Fifth World Major done! Time to recover. This one wasn’t pretty but I managed to complete the 2018 BMW Berlin Marathon in my second fastest time of 3:12:43. It was my 4thachieved Boston Qualifying time but not enough to run neither 2019 nor 2020. So if I ever want to run Boston again, and avenge the horrible travesty that the weather brought in 2018, my next attempt will be in Tokyo.
A happy man at the finish line.
Yes, I got into Tokyo. I used my usual method of signing on to a tour package and it is so worth it. There is not an ounce of disappointment in my accommodations during my stay in Berlin. All you can eat breakfast every day, spacious room with all the right amenities, and pasta dinner the night before the marathon. Add the fact that I was able to spread the cost of this trip since December; my wallet did not go into shock. The marathon itself, that’s a different story. They totally need to improve their operations.
Expo Madness: Berlin Tempelhof Airport
Expo at an old German airport hanger
Totally exhausted from jet lag, getting to the expo was difficult. I wasn’t about to even try to navigate public transportation after getting lost in the train system the night before. Some CPTC-NB teammates let us know via Facebook forum when they would pick up their bib and packets so I tried to coordinate. But waking up was so difficult. Not only did I have to deal with the 6-hour time difference, but the day before I had travelled 18 hours, that included a 4 hour layover in Moscow to give my jet lag an extra layer of fatigue.
I still had taper miles from Henwood’s training plan that I had to do. But because of my piroformis issues, I switched to every other day in the last week leading up to the marathon. This totally gave some extra recovery during taper, which proved to help during the marathon. Navigational route entered via Google Maps and I proceeded to run the first 22 minutes of the 45-minute easy run assigned to me for that particular day. The remaining minutes were completed on my way back to my hotel after walking and standing about 2 hours at the expo.
The expo itself, although they did a good job controlling the inflow and outflow of runners entering the hall, the vendors were not placed in a way that made it easy to find what you were looking for. For example, I searched for the vendor that would offer plaques or shadowboxes for race day photos, similar to MarathonFotos. In my 14 previous marathons, with the exception of my first in New Jersey, I always bought a plaque to commemorate the accomplishment. There were no plaque makers available, as I searched through the maze of three sections within the airport hanger. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t find beer glasses nor chalices, familiar running accessories at the Adidas store, and the line for the free posters were a 45 minute wait. I did finally find chalices at the Erdinger Alkoholfrei vendor outside. But the logistics of the place was not well organized and there wasn’t even a map to find what I wanted. Luckily I found one vendor that had the nutrition that worked with my training, Gu and Clif gels. I just wish they had a map so I can find everything easier.
Chasing Six Stars: Names of finishers who completed World Marathon Majors
Marathon morning:
Fast forward to marathon morning as I toed the starting line. I had not run since the expo and I was feeling good and strong. I did walk around the start area the day before with CPTC-NB teammate, Ron Romano, to make sure we understood the where everything was so that our path to the starting line from the hotel was a smooth one. Like where is baggage check? How far from Brandenburg Gate was the Finish line? Where was the Start line? What areas were closed off and about how much walking would we be doing from the hotel? Any questions we managed to answer the day before as we continued to fight jet lag by staying up and on our feet from mid morning to early afternoon.
After checking our bags and relieving ourselves in different bushes (We lost Ron at the point because he was complaining he had to go number 2), we went off into our respective corrals. My hip felt fine, my taper strategy proved to work, as I didn’t feel even a tinkle in the affected area. Don’t speak too soon David; you still have 26.2 miles ahead of you. Or 42 point whatever kilometers, to make dependency on my Garmin 735XT GPS watch that much more important.
Jim Gregory, Ron Romano and I getting ready.
Corral D and there wasn’t a familiar face in sight. It was all the more reason to focus on the task at hand. Was this going to be another Chicago? I heard about the flatness of this Berlin course. It was flat indeed. Any inclines were completely unnoticed. The course consisted of several long straightaways that enabled the runner to focus on the distant vanishing point similar to the drawing method that uses point perspective.
