Before the Race: The Boston Experience

Typically when I write my race reports I include a section called "Before the Race." In the case of
Boston, I think "Before the Race" deserves its own blog post.

In front of the #RunBold wall at the Expo

Friday
Greg and I left our house shortly before noon on Friday. I put on my jacket for the first time to actually wear instead of just trying it on. I love this jacket! We had lunch, drove to my mom's house, and she dropped us off at National Airport. We had a slight hiccup with our flight, in that the seats we originally reserved at the front of the plane in December had been taken from us, and now we were assigned to the very back of the aircraft. My concern with this was that we'd be in a later boarding group and our carry-on items wouldn't fit. I definitely did not want my race bag out of my site. So I was able to negotiate boarding group 1 with the the person at the counter, ensuring that there was enough room for our bags.

We arrived in Boston on time and took a cab to our hotel-- the Marriott Copley Square. This hotel is at the center of all the action. It's actually connected to the expo hall, and just three blocks from the finish line. I had booked it a year in advance!

Shortly after arriving to the hotel and dropping off our bags, we made our way to the expo/packet pickup. There were no lines and I was able to get my bib and try on my shirt quickly. When the volunteer handed me my bib I got super excited! It looked so official in its plastic wrapping. I was on cloud nine! She asked me which number Boston this was for me. "One," I replied, smiling. "Ooooh, how exciting!" She said.

Love this bib number! 9448 is the number of the house I grew up in.

As we entered the expo hall, there was a huge wall of names. I had seen this done at the Nike Women's half marathon, and it was so cool to find my name! It's amazing how something so small (literally) can make you feel like such a rock star.

My name! 

I told myself in advance that I would allow myself to get as much Boston Marathon gear as my heart desired. And so I did! Thankfully it wasn't very crowded on Friday evening, so they were fully stocked and there was enough room to maneuver around easily. I already knew that I wanted to get pants, shorts, a tank, a hat, a long-sleeved shirt and the unicorn spike.

I love this unicorn! 

Shopping spree!

We didn't have time to go into the rest of the expo, so we figured we could do that on Saturday. I know you aren't supposed to spend a ton of time on your feet at race expos, but hey- it's Boston and for me this trip is mostly about the experience.

Greg and I ate dinner at Atlantic Fish, a seafood restaurant very close to the expo. The food was phenomenal. I got a shrimp and scallop risotto and the fresh warm bread was amazing. For dessert, we shared a peppermint ice cream pie. YUM!

After dinner we headed back to the hotel and I fell asleep very easily. I did wake up in the middle of the night and was awake for about an hour, but then easily feel back asleep. Given the fact that the hotel bed was really soft (and I prefer firm) and that I was so activated with everything, it's amazing I slept as well as I did.

Saturday
On Saturday morning, Greg ran the B.A.A. 5K. The race started and finished about a mile from our hotel and I was able to catch him at two different points. Greg ran the Rock 'n' Roll DC marathon about five weeks ago, had recovered from that, and had done a few workouts in preparation.

I really enjoyed watching this race, seeing the elites go by, and then seeing Greg. It was a perfect morning for running and I loved the vibe. Surprisingly, there weren't a ton of spectators. I was able to stand wherever I wanted and I got some pretty good shots of him.

Greg at the B.A.A. 5K

For this race, the runners self-select their corral, which means anyone can start anywhere. Greg started toward the front of the 6:00-6:59 corral, and still was forced to run the race at a pace of 8:00 for the first half mile, due to slower people starting up front. Thankfully, the crowd thinned for him and he ended up with a 21:31. Truly amazing after taking so much recovery from the marathon, and only doing 2-3 speed workouts in between.

While I was moving from my first spectating spot to my second, I fortuitously ran into my coach! He called out my name and I was pleasantly surprised to see him. I had actually never met him in person before, so it was really cool to finally see him. We only chatted briefly because he needed to get to a different spectating spot.

After the 5K, we returned to our hotel and got ready to go back to the expo. I had three things I wanted to do: meet the people at UCAN who I have been working with over the past month, buy body glide, and get some Boston Marathon non-running clothing (like a t-shirt and sweatshirt). I met up with the UCAN team, and they were super nice. I told one of the guys what my nutrition plan was for the race and he said he thought it would work really well. I used this plan during the 24-miler, and that was successful, so I am confident now in my nutrition plan. I've also started using the UCAN Hydrate product this week. I didn't train with it because I didn't need the electrolytes in my 30-50 degree training weather. But since it's supposed to be warm on Monday, I need that now.

I bought body glide that has SPF 30 in it, so I won't have to use two separate products. Also, I plan bring body glide to the start with me, so I needed another tube. I plan to be dumping lots and lots of water on myself, so I will need to body glide intensely, as if it's raining!

I also found a booth where they were selling cooling wristbands. I know that if you can keep the inside of your wrist cool, it helps keep the entire body cool. These wristbands are made of a special material that cool the body to 30 degrees lower when wet. I figured it was worth a shot. They are a little large for my wrists so if they slide around and get annoying, I can just ditch them-- they weren't expensive. I'll take whatever help I can get in staying cool on Monday.

After the expo, Greg and I had lunch at Luke's Lobster. I was craving an authentic Lobster roll, and we ended up getting that plus a shrimp roll and a crab roll!

Lobstah roll!

After lunch, we relaxed for a bit, and then met up with one of my friends in our hotel Starbucks. And then we met up with one of Greg's college friends at a nearby restaurant. Followed by meeting up with another friend for dinner! On the way to dinner, we were able to get some photos of me near the finish line. It was packed! There was so much excitement around it and I can't wait to cross it on Monday.

Boston Marathon Finish Line

After dinner, we returned the hotel and fell asleep at 8:20. We were exhausted from all that walking. I really didn't like the fact that I had walked over 13,000 steps on a day when I was supposed to be resting my legs, but that's part of Boston. Today should involve less walking because we are not returning the expo, I am not spectating Greg in a race, and we are not meeting up with as many people.

I tried not to look at the forecast too much throughout the day, but of course it was a topic of discussion with most everyone because it definitely changes your race strategy. On Saturday night, I slept pretty well. I was awake for about an hour again in the middle of the night, but I slept for a total of 8 hours, which is great.

