but if you can’t make it to Boston on Monday then at least you have some options. You can watch the race on their cable channel if you get it, otherwise it will be available on the web.

One advantage for you is that you will probably know who won the race before I will, but I’d rather watch them run by…

Greg Meyer will be speaking at the Maine Running Company this Thursday, April 16^th, 2009. Greg Meyer is the last American man to win the Boston Marathon with his 2:09:00 in 1983. He has formerly held 2 world records (15K and 10 miles) and 10 American records (8K, 10K, 15K, 25K, and 10 miles.)

He will share his experiences with Boston, and along with the Maine Running Company coaches (Mike Gaige, John Rogers, and myself) he will be discussing how you can get ready for your first marathon or half marathon.

If you have some spare time and are in the Portland, Maine area this Thursday evening, I recommend stopping by. The normal training group run will begin at 6:00 and the 1^st Time Marathoner clinic will begin at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome.

The event is free, but if you are planning on attending, please register in advance at the Maine Running Company.