Overconfident in my training – therefore fast start
Adrenaline rushes through me as I start the race a little fast. Those Henwood bridal mile repeats had me feeling confident about my fitness. At each beep, I look at my watch and read sub 7 splits the first 8 miles with a few sub 6:50s in there. Thoughts of a sub 3 marathon were not in the plan but I wasn’t going to rule it out at that point. This course was just lovely. If ever there was a place to do it, Berlin was the course. But I knew all my long runs and interval times, during Henwood’s training, didn’t indicate that I could confidently pursue of sub 3. But after mile 8, it sure did feel like I had a chance.
My first and only bathroom stop came right before the 15K electronic split reader. 30 seconds off of my time to relieve myself. It was worth it as I noticed the last mile was just above 7. If I have to go, I just run slower and it messes with my mental stamina. After that stop I was never able to hit sub 7 again.
That’s fine with me, I haven’t felt this good in a marathon since… well I felt better than Chicago... at that point. So my physical fitness was there. I was still carrying a little extra at 173 lbs, when comparing my 2016 Chicago Marathon weight at 165 lbs. That extra was muscle… muscle that would prove to need more hydration later in the race. The heat was kicking in by the half-way point. And I knew I had to scale it back.
Henwood advised me the night before the race to run 7:00 to 7:05. By mile 14 I knew I was ahead of that pace so I let myself slip to 7:15 – 7:20 range for a couple of miles to save a little bit of energy. And we will see how what I can muster after mile 20. There wasn’t going to be any holding back after mile 20, I wanted to run a consistent… or consistent as possible… race and I had the training to do it. And even if it climbed above 70… which it did… those hot and humid long runs along the Charles River, around the lower shoreline of Manhattan, and in the suburbs of Nassau County, were adequate for my body to be ready to handle the heat.
No excuses: it is what it is
It’s so easy for me to turn this post into a barrage of excuses. Why I didn’t hit sub 3 or even the more realistic goal that I was sure I would hit of sub 3:10! But I should have been better prepared. This one was completely on me. Yes the water stops were horrible. They didn’t have any Gatorade. I trained exclusively with Gatorade. I have grown accustomed to having water stops on both sides of the road so I wouldn’t need to slow down to much when I do my perfected “Grab and Go”. I was in a foreign country, with foreign ways to take in electrolytes (they even had hot tea which I spit out and almost threw the plastic cup right back into the volunteers face).
What the hell is this shit? Purple beet juice? Hot tea? I’ll stick with the water, thank you very much. And why are the runners coming to a complete stop to take in fluids in front of the water table in the path of oncoming runners. Oh this is terrible. I certainly lost some time at these stops. Which were pretty much every 5k through the course. Why didn’t I just listen to Henwood and take in electrolytes and fluids every 45 minutes as we discussed the night before? Or better yet, why didn’t I actually read the marathon material weeks before the race, where I would have known about setting up your own fluids at every water station as Jim Gregory pointed out to us in his preparation. I was so used to my “Grab and Go” technique that I perfected from 14 previous marathons. It became second nature. That again, was all on me.
So yes, I can point to a number of factors that didn’t make this marathon as smooth as I wanted. And of course, the piroformis and hip region was throbbing by the time I kicked into high gear in the last 3 kilometers. I knew a sub 3:10 marathon had slipped away as I mustered up a 6:30 sprint in the distance between the Brandenburg Gate and the finish line (It’s not 400 meters as people have been saying… closer or just under 800). I had spent the entire 2018 allowing Henwood to break down everything I learned before only to rebuild myself with a stronger foundation. I am happy with the direction I am headed. And I can confidently conclude from these last two marathon-training cycles which emphasized strength building and endurance consistency… I can confidently conclude that no matter what you face on marathon day, it can always be dealt with correct anticipation and preparation. Fifteen marathons in and I should certainly know better by now.
Plastic cups madness at water stops creating dangerous
Some Europe Photos
Brandenberg Gate at night
Berlin - Post marathon meet up with fellow Hultian, Volkon and friends.
Hanging out with Francine in Frankfurt
Meeting up with fellow Hultian, Anthony Santino, in Brussels.
Chocolates are a big deal in Belgium.