Sunday
On Sunday morning, my training plan called for a 30-minute shakeout run. I met up with my coach, the rest of the McMillan coaching staff (including Greg McMillan himself) and other McMillan runners. We ran along the Charles river and we saw Meb running in the opposite direction! How awesome to "run into" Meb! It was also cool to meet some of the other McMillan runners and hear their stories.

My coach (left) and Greg McMillan (right)

After the run, I chatted with my coach about my race plan.  I expressed some concerns about the weather and he told me that if I felt really hot, I should pour lots of water over myself at each station. I had been planning on doing that anyway. Even though the forecast is cooler than originally expected (two days ago they were calling for the low 70's), I am still not acclimated to anything above 60 degrees. I really struggle in the heat when I am not acclimated, so even if it's 65 and sunny, that could slow me down by as much as 20-30 seconds per mile. Right now the warmest it should be is 66 degrees during the Newton hills. Then it should cool off as I head toward Boston.

Ultimately, my coach and I agreed that we don't really know how the weather will affect me. The important thing is that I am really well trained right now and primed to set a PR. So, we just discussed the strategy that we'd talked about previously over email. (More on this later). As of right now, my goal pace is 7:55-8:05, which is slower than originally planned, but will still yield a significant PR and BQ. If I feel really good, I could run faster. I'm not going to rule that out.

We also talked my strategy for running the downhills and how I would approach the Newton hills. It was so great to meet my coach in person after having worked with him for nearly two years. And it was awesome meeting Greg McMillan as well.

After the shake out run, I laid out my gear for the race.

Race Gear!

After relaxing in the hotel room for a bit, Greg and I went out for lunch. I had salmon teriyaki with a side of a pancake. Odd, but it was a good mix of protein and carbs. We then went to the pre-race meeting hosted by Greg McMillan.

The meeting was really, really helpful. I had exchanged emails with my coach about my race plan, and I had attended a webinar that Greg McMillan hosted about Boston strategy, but the meeting was great a calming my nerves and preparing me. He went over everything from how you should plan out your morning, how to best run the course, and how you should be mentally prepared for the different parts of the course. The strategy that he recommends is even pace-- not even effort. He said that even pace at Boston is like negative splitting a flat course, such as Chicago. So for the first 15 miles, marathon pace should feel easy. And then once you hit the Newton hills, you increase the effort level to maintain the same pace. A lot of people slow down here, and if I slow down a little bit, I'm okay with that. But I don't want to fall off my target pace too much. He told us what to expect for the last six miles, and how to prepare mentally for it.

Greg McMillan at the pre-race meeting

So, I feel totally ready! The meeting helped put my mind at ease even further. The only real unknown about tomorrow is how the warm weather will affect me. I have multiple strategies for staying cool (like the wrist bands, cooling towels, pouring water over myself) and hopefully they work!

After the meeting, Greg and I headed over the Four Seasons where we met up with a bunch of women who I know through Runner's World Online. I actually started interacting with these women back in 2008 when I first decided I wanted to BQ. Even though we don't post on Runner's World anymore, we still keep in touch over social media and it was so amazing to see our group in person.

These ladies have seen me through thick and thin. They were there for me every time I had a bad race, and each of them have had incredible journeys getting to Boston. Being with them felt kind of like "home" -- it was so familiar even though I had only met three of them in person previously. This part of what makes Boston so special. It brings people together.

Now it's time to get one final night of sleep! I probably won't sleep well, and I'm okay with that. I feel rested, well-trained, properly nourished, well hydrated, and ready to run my first Boston Marathon!!!!

Boston on the Brain: Final Thoughts

With just five days until the Boston Marathon, I've been doing some serious reflecting on what got me here.

Some History
I first decided that I wanted to qualify for Boston way back in 2008. I missed my 2008 attempt because I got sick, and then in 2009 I ran a really hot marathon (in which I totally fell apart), followed by one where I ended up with hypothermia. And then I got injured in the fall. In 2010, I had my first DNF at a hot marathon, and the downward spiral continued from there.

In 2012, I was at an all-time low with my thoughts and feelings about running. After multiple

anxiety-induced DNFs, I was at a loss for what to do. I felt like no matter how hard I trained, and no matter how fit I was, I just couldn't run well during a marathon. It seemed like everyone around me was progressing, qualifying for Boston, and PRing left and right. Meanwhile, I was going in the reverse direction and had failed to improve my marathon time over the course of four years.

Say the word "marathon" and my heart rate would increase. The week before a marathon? Forget it! I was a ball of nerves. Restless sleep, obsessing over my time, worrying about every possible thing that could go wrong. I was, of course, trying my best to relax, but my inability to relax just made things worse. The week leading up to a marathon was a downward spiral almost every time. I would get knots in my chest. I would use up all of my energy obsessing over the race beforehand, so there was none left on race day.

I started working with a sports psychologist in May 2012, and something he told me that I always held onto was: "Your time will come." Some days, my self-pity got so bad that I actually had to write that phrase on a post-it note and stick it to my computer monitor at work. Your time will come. I told that to myself over and over again. Particularly when a race didn't go well. Or when other runners posted their PRs on Facebook. I should have been happy for them, but I all felt was bitterness and frustration.

My time is now here. It won't last forever, I know that. But it's here now. I'm totally at peace with myself and my running. I've been setting PRs left and right over the past year. I get to run the Boston Marathon on Monday. Yes, it's here.

But it didn't magically appear. I had to work for it. And even though I have been training really hard, the hardest work was changing my mindset. Essentially, I had created numerous mental obstacles for myself over the years (some that go way back before I even started running) that I didn't even perceive as obstacles. I thought they were simply truths. Facts. Things that were part of me and my life. I was a perfectionist and if something didn't go perfectly, I didn't cope with it well.

Once I was able to identify all of the mental roadblocks I had created for myself, I was gradually able to remove them. It involved constantly challenging my thinking and refusing to give into negative thought patterns that were so familiar to me. I've been working with an amazing coach over the past two years, but his guidance wouldn't have gone very far if I wasn't in the right place mentally.

