Live for another day

Passing by the SRR Cheer Zone at 30km
Photo taken by Joe O'Leary

The long and short of my Boston Marathon effort was a DNF (did not finish). I got to mile 21 and accepted my last calf cramp since they began half way through the race. The right calf cramp triggered more frequently as I approached Boston College. The left calf started to cramp at some point. Mile 20 to 21 slowed to 8:01 mile (my race was determined to be over). I had a few bouts of practically stopping in my tracks to release the cramps on the last of the Newton hills. I refused to do the marathon shuffle or death march over the last five miles. The mix of running, stopping, stretching, and repeat was not appealing so I pulled the plug. Muscle fatigue and electrolyte depletion is misery. I took on water or Gatorade at each opportunity after skipping the first one. I took a Power Gel around mile 7, 14, and 17.5. I even grabbed a half banana as I ran down into Newton Lower falls hoping that the Potassium would help fight off the cramps.

Family, coworkers, and friends got the following text updates:

10km: 41:35, Pace 6:41
1/2 marathon: 1:27:14, Pace 6:39
30km: 2:05:24, Pace 6:43

Several were concerned with no update after 30km - hoping that the text alert program was having technical issues. No, it was just electrolyte depleted calves....thanks to all that have checked in and gave positive words. This is behind me. Huge thanks to the spectator who let me use his cell to call Krissy for the rescue at Waban Hills and another spectator for a bottle of Gatorade. Patrick Taylor biked from the North Shore to mile 21 to take in the race. He came over to bust my chops and kept me company while Krissy drove from her finish line perch to pick up my sorry ass.

A screen copy of my mile splits once I crossed the stating line in Hopkinton are included. While home tapping at the keyboard, watching the post marathon coverage on the tube - I am reminded that it is not about me. So my whining here on this "about me blog" shall be minimized. I am at peace considering what happened one year ago and what it meant to 36,000 registered runners today and even more beyond that. Taking back the finish line was accomplished today. It meant a lot to Boston and the running community. I can't wait to see, hear, and read how friends did today. To add, Meb Kefleghizi, won today as the first male American to do so in 31 years. Shalane Flanagan PR'd with a 2:22 and change in an incredible fight for 7th place.