The original (with several repairs and recoveries) Manneken Pis from the 15th Century
Brussels - Tourist David at the Atomium
Beautiful Stockholm, Sweden
Navigating Olde Town, Gamla Stan
Uppsala, Sweden - Great times with Maria in her hometown
Stockholm headed to the airport. The end of a great 11 days of travel.
September 12, 2018 - 3:00 P.M. Eastern Time - Pre-Security Check
And so it begins, the final days of my 15th Marathon training cycle. It feels surreal that I’m traveling to Germany to take on the BMW Berlin Marathon, one of the fastest courses on the planet. And here I am waiting to check in to my flight, jotting down notes for my next blog update. A blog I wish I updated sooner since surviving the Boston Marathon monsoon. Nonetheless, better later than never as I reflect.
I’ve said this over and over again, the Boston Marathon sucked. It wasn’t enough to make me quit running though. My early motivations to run was ignited by watching my college friend Aliann Pompey run the 400 in the Beijing Olympics on TV (I’ve said this story plenty of times as well). I was a runner in middle school and I wanted to get back to doing things that brought me joy. Engineering had consumed my life for over a decade at that point. Sitting behind the computer all day running calcs, then going home and watching TV. Calcs, TV, sleep, repeat. Sprinkle in bad food, and going out on weekends with your boys, and you had a recipe for a life of pour health filled with anxiety and depression. But when you see someone you know running and see how far they’ve come, it’s inspiring enough for you to make a change. And here I am 10 years later, I’m chasing my 5th Marathon out of the 6 (Already got into Tokyo for March 2019) and getting ready to run my 15th marathon. Ten years from now... or maybe even sooner, someone who read this blog or has been following my social media will trek half way across the world from their home chasing their goal. And on that note, I head to ticketing to check in for my flight to Moscow, a layover before reaching my final destination.....
September 12, 2018 - 4:40 P.M. - Post Security Check
So I sit here at Gate 8 waiting for my flight after going through security. Last year, when flying out to run London, I missed my flight and nearly missed making it to the expo to pick up my bib, after purchasing the next flight out last minute. So I wait here allowing myself to feel what I’m writing. Get in the zone, while typing and reminiscing on this training cycle: the pounding to my hips (and finally realizing it was piriformis syndrome) being what I’ll remember most.
A brutally hot summer that didn’t relent. Heat wave after heat wave, followed by thunderstorms and torrential down pours to break the resulting humidity. And I was out there through most of it. I stayed off the treadmill as much as possible contrasting my Boston Marathon Training. But the mileage was still up there, hitting close to 70 miles in a week twice... while consistently alternating my Sunday Long Runs: 18, 20, 18, 20 .... eventually came 22. Thank God for taper! My piriformis took a beating in that peak long run along the Charles.
Ah yes, the mighty Charles River. I trained heavily along the river as a business student when training for my first marathon. My very first Charles River training run of this Berlin Marathon cycle, before even starting, I run into this year’s Womens Boston Marathon Champion, Desiree Linden. Despite the rough conditions of the 2018 Boston Marathon (“rough conditions” is certainly an understatement), there’s always a better day. And every day I run, whether its good or bad, I run for more than just athletic accomplishment. But for the comradery, the community, the health benefits, and the positive feelings. (As if I needed to say that.. but just in case you didn't know)
September 12, 2018 - 5:35 P.M. - Waiting to Board
Still waiting but we are almost boarding. Where was I? Oh yes, I run more than for just athletic accomplishment. Thoughts of Marathon retirement crossed my mind during the brutal Boston Monsoon, but when you reach the finish. Those thoughts go away... as quick as the weather changes to sunny in Boston the next day. Why resist retirement? Because I started this Marathon runner’s life for a change. And slowly but surely, that change is happening. Is there a final destination? Probably not, but I love where I’m headed. Great new runner friends I meet every year, whether it’s at a New York Road Runners event or a race far from home. Health benefits that has me going to the doctor much less than when I was in my 20s. Old friends that see the change and continue to show their genuine love and support. And those bad friends, that disappeared, because they can never understand.
Updating my blog as I sit here at JFK ready to board my flight.