It's HERE!
Focusing on the present, which is SO exciting, I have some final thoughts leading into Boston. Ultimately, I view this weekend as an experience. One that starts when I arrive in Boston on Friday evening, and ends when I leave on Tuesday. The race is just part of the overall experience. For years, I have seen Facebook posts about this weekend. People taking photos near the finish line, wearing their jackets around town, getting their bib numbers. I get to do all of those things!  I can't wait to get my picture taken near the finish line. I can't wait to stroll the streets of Boston in my jacket! I can't wait to get my medal and get my post-race photo taken. I also get to meet my coach in person for the first time! Greg's running the B.A.A. 5K. I'm meeting up with people I've been communicating online with for 5+ years and have never met.

Now, about that 26.2-mile journey from Hopkinton to Boston. I want to savor every moment of this, and keep my mind focused on the experience! If I can keep my head in a good place, it will help me overcome the inevitable challenge of the Newton hills, and the suckiness of the weather. Yup, I'm pretty sure the weather will suck, but I've accepted it. Of course, I would LOVE for the forecast to change between now and Monday and there's a chance a cold front could push through earlier than expected. But if not, I'll adjust my goal and be satisfied with the fact that I gave it all I had.

Forecast for Newton, MA (the hilliest part of the course)

The heat has always been a physical and mental challenge for me. So this year, it's just going to be a physical one. Mentally, I'm ready. Bring on those 67-degree temps. I might be slower than my original goal, but I will arrive to Boston with a smile on my face. The good news is that I really think I am "in shape" for a 3:20, so even a 15-minute slow down will re-qualify me. But even if I don't re-qualify, I'm game for another training season in the fall and Boston 2018 will await me. After all I've been through to get here, I am not going to ruin it for myself by being upset over something I can't control.

In terms of my final training, all has gone well. I have some lingering soreness in my left IT band, but I am foam rolling it twice each day and it's gradually improving. On Saturday, I ran 12 miles with the last 6 at marathon pace. It was in the upper 30's, and I was really pleased to see that my heart rate was in the aerobic zone (144-159) in the beginning and squarely at the bottom of my marathon pace zone for the rest of it:

Another thing I used to always worry about was how other people would perceive me. I was afraid to run a slow race time and have people think that I wasn't a good runner. All that's changed. I'm running this race for myself and for no one else. I have my Facebook status updating automatically with my split times, and even if they aren't as fast as I would like, that's fine. Shit, it's Boston. It's Boston!

Two Weeks Until Boston!

In case I haven't said it enough, I am so elated to be running the Boston Marathon. It's been a dream of mine for 8 years and it's finally coming true. I've worked hard for so long and struggled so much to get here. And finally it's all paid off!

Here's a snapshot of my training cycle.

Boston Marathon Training Cycle

This is far more intense than anything I've done in the past, and anything I ever thought I was capable of. I ran 278 miles in March, with only one day of rest. Nearly all of my training runs have felt energized, and I haven't felt any hints of injury.

Mile 22 of a 22-miler

Coming off of my high from the Shamrock Half Marathon two weeks ago, I knew I still had some intense training ahead of me. I recovered very quickly from the race and ran 61.4 miles the following week.

Super Long Runs
The following Saturday (3 weeks out from the race) I ran 22 miles on the W&OD trail. Greg dropped me off in Ashburn and I ran 22 miles all the way to Arlington, where my mother was waiting for me. She even snapped a photo of me from her iPad! This was great preparation for Boston for several reasons.

First, I started shortly after 10:30am, to simulate the Boston start time. This was my third training run that I started late to practice the timing of the nutrition. Second, it was a fast-finish long run with the last three miles "hard." My last three miles averaged a 7:22 pace, and it was nice to be able to do that at the end of a long run, particularly one that was sunny and starting to get warm. Third, a good portion of the run was uphill, from miles 13 through 19. I thoroughly enjoyed this long run. I had always wanted to run a very long distance point-to-point on this trail and I finally did it.

Shortly after running the 22-miler, I received my training plan from my coach for the remaining weeks. Much to my surprise, he prescribed a 24-miler the following weekend! I had never run 24 miles in training before, and I had never run longer than 18 miles two weeks out from a marathon. But given how good I felt on the 22-miler, I thought that I could manage 24 without needing too much recovery.

So yesterday, Greg once again drove me out to the W&OD trail in Ashburn. But this time, instead of running all the way on the trail into Arlington, I ran to my house. This meant I only ran 11 miles on the trail, and then I spent 13 miles on other roads to get back home.

The run went well. There was no "fast-finish" so I focused on keeping my heart rate in the aerobic zone the entire time. Miles 5-11 were a steady uphill climb, but once I got off the trail, the hills were more rolling. It was mentally helpful to have different segments: the trail, the Reston Parkway, the Fairfax County Parkway, and then the neighborhood roads near my house.

I ended up running the 24 miles in 3:30:46, which is an average pace of 8:47. And I managed to keep my heart rate in the aerobic zone for the first 21 miles. This was great practice for Boston because I will be out on the course for about the same amount of time (hopefully a bit less) so now I know I can be on my feet that long and stay strong and energized. I had a rough patch at around miles 17-18, but I got over that and felt really strong all the way through mile 24.

Today, my legs feel pretty good! I did a short recovery run, giving me 67.7 miles for the week. I've been taking ice baths after all of my long runs, and I think they've really helped. Also, because my weekly mileage is so high, these long runs aren't as much of a strain on me as they used to be. They make up a lower percentage of my overall weekly mileage, so they are more manageable. Finally, I think that running with Generation UCAN has helped keep my energy levels even during these runs and my stomach feeling happy, so I think a good deal of my success has to do with this new fueling system.

Speed Workouts
I've also kept up with my speed work since Shamrock. I did a super-fun "wave tempo" on Tuesday of this week. A wave tempo is based on the premise that running slightly faster than your tempo pace and slightly slower than your tempo pace actually does a better job of increasing your lactate threshold. The workout was 3 times (1 mile at 10K pace, 1 mile at marathon pace). My splits were as follows:

6:51
7:37
6:47
7:39
6:46
7:29

The great thing about this workout was that I felt like I could have kept going. And it tricked my brain into thinking that marathon pace was easy. 7:37 definitely felt easy in comparison to running 6:50. This was a huge confidence booster and I truly believe that when I run Boston, the first 16 miles of downhill at MP will feel relaxed without much of a strain.

