“Don’t Let That Smile Deceive You”

Boston Marathon 2011: 3:48.46.

Easily a PW. But, hey, it was bound to happen at some point, right?

And according to baa.org

	5k	10k	15k	20k	Half	25k	30k	35k	40k
	0:24:34	0:48:44	1:13:35	1:39:25	1:45:00	2:05:52	2:35:15	3:04:51	3:35:52
Finish:		Start Offset	Pace	Proj. Time	Offl. Time	Overall	Gender	Division
		–	0:08:44		3:48:46	13033	4077	2711

I mean, I’m alive and all buttttt as a precaution remember I packed my id, money and *insurance card* into my sports bra because I felt that it would be a bad race.  And, while I didn’t use anything of that yesterday (but ended up in the medical tent), I will on Thursday as I fork over a co-pay to see the doctor (annoyingly the first appointment available)

Race day started out decent, I was awake wayyyy earlier than my alarm because of anxiety but  I was actually excited for a race before race day for once after the dailies dinner! This feeling faded on Sunday but Saturday night I was pumped.

Dear friends who have given me more support than I probs deserve!

I got to the start around 0730, actually got to use a porta potty that hadn’t been used yet (!!) and hung out for  a bit chatting with some of my RW friends. (Kevin and Nick). Kevin’s first words to me? “You don’t look happy to be here”.  Which was true by the time Monday morning rolled around and we chit chatted about lots of things. I looked for another friend, Sarah, but never found her before the start despite us texting to find each other.  Nick and I walked to the start where he so graciously let me wear his throwaway sweatshirt! We found our corral, talked strategy, wished each other luck and we were off.

The race started out well for me.  The first two miles were probably a little faster than I should have run them (7:45, 7:30) but that’s roughly the goal pace I set for myself (I was targeting a 3:20 remember) and they felt good.  After mile two, my knee started hurting.  Not that much so I settled around 8 minute pace and readjusted my goals.  All the while, wearing the tiara and trying to feed off the energy of the crowd.  Everyone loved my tiara.  I had my first initial permanent marker’d on my leg so I got a lot of “Go Princess K!” cheers.  The little kids loved the crown too. One older gentleman told me “You keep up with those big boys Miss America”.

I don’t really remember much of the middle miles except trying to feed off that energy.  Because I was in pain.  The crowds at Boston are SO AWESOME. (And Caroline I looked for you at that DD by BC in the late miles! Couldn’t find you though) So I slapped every single hand that was outstretched and did enjoy myself in that respect.

But I cannot tell you the number of times I thought about dropping out (because I stopped counting) and when a train flew by in Natick? Yeah I thought about that $20 in my bra. By mile 16 the pain was lingering up my hip and down into my feet and continued on for the rest of the race.  I really wish that I had seen one of my friends who was on heartbreak because I needed to have someone tell me to htfu.

Im in the all black and tiara. Taken by a friend (runningsnake) around the mile 19 water station

And then around mile 21/22/23 (I can’t really remember) I felt something pop and then radiate pain up and down my leg.  This is also soon before the moment where I accepted beer from the BC boys (who among all the people on the course loved my tiara the most)

My pace dropped off SO MUCH during the last half and especially post-heartbreak and I know I looked like death in the late miles.  It was such a struggle. I wanted to stop and cry so many times.  I knew that I couldn’t stop (although you all will be proud to know I did for water THREE TIMES!) because if I did that then I wouldn’t start up again. I feel bad for my family because they didn’t know if they were going to keep getting the next 5k split text. They were all in Boston waiting for the call “heyyyyy I’m not going to be there”

As I rounded the corner of Hereford and Boylston I saw my family this year (last year they missed me) with my sister blasting her vuvuzela and that gave me the kick to push hard at the end.  After crossing the finish line I meandered over to the medical tent where they had no ice (wtf?) and got seen by a doctor because I couldn’t bear weight on my leg.

With the above said, I finished the race not meeting my hopes but doing MUCH better than my expectations. Despite the real pain of my leg (and not just the pain that comes with hauling your body over 26.2 miles) I can’t say that I’m really pissed off about it or angry.  That doesn’t mean I’m overjoyed with the actual race itself (or my foolish pride in sticking out the whole thing) as I know I did lots of things wrong leading up to the race. But my expectations heading into Athlete’s Village were not the greatest and therefore not being in surgery right now is a plus (because that was my fear going into the race)

This is the second year I’ve run Boston and the second year I’ve run the race overtrained and injured and the second year Boston knocked me on my ass (because despite PR-ing last year at Boston it still wasn’t all it could be).  Good thing I’m moving to a new hometown and can have a new hometown race 😉

"I F$#%ing Hate This Course" <-- one fleeting thought that passed through my head in the late miles.

I met up with Lindsay (and I have to apologize to her because I was really irritated with my family and cranky because I couldn’t find her and they all wanted to leave the city.  And I’m pretty sure she witnessed it! But once I saw her I instantly relaxed. So thanks girl!) and we wandered a bit and got lost trying to find the T because streets were shut down. Stupidly I didn’t get a picture so you’ll just have to trust it happened.

Again, thanks to all who tracked and texted and commented on my last post and fb’d. And read this whole damn thing (I swear someday I’ll learn to be concise with my words). Also to note: other than the blistering sunburn I have and my knee, I feel good. I kind of hate my fast recovery time after a marathon because it makes me want to go out there NOW and run rather than bask and recover, because like I’ve said to a few of you, I have to be happy with my performance given how I was feeling this weekend (I really downplayed how bad it was. Silly pride)

Fingers crossed I get something resembling good news at the doctor on Thursday.  I’m just trying to relax. I took today off of work too and I’m glad I did, although relaxing is hard to do with a sunburn! Ouch! And trust me: there will be no running until I get the go-ahead from my doctor. Not that I really could anyway. I really can’t in good conscience. The medic at the tent told me he thought it was a tear in my flexor tendon. Because when he placed his hand on my calf and told me to push down I couldn’t.  We’ll see in a few days though. In the meantime I have some jokes to read. Holler.