I sit here at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Terminal 1, ready to board my flight to Moscow, and transfer for my flight to Berlin. I sit here grateful, and ready to run whatever race I am meant to run. Taking 14 marathons and a structured, well disciplined training plan by Dr. Henwood. I call him the Doctor because I observed him with other runners and he always seem to have to right prescription for your Marathon running needs. Berlin - Here I come!!
Some Summer Training Photos
Post Boston Marathon Celebration with long time friends @topace88 and his wife @bleulilie - April 2018
Breaking 19 in my NYRR Speed Series Debut and first time wearing spikes while running with CPTC-NB teammate @mrjoeyoga - July 2018
Clash of the Titans - Waiting with longtime NBR and CPTC-NB teammate and friend, @irondoc949, for the Swim start of my first Olympic Triathlon at the 2XU New York City Tri
My only time on the bike during this training cycle - 25 painful miles during the 2XU New York City Tri.
Meeting Roger Robinson, author of When Running Made History, with CPTC-NB teammate @ronrunsnyc at the Chicago Rock n Roll half Marathon
Strength training twice a week thanks to my coach, Dr. Henwood, with his structured, disciplined, and intense training plans.
Saturday morning speed sessions with Dr. Henwood, @jdfnyc, @stoli_runs, and the rest of the #henwoodhounds
Not as many ocean water swim sessions at Brighton Beach as I would have liked.
September 13, 2018 - 1:52 P.M. - Moscow Time -
Nine hours in the air, and getting lost in the Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) in Moscow, Russia. I can conclude this post by saying that this training cycle was truly one to remember. I did just what I said I would do after finishing the TCS New York City Marathon: Listen to my body more, my coach, and kept consistent with my training - which explains the several DNS's.
- No Aquabike at Quassi Rev 3 in Connecticut as planned.
- No Popular Brooklyn Half to sneak in some more recovery.
- No Cross country races in the late summer since it was too close to Berlin
- No planned relay with friends at the Brooklyn Mile since it didn't match with my marathon training.
- No New York Grand Fondo 100 Mile Ride due to lack of bike training.
I just focus on doing my best in Berlin this Sunday and no matter what happens, I am lucky to be able to make it this far.
“Stay off the bike! The leg muscles work in the opposite direction that will counter any improvement in your running!” These words from my coach were on repeat in my mind throughout my Boston Marathon training cycle. This would finally be the year I was going to work on my bike training and finally conquer the 100-mile ride. Instead, I had to make sacrifices. Sacrifices to run my best Boston Marathon.
Finally meeting Meb Keflezighi at the 2018 Boston Marathon expo
Here I was in Hopkinton, a town not unlike any other familiar New England town. There was nothing special here. It was just cold, windy rain that would start and stop in torrential downpours. The last minute adjustments were a major help. I’ve done everything I could to get here, listened to my coach attentively, and ready to give my best effort yet.
“Wear a light jacket, wear shorts, cover your ears, and wear gloves. The weather is going to be bad out there.” Coach said during our previous day’s phone pep-talk as I was stood in line to meet Marathon Champion, Meb Keflezighi.
“I don’t have a light jacket, but I was going to wear a singlet and my half tights. I figure once I get running, I should be fine.”
“NO! Get at least a shirt to cover your shoulders! Wear the shorts instead of the half tights! Your legs are going to be heavy with the half tights in the rain!”
Well here’s some extra stress I wasn’t anticipating. I wasn’t planning on buying anything extra besides my celebration jacket and souvenir glass for my collection. I packed light, choosing to only bring things that can fit in a backpack for the Amtrak ride from Penn Station to South Station.
At the top of Heartbreak Hill my calves were burning. The last time I felt this much strain in my calves was mile 23 of my San Francisco Marathon, June 2013. It had cramped up on me then, and I was worried it would cramp up on me in now. Were my legs heavy as Coach said it would be? I didn’t spring for the shorts as suggested. I bought the shirt to cover my shoulders, and managed to find a free neck scarf from Janji on Seaport Blvd, just 5 minutes walk from the expo. But it was too late for any extra, out-of-budget spending.
The great Katherine Switzer opened doors for gender equality
in marathon running. Gives a shout out to Central Park Track Club
during our brief interaction.
