Last Chance for Boston Marathon Race Recap
By: Rachel Gibson
Has it already been a week since that race? Why yes, yes it has. Anyway, here's a short recap from my first marathon of 2012:
Honestly, I gave up on really training for this race in mid-January. Between the most intense work load I've ever had in my life, lots of travel, personal life uglies and studying for countless registration exams, I've realized that no race this spring will be treated with priority. But I'm okay with that; I look forward to the day when running will be back up on top, but in the mean time I'm just running these races to enjoy myself. Which I did.
I ran one 20-miler in prep for this race, and that long run was completed 5 weeks prior to race day, then virtually no miles over 6 here and there brought me to the start line, where a potential DNF was in the back of my head. But I started running at 8:03am that f-f-f-freeeeezing Sunday morning (actual temp of 21 degrees, wind chill of closer to 10) along with my dad, who alternated laps with his girlfriend to complete the full relay. I took the first few miles slow, knowing how much this 26-one-mile-loop course can wear on you by the end. I kept going, round and round, even when it got blustery, even when they put salt out near the water stop to keep the ground from icing, even when I lost count of which lap I was on....near the end I surely figured I only had one left, so as I passed the MC holding up my index finger indicating 1 lap left I was devestated to hear over the microphone "nope number 1135, you've still got TWO LAPS LEFT!" Uggghghghggg! But I finished them both, crossing the line, happy to be done and happy to know I can run these things without putting in a ton of training miles.
And wouldn't you know it, I even got first place in my age group! (not that it's too impressive; it's a super small race, but that last and final 20-29 year old plaque will look good up on the wall before I enter the realm of 30 year old speedy women, whew!)
That's about it, this race, while well organized, has nothing to speak of for spectator support, nor scenery (unless you count the corporate offices of Dublin, OH...thrilling!) but it's a personal fave of mine and I've yet to get dizzy from the 26 lap course!
Now onto not training for Marathon #2, coming up in less than 2 weeks!