Well I made it through the weekend. That was a key test. And if I was able to get through that, then I still get the go-ahead for Boston.
I ran 9 miles on Friday, 20 on Saturday, and 6 more on Sunday. That made for a 67 mile week, and I haven't taken a day off in a week and a half.
Importantly, I made it through this stretch without any problems and I'm not feeling overly beat up. Actually, my abs/groin/hip flexors are all much better with each run, and I continue to gain fitness. I'm still a little cautious, but in general I feel OK.
The 20 miler wasn't easy. It's to be expected anytime that distance is crossed for the first time in a training season, but this one was definitely a little more difficult than other 20's in the past. We kept a reasonable pace of around 7:00 for most of it. Some miles a little faster, some a little slower. One thing that probably hurt the later miles was not getting any hydration in the first 7 or 8 miles. It was a little on the warm side. Braulio had to drag me through the last couple miles... though we still kept the pace.
Obviously, I'm still lacking some endurance and strength. That's what I get for training for a marathon in three weeks after taking over 3 months off! Well it's still not easy to digest. I do fear this thing. Newton Hills suck regardless, but it's gonna super-suck this time around!
Boston will be a different kind of race this year. It's easy to see in the running community, with my teammates, and from some of the marketing / hype that the event is receiving. To run this thing will truly be special.
Just yesterday, 60 Minutes had a piece on this year's marathon and Shalane Flanagan. It was a nice boost for my motivation, and a good reminder of why I'm choosing to put myself through the pain on such pathetic training. She expressed much of the feelings that many of us had last year. (Here was my own 2013 race recap).
So regardless of whether I'm fit enough to roll a 2:38 or merely gut out a 3:10, I will run Boston in one week from today.
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