It was probably the extra weight I was carrying. My calves weren’t used to carrying as much in a marathon. All of my strength training focus was on my quads and hips. I did everything I could to strengthen the area around my weak left hamstring. One can say I was successful in that regard. No hamstring pain throughout the entire marathon; not even the burning warning signals.
When It Rains It Pours:
“Maintain a 7:15 pace until you reach mile 18, then make your move.” Coach drilled this into my head before we ended the call. “If you find yourself going too fast in any particular mile, make up for it on the next by slowing down, and vice versa.”
Coach knew exactly where I was at and how I did in my training. My original plan was to do what I always do: stay as close as possible to 7 or 7:10, and then see where I was at after Mile 20. I could either try to run my best in the final 10k, or hold back to prevent injury if I had enough of a cushion. His adjustments weren’t that far off what my original intentions were, but it was clear he wanted me to make it through Boston injury free.
The weather had a different plan for my pacing. There would be no best marathon yet. As I arrived at Boston Commons via Uber (my first time ever using Uber on my own) by 6:30 A.M, I knew this wasn’t going to be pretty. I made sure to keep my throw away gear on to the start gun, Wave 1 Corral 8. That first run jacket I bought in my Team In Training days was finally gone.
So many sacrifices to make it Boston and I was confident I can run my best Boston, regardless of the weather. The winds were blowing… in the opposite direction of my path to the finish. A battle indeed but I was holding the coach’s pace. Thirty mile per hour winds were not enough t
o discourage me. Especially in the net downhill first half.
The torrential downpour came intermittently. The rain combined with the wind made it difficult for my legs to get warm. I’ve run enough of these to know when I can effortlessly adjust speed, kick when I needed to, and settle in to my desired pace. Instead it was cold, brittle strides with every foot strike. As long as I followed the coach’s wisdom and if my legs could warm up by mile 18, this could still be my best marathon yet.
The Bladder Has a Different Plan:
My first pee stop was immediately after the start gun in Hopkinton. I found my usual rhythm. Quick grab and go at every water stop: Gatorade – sip – water – sip – water – overhead if I was hot, or sip otherwise. It became an art for me.
“You grab water like a pro”, runner directly behind me complimented me. Immediately after I hear those words, I can hear the screams of Coach Ramon Bermo whom I assisted during those American Cancer Society workouts, “Go DAVID!! You GOT this … (maybe something in Spanish because he was so loud)… Great job!” … or something along those lines. This man was at mile 6 cheering with his windbreaker hood on by himself in the pouring rain. Incredible!!
This is going to be a great race! I’m finally feeling good. The weather can’t deter me. My bladder can, though. I my pace began to uncontrollably slow, that sensation came at the 15K. It’s not like me to have to go again so badly so soon. I had been running for an hour and I thought, “OK… another 30 seconds won’t hurt.” The next two available port-a-potties were occupied so I stopped went on the nearby pavement sidewalk.
The sensation returned as I ran through the Scream Tunnel. “So these are the Wellesley girls that offer kisses to the runners! They look really young. Thank you, but no thank you,” as my thoughts briefly moved away from my urge to go. “If I ever saw my little sister out there, trying to kiss sweaty (on a drier day) strangers running by… man….” That soon left my head as I knew that would NEVER happen. And then came my 3rdbathroom break of the race. With the rains and the winds continuing, I started thinking about my health. It was very unusual for me to have to go this often. “Maybe I need to see a doctor when I return to New York.”
Survival Mode:
One hour thirty-seven minutes at the halfway mark. My race was slower than usual but I knew I could still salvage this thing for my best marathon yet. My legs were still strong. All I needed was that one good kick and settle into a dominant race pace that could get me to an amazing finish. Each foot strike was still brittle and cold that would just linger in my lower legs. Freezing and wet, my legs soon became numb as another sensation came just before the last downhill leading to the Newton Hills
Worst Boston Marathon conditions in 30 years
“Not today!” I shouted to Roland as we meet by chance at yet another marathon. “Where’s Delgado?” as I gave him an Obama fist bump. “He’s way ahead.” Roland replies before I speed up along level ground to hit the next port-a-potty for my 5thbathroom stop, right before the 2ndstretch of the Newton hills. “Good for him!” I yelled as I sped off. At least someone was having a good day.