I also cranked out some speedy 800's at the track on Thursday of this week in the wind, which once again increased my confidence in my ability to run strong through wind.

I'm Ready!
During the next two weeks, I'll back off the mileage slightly, but my workouts will still be intense. My focus will be:

• Eating healthy
• Continuing to follow the training plan
• Washing hands a lot to reduce the risk of getting sick
• Keeping my stress level low so that I can sleep well
• Going over my race plan in my head
• Finalizing my "agenda" for my time in Boston

And I LOVE my bib number. A lot of people don't care about numbers, but I like it when I get a number that is in some way meaningful. Well, the house I grew up had the address of 9448. And ever since then, I've used the number 9448 for various things. Well, lo and behold, my bib number:

I can't wait. It's crazy to think that I plan to run this race about 10 minutes faster than my qualifying time, so I need to be prepared to do some weaving and passing without expending too much energy on it.

I may blog again before Boston, but if not, you'll hear from me after the race! 

Shamrock Half Marathon: A PR in Wicked Weather

Today's Shamrock Half Marathon was truly a breakthrough experience for me, in many ways.

At the expo

The weather conditions have been described by many as "brutal," "torturous" and even "horrendous." But in spite of that, I still managed to set a significant PR, after just having set a massive half marathon PR last fall at the Richmond Half. The weather for Richmond was near ideal-- low 40's very light winds and party sunny, and when I ran it, all of my training was geared specifically to the half marathon distance.

With Shamrock, the race came in the middle of Boston Marathon training, on semi-tired legs and a marathon-specific workouts as the buildup. I did have a mini-taper, but considering I had come off of a 68-mile week (my highest-mileage week ever) I wasn't sure how my legs would fare.

I had high hopes, however, and set my sights on running Shamrock 5 seconds per mile faster than Richmond, at a pace of 7:10. My workouts indicated that this pace was realistic for me, so I went into the race with a good bit of confidence. Earlier in the week, I had run a set of 6 x 800m + 3 x 200m. The 800m's averaged 3:12, and I felt like I could have done a few more of them.

Daily runs leading up to the Shamrock Half Marathon

The Day Before the Race

Pot of gold!

Greg and I drove down to Virginia Beach yesterday morning, encountering quite a bit of traffic on 95 due to spring break. I had half a pack of Sweet Tarts and some Skittles on this road trip, which I am including as a note to myself: it's okay to have candy the day before a race! When we arrived, we had lunch with one of my best friends who lives there, and then headed to the expo. At the expo, I purchased one of those medal racks with hooks to display race medals. I currently keep all of my medals on a shelf, but it's starting to look cluttered. This one is a chalkboard with a place to write all of your PRs, and also to clip your bibs to! Once it's up and running, I will share a photo.

I must have checked the weather about 30 times yesterday! But it wasn't with the same attitude/mindset of my former self. I wasn't stressing. I wasn't getting anxious. I wasn't feeling cheated. I knew that I was going to run the best race I possibly could in preparation for Boston. I kept looking because the temperature kept changing (from 42-48) and the amount of rain kept changing. These types of things would determine my wardrobe decisions.

The below screen shot shows the forecast as of 4:00pm yesterday, and it ended up being somewhat accurate. The actual temperature was 45 and with the rain, it felt much colder. Greg and I met up with some friends at dinner, and my friend Lexi and I debated over our outfits. Long sleeves? Or short sleeves with arm warmers? Hat? No hat? It would be a game-day decision.

Race weather

Wardrobe
When I awoke on race morning, I checked the weather one final time and decided I would go with short sleeves + arm warmers. My long sleeve shirt was a bit bigger and I didn't want it to be flopping around all wet. The short sleeve shirt had a tighter fit, and the arm warmers were much more substantial than sleeves. Note: there is no need to pay for expensive running arm warmers. Mine were $3 socks from Walmart and I cut off the toe area to turn them into arm warmers. This meant I could toss them at any point in the race. They were super comfortable the entire time, and kept my arms relatively warm and dry.

I was a little bit worried about my hat flying off in the wind. I wanted to wear a hat with a brim to keep the water off of my face, but I've been in windy races where the hat keeps flying off and it's annoying. So I used about 8 bobby pins to keep the hat securely on my head and it didn't budge.

Nutrition
As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I have been training exclusively with Generation UCAN. I am now an official UCAN ambassador, so if anyone wants a 10% discount code, be sure to use this link and the discount will apply.

Two hours before the race, I had about 3/4 of a bagel with peanut butter. 30 minutes before the race I drank one packet of lemonade flavored UCAN mixed with 8 oz of water. I brought some chews with me in case I started to feel low on energy, because I have never raced a half marathon with just UCAN. But, I never needed them! UCAN was truly a savoir here because my hands were numb for pretty much the entire race, which would make taking a gel or chews rather difficult. So, I didn't have to take in any additional fuel during the race. The pre-race drink was all I needed to feel energized throughout.

As for hydration, I filled a water bottle halfway with warm water because I knew the bottle would soon become to cold to  hold.

Strategy
I had my strategy all mapped out, and I was focused on executing it more than anything. My plan was to start with the 1:35 pace group and stay tucked in with them for the first half, which would be a headwind. Then, once the headwind was gone, my plan was to speed ahead of them and come in somewhere in the 1:34:xx range.

Start Line
Greg and I left the hotel 20 minutes before the race started. When we got outside, it was a rude awakening. It was pouring rain, the wind was slapping us in the face at 23+ MPH, and it was really cold. Instead of focusing on that, I focused on executing my plan. I immediately began my warm up which included running 7 blocks to the start and then back and forth on the course a little bit. I ran for 10 minutes, and then got into the corral. During the warm up, I had to keep my head down to avoid rain flying in my face, and I tried not to think about the fact that I would be racing in these conditions. It was also dark, which made things even more difficult.

With 5 minutes to go, I handed my jacket to Greg. Brrrrr!!! It did not feel good getting rid of that jacket. I found the 1:35 pacer and I asked him if he was planning on keeping an even pace throughout, or running slower through the wind. He said he was going to try to run an even pace. That's exactly what I wanted!

