Boston Marathon 2010
I haven’t posted anything since my marathon in Pennsylvania back in October but thought I’d put up something before Boston next week. I'll put up another post after the race (sure to be loaded with excuses).
Cathy and I have followed a modified McMillan training plan getting ready for Boston. McMillan emphasizes miles over speed. At age 51 after two knee meniscectomies my legs simply cannot take more than the occasional pounding session on the track with my Strider teammates. Yet, I have no problem running 60-70 miles/wk —albeit most days at a slow (8:30-8:45/mile) sloth-like pace. I am convinced that focusing on leg strength rather than speed works best for me. While I have had some bothersome right leg sciatica since late January I have had no medial-knee pain, which has always been my nemesis.
Some random observations with Boston 8 days away:
1. This will be my 6th marathon: Chicago Sept. 1978 (3:46), Boston April 1982 (3:27), Steamtown Oct. 2008 (3:23), Boston April 2009 (3:21), Steamtown Oct. 2009 (3:07);
2. While Boston is certainly not the only race, its very special to me. I grew up near the course, watched and handed out water nearly every year from Framingham or Newton until I left for college in 1977. My high school track coach finished 2nd in 1971 (two years before he became my coach). He lost by just 5 seconds—the closest finish ever (up to that point) at Boston;
3. I’ve run every day since December 13, the day I was stuck in an airport all day returning with my Granite State Flash team from the U.S. Junior Olympics in Reno, Nevada (where we finished 9th );
4. I’ve run five 20 milers-all on the nearby hilly Amherst-Mont Vernon-New Boston course. I’ve run three progression runs in the 18 mile range;
5. If its above 65-70 degrees on race day, I’m finished: I’m a terrible warm weather runner;
6. If the weather conditions are cool (low 40’s to high 50’s) and there is no significant head wind (like last year) I have a shot of running in the 3:05-3:15 range;
7. In fact, I prefer cold weather. Training through the winter makes the winter pass very quickly;
8. I’ve posted this video of the finish of the 1982 marathon before but if you haven’t seen it, its worth the 10 minutes (if you can tolerate the annoying Bill Squires). This race later became a book "Duel in the Sun". I was just crossing the overpass on Rt. 128 and could hear the finish blaring out from radios on the sidewalk:
9. Here is a video we put together from last year's Boston which contains pictures of many friends, Gate City Striders as well as two of my Granite State Flash runners accompanying me up Heartbreak Hill:
10. Good luck to all of my Gate City Striders teamates and friends running Boston!
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