By then I was miserable. I could have paced the rest of the race with Roland, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I still felt I had a shot to make this thing great. If only my legs would get warm already. After 18 miles, all these pee breaks had taken away about 3 minutes off my time.
Pee stop number 6 at mile 18, and I thought, “I should be making my move!” But I knew Christine and the rest of the Brooklyn Tri Club were about half a mile away. Keeping my eyes peeled, I see the big sign they had made for me. I quickly ran to it and tap on it several times. This was my second brief moment of joy as I gave Christine a hug and feeling so grateful for their cheers. The first time anyone held a sign with my name on it during a marathon.
Again, misery returned as I started Heartbreak Hill. The extra stride length with every step of the first 16 miles stretched my leg muscles. It brought a new kind of leg pain during this ascension. I can feel myself running slower with every step. Anger started to settle in the below freezing weather, and I had to pee yet again. I focused on the port-a-potty at the top of what I now know was the end of Heartbreak Hill.
First marathon sign dedicated to me ever by the Brooklyn Tri Club
“Your Heartbreak is Over!” The guy holding those words in a sign made eye contact as I came to a complete stop in front of the bathroom. “It’s OVER!” I told him. That last mile took me 10 minutes, as my watch beeped for mile mark. I relieved myself for the 7thand final time, realizing my legs had no kick for a late race surge. I was angry that I allowed myself to be in such a vulnerable position. The wind was blowing fierce, the rain would precipitate in surges that made the nearby wheel chair athlete struggle to make it to the top of the same hill. It was a rough day for many. A PR or anything close was far from my mind. I just wanted to survive this thing and go home.
Approaching the finish - 2018 Boston Marathon
I had a 5:30 PM train to catch at South Station. Any delay would risk me not being able to make it into work tomorrow. Thus walking was out of the question. I jogged. Mad at myself for running through this terrible weather. No marathon was worth this. But then I thought as I approached mile 24, this was the Boston Marathon. I worked so hard to get here. It was more than just this race.
Reaching the Finish Line:
“Great! Just what we needed!” a runner to the side of me sighed as another torrential downpour mixed with hail started poking at our face. The brim of my CPTC cap had blocked the drops giving me a visible path forward. It was a slow and steady jog to the finish.
Salvaging my legs for the next race, while the next race was far from my mind. Rather the 13 previous marathons, the training runs, the different run clubs, the charity fundraising campaigns, the amazing friends I met, the travel, the health benefits, clogged my brain, all at once, as my legs kept moving. Each little hill on the net downhill of the last 5 miles, gave my legs Heartbreak Hill flashbacks.
‘ONE MILE TO GO” That huge yellow unicorn painted on the road in Kenmore Square came before my eyes as my head remained down while hail drops hit my brim.
“Run with dignity!” a wise coach at Central Park Track Club once said. I did just that as I locked into form like it was the Weekly Form Run with the North Brooklyn Runners. My survival instincts carried me through those last miles, in the face of horrific weather trying to blow me off course. One last mile soon became a right turn on Hereford Street, from Commonwealth Avenue. Then another left turn to Boylston Street and the street wide John Hancock signs above the finish line was 600 meters away. The crowds were roaring and emotion overwhelming me. Another World Marathon Major with two to go! And this one was about survival.
“It was only two days ago, I was running in 70 degree weather! But today, this is what I get for my first Boston Marathon! Lucky me!” I declared to the unknown runner while waiting for the start in the mud drenched Athlete’s Village in Hopkinton.
“Lucky us, my friend!” he replied. “We are going to get through this together!”
On the Amtrak, headed home with my well earned bling.
THANK YOU:
- Coach John Henwood for his consistent guidance, meaningful advice, and steady patience, with an occasional kick in the butt. - http://www.johnhenwood.com
- Coach Ramon Bermo, of Team DetermiNation for cheering in the horrible Boston Marathon weather. Just another example continued selflessness towards the runner's community.
- The NYC Muscle Whisperer, Ria Magtoto, for helping to keep me injury-free throughout my 800 mile training winter. - http://www.nycmusclewhisperer.com
- And my teammates at the Central Park Track Club - New Balance for the continued inspiration.