There was definitely a unique camaraderie at this start line as we were all getting pelted with cold rain. The speaker system kept going in and out, and we were worried we'd end up with no announcer. During the National Anthem, the sound kept cutting out, which was kind of cool because at the end, when it cut out, the entire crowd sang "and the home of the brave!" The energy was contagious. My spirits were high and I felt ready.

Miles 1-4
The race started and I told myself to stick with the 1:35 pace group. It was dark and quite crowded, so the actual pacers got a little bit ahead of me, but I was still well shielded. I realized that I have not run in a "pack" like this since I was a much slower runner and the pack was due to crowding. I realized liked "pack" running. It's like what you see at the NYC marathon or Boston when there's a pack of elites running closely together for the first half. I just pretended that was me and enjoyed it!

Even though I had filled my water bottle with hot water, it got cold very quickly, so I decided to ditch it during the third mile. I figured it would be good practice drinking from cups later in the race.

The wind was the worst during these early miles because it was a direct headwind. But due to being in a pack, I didn't feel all that much resistance. We were also running a pace that was slower than what I would have otherwise started at, so it felt relatively easy. We turned a corner after the first three miles, and the wind was no longer as brutal. The pacer sped up, and I heard someone behind me yell out that it was too fast as we hit the mile 4 mark.

Mile 1: 7:15
Mile 2: 7:17
Mile 3: 7:16
Mile 4: 7:04

Miles 5-8
During the 5th mile I wanted to hit a tangent, which required me to break away from the pace group. It came at the perfect time because the pace group pace was feeling a bit too easy for half marathon pace and I was ready to pick up the pace. I didn't notice much wind during miles 5-6, I think it must have been to our sides or our backs. It allowed me to dial in a nice, strong, pace.

Mile 8, brutal winds!

I felt awesome! When I hit the halfway point, I realized that it wasn't even feeling hard yet! My spirits were high, I felt light on my feet and I kept passing people. I knew that miles 7-8 would be back into the headwind, so I was mentally prepared for that. And when I got to those miles, I was amazed at how well I managed. I drank a tiny bit of water from cups during this portion. I knew I needed the water, even though I wasn't thirsty, and I really did not want to slow down.

I ran this race in 2014 and the wind during miles 7-8 kicked my butt. Not only did I slow down significantly, but I also got really upset and had a negative mindset. I was determined that no matter what, I would keep strong and stay positive! This was partially a revenge race for me. Two years ago, pretty much everyone I knew running the race set a PR except for me. I hadn't set a half marathon PR in 4 years and I was frustrated and upset. I got over it pretty quickly, but I didn't want any of that negativity today.

During the windy part, I encouraged other runners, and I got outside of my own head. I was running with one girl for about half a mile and just having someone next to me was energizing.

Mile 5: 7:12
Mile 6: 7:07
Mile 7: 7:10
Mile 8: 7:17

Miles 9-13

Mile 13

I knew that these last 5 miles should be a tailwind, or least not such a nasty headwind. With that in mind, I executed on my plan of really gunning it home. I started passing a lot of people and I felt like I was flying. I remembered feeling like death two years ago at this point and I was so happy to be feeling strong!

At mile 9, my Garmin read 7:11 for the average race pace. I wanted to bring that down to 7:10. So I told myself to try and run 7:07 or faster for the rest of the race. Turns out I had even more than that in me! As I got closer to the finish line, and saw my average race pace slide under 7:10, and I knew that I could break 1:34.

Many runners say that they do better when they don't look at the Garmin and just run by feel. For me, it motivates me to run faster if I'm feeling good.

Mile 9: 7:05
Mile 10: 7:01
Mile 11: 6:58
Mile 12: 7:02
Mile 13: 6:56
The last 0.14: 6:03 pace (thanks tailwind)

The Finish
Once I realized what I had just accomplished, I could feel tears coming to me as I walked through the finish line chute. I had overcome my demons. I did not let the wind get me down. I ran a half marathon at a pace of 7:09 and I qualified for the New York City marathon. I DNF'ed the Shamrock full marathon in 2010 and 2012. That's two DNFs at the same race. And here I was, on a day when the weather was arguably as bad as it's ever been for this race, with a huge PR by one minute and 32 seconds.

I'm so happy with these results! I was elated when I ran Richmond in 1:35:08, but to pull this off in the middle of such an intense marathon training cycle with bad weather is not something I expected. I knew I had the fitness for a pace of about 7:10, but I wasn't sure if it would actually happen.

I think so much of my success today was mental. Of course I wasn't thrilled about the weather conditions, but I took them in stride, and accepted them. I had a strategy for dealing with the wind, which worked, and focusing on that made the race seem a lot more approachable.

Up Next: BOSTON!!!
I'm feeling more and more confident about my ability to run well in Boston. Even if it's windy, I think I can manage. I do hope it's not hot though, particularly with that 10:50 start. According to the McMillan Calculator, this race predicts a 3:16:59 marathon. I would be happy with anything under 3:35, and I'm planning to shoot for somewhere around 3:25. (Boston is just a wee bit hillier than Shamrock.)

Now I am going to focus on recovery so that I can run a strong workout on Thursday, and 22 miles on Saturday.

News Headline

Greg made me a PR cake!

Boston Build-Up: 5 Weeks To Go

Boston is freakishly close! In five weeks I will be eating my "last supper" before running my first Boston Marathon.

Training has gotten super intense over the past two weeks. I never thought I would be able to train at this level--at least not without getting injured. Here's a snapshot of the training cycle so far:

This week was 68 miles and last week was 67 miles. Because I did this week's long run on a Friday, I actually had a rolling 7-day total of 80 miles as of Friday, March 11th. That's a 7-day record for me, and this 68-mile week is a "Monday-Sunday" record.

I've been running marathons for 10 years, and I've been training seriously (with a coach or plan) for the past 7. So why haven't I been able to run like this until just now? I think that I've built up to it properly. When I first started working with my coach in July 2014, he dropped my mileage and had me running faster, more intense workouts. Doing difficult workouts while keeping the overall volume low has prepared me to safely tack on miles.

Also, it used to be that I would run a lot of "junk miles" and my quality/speed workout days would have low mileage. For example, in the past, I might have run 10 miles easy on a Monday, followed by 5 x 800m on a Tuesday. The Tuesday workout, including warm up and cool down, might have only amounted to 8 miles. When I started working with my coach, I flipped that, making my easy runs only 4-7 miles (truly easy) with workout day mileage totaling 10+.