_ The Brooklyn Tri Club for the cheers and those open water swims that have made me a stronger runner.
- The Illinois Chapter of the American Cancer Society's Team DetermiNation for setting up my latest fundraising campaign
It’s difficult to put into words what happened on Monday, April 16, 2018 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A place I once called home for a brief year. Before that, a place I often visited to see family, go on class field trips, or just explore
. On Patriot’s Day, I saw Boston from a whole knew perspective. The way I’ve come to love touring towns: through marathon running.
Boston: My brief history with this town
Those who closely follow my social media have come to learn that I spent a year in Boston studying international business. It was my first leap towards my interests to international affairs. An accelerated leap that abruptly changed the trajectory of my life, to say the least. One of the best life decisions I ever made back, in the face of an economic downturn. This life change coincidentally aligns with the time I decided to pursue marathon running.
I was already familiar with Boston. My beloved uncle laid down roots here and I loved visiting my extended family growing up. It was a hop, skip and a jump from southeastern Connecticut, where I lived when my father was stationed at the New London Naval Submarine Base. So there was no magical moment for me, nor nostalgic admiration for those small New England towns that the Boston Marathon course passes through.
Then what made getting here so special for me? Why did I work so hard for years to finally run the Boston Marathon? Was it to remember some of favorite moments in Boston? My first visit to the Omni Theater, The Museum of Science, the Salem Witch Trials exhibit in Salem, MA, or
biking and running along the Charles River. All these memories are part of my experience with Boston and were in my thoughts as I ran from Hopkinton to Boylston.
Training for the 2018 Boston Marathon
Throwback to 8 years ago: training along the Charles
River with my international cohorts
I can’t talk about my Boston Marathon experience without shedding some light on my training. I decided to switch my training regimen up from my 2017 marathon. I needed a whole new perspective on my training. So I hired a coach, one who formulated an insightful plan that focused on my marathon weaknesses. It was risky for me to change my methods for the Boston Marathon as I was hoping for it to be my best marathon yet.
The dreaded hamstring!! I have had a hate-hate relationship with my hamstring screwing up my marathon potential. The good news I was slowly gaining core strength with each marathon training cycle, so those left hamstring strains were less and less a factor in slowing down my marathon times. Coach prescribed more strength training. In the months leading up to the Boston marathon, I was religious about getting those strength workouts in. It was a significant change in how I trained in the past. Bulgarian lunges, Balance toe touches, Step-ups with weights over my shoulders: just to name a few of the exercises. Combine that with an increase in mileage, running more weekly 20+ milers than ever at marathon goal pace.
“Keep your long runs at or as close to 7 min/mile as possible and all of your shorter distance paces would come down.” Coach emphasized as I slowly saw my long run paces come down. He also introduce me to the mid week long run, where I would run 12 to 14 miles every Wednesday, also at marathon goal or faster pace. My legs were exhausted hitting 76 miles peak, the week before the United Airlines New York City Half. It was great and my legs were feeling strong. I looked forward to strength training, twice a week. I loved running longer distances.
“Cut back on the speed work to limit strain on your hip.” That was hard to do. I was so used to those track workouts that helped develop some speed so that I can have that kick for late race surges. I complied and left the track alone. I made limited appearances at the Armory in Washington Heights, which ended up being a pleasant advantage to my wallet saving that $20 per track workout. I ended up doing speed work only 4 times this whole cycle if you besides my strides during taper. I was becoming a true distance runner: Steady pacing and consistent running. I didn't feel sore nor my hamstring didn't feel tender after each distance training run.
When I changed my training methods, I knew going in improvements weren’t going to happen overnight. It would take a couple cycles to get used to this style of training. I kept up with my biweekly massage regimen and introduced my legs to the Air Relax recovery boot. I also religiously did a recovery run before my strength training, at about 2 minutes less than marathon goal pace to lock in any gains from my long runs. It was great! Running or strength training just about every day.
Terrible Training Weather: Embracing the Treadmill
Winter weather put a damper on many of my outdoor training runs.
I remember the race day weather for the 2016 and 2017 Boston Marathons. Both instances saw hot days that made it difficult for runners to perform their best after mile 20. The heat got the best out of plenty of great runners, and I knew I had to prepare.