Essentially, I've been building up to this level over the past two years. So even though going from the low 40's in December to the high 60's in March seems like a huge jump, my body was prepared for it. One of my favorite all-time running quotes is "you do the training so you can do the training so you can do the training." And I've found that to be true.

Here's a look at my daily mileage for the past 30 days.

In addition to the high mileage, I've had some really fun/interesting/crazy workouts. I about had a heart attack when I saw this on my training plan last week (it's the purple tempo run above): "15 to 30 minute Warm-Up + 4 mile tempo run, 800m jog, 2 times 90 seconds, 4 times 60 seconds, 4 times 45 seconds, 4 times 30 seconds, 6 times 15 seconds all with the same recovery as the rep time + 15 to 30 minute Cool-down." I ended up with 45 splits on my Garmin! I felt really accomplished when the run was done, having stayed strong all the way through the finish. My tempo pace for the 4 miles was 7:02, and I kept all of the shorter intervals at a 6:35 pace or quicker.

On Tuesday of this week, I ran 10 miles at marathon pace, plus warm up and cool down. Thankfully, I had perfect weather (overcast and 44 degrees) and I felt amazing. I was able to average a pace of 7:39 and it didn't even feel hard until the last two miles. Do I plan to run a 7:39 marathon pace in Boston? I think it's possible if the weather is just right and I'm having a good day. But never having done it before, I'll probably start out slower and then speed up if I am able. My main goal with Boston is to have an amazing experience and to soak it all in! Part of that is running my best race possible, and I know I'll be prepared to do that.

Earlier I mentioned that I did this week's 20-miler on a Friday. That's because I spent my Saturday

At the start line of RNR DC

morning cheer for my husband and good friend Allison at the Rock 'n' Roll DC Marathon. Greg broke his ankle one year ago, and it's been a long road back to running for him. He was in a boot for nearly two months, and then stayed on crutches for a few weeks after that. He wasn't able to return to running until the end of August. He ran the Columbus Half Marathon in October, and then began training for the marathon in November. I wrote his training plan for him, which was very conservative to make sure he came back safely.

Greg and Allison were planning on running similar paces, which made it easy for me to cheer and take photos. Even though they weren't planning to run together (and didn't actually "run together") they were always within about a minute of each other. I was able to take the metro around the city to see them at mile 7.5, 15, 17, and the finish. I had a lot of fun, and it was so exciting to see all of Greg and Allison's hard work pay off. Greg wound up with a 3:40, which is amazing given all the time off he took last year, and Allison with a 3:39 BQ! Both of them looked strong throughout and I plan to use them as inspiration during my next race!

Greg is always so supportive of me and my running that it was nice to be able to support him, give him his water bottle when he needed it, and take photos. I also just really love the "vibe" of a big race. So much excitement!

Allison in purple tank, Greg in blue shirt at mile 7.5

I ended up logging about 17,000 steps on my FitBit, which winds up being 7-8 miles of walking. It was definitely a tiring day of being on my feet, but I loved every second of it.

I hope the next five weeks of training continue to go well. My legs are definitely feeling the miles, particularly since I run my "easy" runs on very hilly routes, sometimes with downhill strides at the end. I want to be really prepared for all the hills in Boston so I am seeking them out on my training runs.

Oh- and my Boston Marathon jacket came in the mail! I tried it on to make sure it fit, but I won't wear it until I actually arrive in Boston. I was temped to wear it yesterday at the RNR DC marathon since the weather was perfect for it, but I didn't want to tempt fate! I'll probably end up being one of those people who wear the jacket to race expos even when it's like 70 degrees outside. . . :-)

Boston Marathon Training Update: 7 Weeks To Go!

The end of a 20-miler on the W&OD

I can't believe that I will be running the Boston Marathon in just seven weeks! This has been a dream of mine for over eight years and it's finally coming true. So far, my training cycle has gone well. I've had to make a few adjustments due to weather, like changing workout days around, or running after work instead of the morning, but I'm extremely grateful that I have not yet missed amazingly any runs!

I've been getting plenty of sleep, taking ice baths after hard workouts, foam rolling religiously, eating plenty of protein and carbs immediately following my runs, and regularly doing my hip exercises. All of this is simply part of my lifestyle, and it hasn't felt like it's taken over my life. I've been eating a ton, but my weight is the lowest it's been in over 8 years. My coach says this is normal when you change up your training. I've lost about 10 pounds since I started working with him nearly two years ago.

My coach has gradually built my weekly mileage, and removed my one rest day at the end of January. As such, I have run every single day in February, which is new territory for me. Ever since I've started running I've always had at least one rest day per week. On Sunday, my prescribed run is "30 minutes recovery or rest," but I've found that my long runs don't beat up my legs too much and I can easily manage those 30 minutes. As the race gets closer and I really want my legs to be sharp, I might opt for the rest option.

The last 9 weeks of training

Tempo Intervals
Above is a snapshot of my weekly mileage. One of the interesting things is the lack of tempo runs during the past four weeks. This is because my coach has prescribed tempo intervals instead, which I log as intervals. The great thing about tempo intervals is that you run faster than tempo pace, which is designed to build your lactate threshold more than simply running at lactate threshold.

One example of this was on Tuesday, when the workout called for 5 x 8 minutes at medium-hard effort, with 3-minute recovery jogs. Followed by 3 x 40 seconds to keep the legs sharp. My paces were 6:58, 6:57, 6:53, 6:53, 6:52 for each of the 8-minute segments (1.15-1.16 miles each). Another example was two Thursdays ago when the workout called for 8-10 x 1000m with 200m recovery jogs. I polished off 9 of those at paces from 6:45-6:50/mile. I think that workouts like these will make my marathon and half marathon pace faster.

Fueling
I've changed my fueling strategy and it's worked really well. I used to use Honey Stinger gels every 45-60 minutes, but those sometimes upset my stomach. I was able to run my Boston Qualifying marathon with them fine last spring, but during my previous marathon, my stomach revolted and I could only have two of them.

I started experimenting with UCAN when I received a prize pack of it from McMillan Running, including all the flavors and pretty much every product they offer. Not once has this fuel upset my stomach, and it lasts much longer than  honey, so I don't need to take it as often. It comes as a powder, and I drink it before my long runs, and make a gel out of it to take mid long run. That way I can carry water and put the gel in my skirt pocket. Because the Boston Marathon starts mid-morning, I'm going to start my next long run at 10:30 and eat exactly as I plan to on race day.

Long Runs
Whenever I start training for a marathon, I find the first few long runs really hard, and then my body adjusts. I ran 20 miles yesterday and it didn't feel as challenging as some of my earlier long runs, which were 15-16 miles. I'm trying to incorporate hills into my long runs and easy runs so that my legs will be ready for those on race day. When I ran my 20-miler yesterday, the last 5 miles were at marathon pace, and the last two miles had an elevation gain similar to some of the Newton hills.

Here are my splits from yesterday's run, with my average heart rate in the middle of my Zone 2 (aerobic zone). This was extremely encouraging.

My training plan for the next several weeks looks really, really intense. I hope I am able to continue to crank out these runs as well as I have been for the past nine weeks.

After 19 miles on the W&OD Trail

Run Your Heart Out 5K

I plan my race schedule for each season far in advance. As I train for the Boston Marathon in April, my coach and I agreed on two tune-up races: the GW Birthday 10K on February 14 and the Shamrock half marathon in mid-March. I may also squeeze in a Crystal City 5K, but I'm not sure about that yet.

I've seen another jump in fitness lately and I was excited about the possibility of crushing it in a 10K. I think my 10K PR is soft, and I was planning on going for a 30-40 second PR in the 10K yesterday. BUT. . . the race was cancelled. The race director's email said that it was too cold and unsafe to run, but I disagreed and so did other area race directors. Two other 5Ks took place as scheduled, and as well as a local marathon. Unfortunately, there were no other 10K races to choose from so I settled doing one of the 5Ks-- the "Run Your Heart Out" 5K in Fairfax Corner.

The weather itself was really not that bad-- 14 degrees, sunny, with 8-10 MPH winds. I've done quite a few training runs in really cold weather and I've raced in worse. Far worse, in fact. Last winter, I ran a 15K in a torrential downpour, and at only 39 degrees, I was feeling pretty close to  hypothermia by the end. Yesterday's weather was a walk in the park compared to that 15K, and compared to most races in the summer when I overheat!

Race start, I'm in the pink. Photo courtesy of =PR= Races

Overheating was actually a concern of mine. I overheat very, very easily, particularly if it's sunny. For me to perform well in sunny weather, the temperature needs to be below 45. I qualified for Boston on a 25-degree day with plenty of sun, and I felt great in just a lightweight top. I decided I would wear a very thin short-sleeve shirt as a base layer, and then wear a medium-weight half-zip top over that. I also wore heavy tights-- Saucony "Siberius" tights that are rated for temperatures far below freezing.

Based on my knowledge of the course, my plan was to run a race with splits that looked like this: 6:28, 6:54, 6:54. I wasn't trying to PR, given that this course is much hillier than the one I PRed on, but I thought that a 6:45 average pace was within my reach.

Before the race
Greg decided to sit this race out and do a long run later in the day once it warmed up. He drove me to the race and waited in a coffee shop while I warmed up. I knew that starting the race warm would be really important to avoid muscle cramping, so I ran the full course, and then went into the coffee shop to ditch my jacket. I then went back outside and jogged around the parking lot until one minute before the race start.

Mile 1: 6:39
I've run this course before so there were no surprises. I planned on the first mile being my fastest because it's mainly downhill, and I had actually planned on it being in the 6:28-6:30 arena. But it's difficult for me to start running fast right out of the gate (even if I've already warmed up) so a 6:39 was the best I could do. Whenever I run intervals, my first rep is always significantly slower than the rest of them, which I am okay with, but when racing short distances like the 5K, I need to learn how to turn on the gas ASAP.

Mile 2: 6:47
I actually started to feel warm during this mile as I ran directly into the sun, so I unzipped my top

Heading for the finish line.

down as far as it would go, and I un-tucked my base-layer shirt. I spent this mile focused on keeping the effort level strong, and I even passed a few runners.

Mile 3: 7:05
This last mile was brutal. I was mentally prepared for it, but it was a huge hill directly into the headwind and I had to push so hard just to maintain my 7:05 pace. I think my effort level here was significantly higher than it was during the first mile, but the hill and the wind were working against me.

Last 0.17: (6:36 pace)
Usually I have a stronger final kick in the 5K, but this one included 2 turns and I was so beat from that last mile that I didn't have a lot left in me to give. As I approached the finish line, I was disappointed to see that the clock read 21:40. I knew I hadn't run as fast as I had planned, but I thought for sure I'd at least be in the low 21's. And then I realized that my Garmin measured 3.17 miles, which equates to a 21:41 at my average pace of 6:50.

After the race
Instead of having an awards ceremony, they gave the awards away inside of the running store immediately after the race. This meant that we didn't have to wait around in the cold. I ended up in 4th place for the women's race, winning 1st place in my age group. Having just watched the Olympic Trials the day before, Greg told me I was the Kara Goucher of the race. Which isn't too shabby!

After I got my award, Greg and I made our way back to the car where I changed into a heavier running top and swapped out my racing shoes for a more cushioned pair of Nike Lunarglides. Greg drove the car home and I ran home! My coach wanted me to run an additional 90-120 minutes after the race, but given that I had warmed up for about 4 miles beforehand, I thought that 80-90 was more realistic.

My run home felt really great, and it didn't even feel like I had just raced a 5K. With only 3 miles left to go, I ran into Greg who had driven home, changed into running clothes, and started his long run. (I had told him what my route would be so that we could meet up.)

My total mileage for the day was 16.1, which includes a 5K at a pace of 6:50, and a first place age group award! Not too shabby for a day that some race directors consider "unsafe" weather. I would have liked to run that race about 30 seconds faster "officially," although I was only off my pacing strategy by 5 seconds per mile.

I'm looking forward to some nicer weather toward the end of this week!

Photo courtesy of Greg Clor.