“If race day Boston in mid April is usually hot, let me make sure that my muscles can get used to warming up quickly, like it would in the summer.” I concluded. The treadmill became a welcome addition to my regimen
Now I always hated the treadmill. The mind numbing routine of running in place while a conveyer belt moves under your feet. I JUST CAN’T!! This is DRIVING ME NUTS! I run 25 minutes, than break for a stretch. Another 20 to 30 minutes, than break for some water and another stretch. By the time it is over, I logged in 12 or 15 or even 18 miles some workouts – All at marathon goal pace or faster. I soon figured out that I should allow the machine to randomly change the incline, to prevent overuse injuries to your muscles.
By the time taper came around, I was used to it. I can go the whole 60 minutes if I have to. The treadmill is my friend. An excellent alternative to running outdoors, where mother nature had a great time in the Northeast United States. Every week in March, there was a Nor’easter to throw off my training. An extended period of sub freezing temperatures in January to make matters complicated. Almost a quarter of my miles were on the treadmill (before strength training, on cold days, or at least once a week), and I believe I’m a better runner because of it.
Extending my charity campaign.
10 mile long run with Team DetermiNation: from Prospect Park to Central Park
There is something about running for charity that allows me to have more focus and gives my runs a sense of purpose. After 13 marathons (well really after my 12thin London), I knew if I wanted to run my best Boston, I would have to channel some of that focused energy from charity fundraising that has allowed me to succeed in the past. So I signed on for the American Cancer Society’s Team DetermiNation Mini-Series. They let me choose my race and I run to benefit their cause. I signed up through the Illinois Chapter again, and the reconnected me with the New York City Chapter where I was made an Assistant Coach.
This was by far, the highlight of my training. I was there Tuesday nights in Central Park, and Saturday mornings in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, helping runners run train for their first half marathon. All were motivated to raise money for cancer research in the process. That energy was amazing. To see their consistent dedication was truly inspirational and put my marathon life into perspective. I was once a first time half marathoner, training while raising money for charity. Who would have thought 9 years later I would be running the Boston Marathon. I knew there would be some future Boston Marathoners from among this group. And it was great to see them lay down their roots for their journey to come.
American Cancer Society - Team DetermiNation Dinner the night
before the 2018 United Airlines NYC Half.
It’s Almost Go Time:
What was special about making it to the starting line was being among the best. It’s amazing how a place you are familiar with can transform based solely on the energy of the people there. I was around some amazing people. People who also worked very hard for months or years to get there. Three days before the Boston Marathon, I weighed in at 178 lbs, 13 lbs over my Chicago Marathon BQ performance, and 6 lbs over my last marathon in New York City this past Fall.
“It’ll be fine,” I thought. I may be carrying a little extra this time around but I’m a stronger runner, I’ll muscle through if I have to.
Long run 2 weeks before Boston - Nassau Blvd in Garden City
as I get acquainted to my new surroundings in the Long Island suburbs.
That’s fine with me, I haven’t felt this good in a marathon since… well I felt better than Chicago... at that point. So my physical fitness was there. I was still carrying a little extra at 173 lbs, when comparing my 2016 Chicago Marathon weight at 165 lbs. That extra was muscle… muscle that would prove to need more hydration later in the race. The heat was kicking in by the half-way point. And I knew I had to scale it back. 
So yes, I can point to a number of factors that didn’t make this marathon as smooth as I wanted. And of course, the piroformis and hip region was throbbing by the time I kicked into high gear in the last 3 kilometers. I knew a sub 3:10 marathon had slipped away as I mustered up a 6:30 sprint in the distance between the Brandenburg Gate and the finish line (It’s not 400 meters as people have been saying… closer or just under 800). I had spent the entire 2018 allowing Henwood to break down everything I learned before only to rebuild myself with a stronger foundation. I am happy with the direction I am headed. And I can confidently conclude from these last two marathon-training cycles which emphasized strength building and endurance consistency… I can confidently conclude that no matter what you face on marathon day, it can always be dealt with correct anticipation and preparation. Fifteen marathons in and I should certainly know better by now. 