Mizuno Wave Catalyst Review

I typically don't review products on my blog. I don't have relationships with particular brands, and I

Mizuno Wave Catalyst, released February 2016

am usually not offered free stuff. But when it comes to something I am passionate about, like my beloved but discontinued Mizuno Wave Elixir shoes, I need to speak out. Today I offer a Mizuno Wave Catalyst Review, which is supposed to be a replacement for the Elixir.

Background
About two years ago, Mizuno discontinued the Mizuno Wave Elixir, arguably one of the best running shoes ever created. This shoe had it all. It was supportive enough to run a half marathon in (and some people even ran marathons in them) but also lightweight and fast-feeling. The shoe molded to my foot perfectly and had just enough cushion to be comfortable, while still feeling the ground beneath me.

I wasn't alone in my love for this shoe. It had a cult-like fan base who are all in strong agreement that it was a huge mistake for Mizuno to discontinue the shoe. Online forums and discussion groups exploded with heated comments about the decision. And whenever I wear my Elixirs to a race, other runners tell me how much they loved those shoes, and how disappointed they are that they are no longer available. Whenever I post a photo of myself racing in the Elixirs, people comment asking me where I got them. Fortunately, I stock-piled about 10 pairs of them, so I still have two of them new-in-box, and one of them with about 2/3 life left.

When Mizuno discontinued the Elixir, they came out with the Wave Sayonara. I liked this shoe quite a bit, but the drawback was that it didn't have as much cushion as the Elixir, so I was afraid to wear it in a half marathon, when my feet begin to hurt at mile 10. I added the Wave Sayonara into my rotation, using it for races shorter than a half marathon, and shorter, faster speed workouts. I continued to use my Elixirs for half marathons and longer workouts, like 5-6 mile tempo runs. I should also note that I wear the Nike Lunarglide for long runs and the Mizuno Wave Inspire for easy runs.

Mizuno Wave Catalyst
After two years, Mizuno realized its error, but instead of simply putting the Elixir back on the market, or making the Sayonara more similar to the Elixir, it came out with a new shoe--the Mizuno Wave Catalyst. I pre-ordered my pair on RunningWarehouse and expected it to arrive on Feb. 19.  The shoe unexpectedly arrived early, however, and I received it this week.

My first order of business when I received the Wave Catalyst was to weigh one of the shoes, and compare it to that of the Wave Elixir.

Top Left: Inspire 11, Top Right: Catalyst, Bottom Left: Sayonara 2, Bottom Right, Elixir 8. All shoes size 6.5

A few things to note about my shoe-buying habits. For some reason, I only get about 180-200 miles out of my shoes. After that, my legs begin to ache and I feel a distinct lack of support. So to save money, I always buy the previous year's shoe model on sale. I've gotten year-old Inspire models for as low as $45!  In the photo above, the Mizuno Inspire is last year's model, as is the Mizuno Sayonara. I have not yet tried this year's models and I will not try them until they go on sale! I will be basing my review and comparisons off of these models.

Before I even put the Catalysts on my feet, I made some observations based on their weight, and what I know about their specs from RunningWarehouse. My first question is, why does Mizuno have three

Mizuno Wave Catalyst, fresh out of the box

pairs of shoes that are so similar in terms of weight, stack height, and support? Apparently, the new model of the Sayonara, Inspire, and Catalyst all weigh almost the exact same amount! The only real difference is the amount of stability, but even the Sayonara, which is supposedly neutral, has enough stability for me.

I think the biggest disappointment, though, is that the Wave Catalyst is 1.3 grams (about half an ounce) heavier than the Elixir. And RunningWarehouse rates it as a shoe for "standard" running-- not for "performance" like the Elixir was. And the Sayonara 3 (not pictured here) supposedly weighs more than the 2. Meanwhile, the Inspire keeps getting lighter. In other words, they are making their lightweight performance shoes heavier, and their supportive everyday shoes lighter. That makes no sense to me.

Test Run
I figured I would try out the Wave Catalysts on an easy 60-minute run. I didn't want to experiment with a new shoe during a workout, for fear that they wouldn't support me properly.

When I first put the shoes on and walked around I was optimistic. They felt comfortable and they fit pretty well (as all Mizuno shoes tend to do with my narrow feet). The first two miles of the run were promising. The shoes seemed to have more bounce/spring than the Sayonara and the Elixir, and they felt more cushioned as well. In fact, they seemed most similar to the Inspire.

But as I got further into the run, I determined I didn't like the shoes as much. They actually started to feel more like the Elixir in that I could feel the ground beneath my feet a bit more. But the downside was that my feet started to hurt a little, and the shoes became uncomfortable. I felt like my left big toe was hitting the top of the shoe (and I've been wearing 6.5 in Mizuno for years without that problem) and on the right, the shoe seemed to get tighter around the forefoot, and the ball of my foot began to hurt. Sometimes these issues resolve themselves once the shoe is more broken in, but I never had to break-in the Elixir.

The Verdict
By the time I hit mile 6, I was ready to take the shoes off. They didn't feel as good as the Elixir, and they certainly weren't as fast/light as the Sayonara 2. And they weren't as supportive as the Inspire. My overall impression: mediocre. I think Mizuno is trying to "please everyone" with this shoe, and they make a ton of compromises to do so. It's basically a slightly less supportive version of the Wave Inspire, potentially for people who love the Inspire but are ready to "graduate" to a little less support, and a slightly smaller heel-toe offset.

I will note, however, that my average pace for this 60-minute run was 8:46 (6.8 miles total). Typically, I run my easy runs at a pace of 8:55-9:10, and I wasn't trying to run any faster today. So maybe the shoes were "faster" or maybe it was just a coincidence.

I think I am going to return the shoe to RunningWarehouse for store credit. Initially, I was going to trade it in for the Sayonara 3 to see how that felt, but apparently that shoe weighs even MORE than the Catalyst, so why would I do that? I have enough Elixirs to last me another year, and I'm going to start stockpiling the Sayonara 2 as well. Once those run out, maybe Mizuno will have released a version of the Catalyst that's lighter, that fits better, and is a true Elixir replacement.

Mizuno- PLEASE stop messing with your customers' favorite shoes!

Mizuno Wave Elixir- Bring back these shoes, please!

I hope you enjoyed this Mizuno Wave Catalyst review, and I welcome your comments and experiences.