How I Got Here: Via Vermont!

This could be the longest delay ever between someone racing an event and posting a summary! I haven't written it during this almost year-long period, but I vividly remember running the 2012 Vermont City Marathon. I often think back to how I trained, performed, the circumstances surrounding the event, and what I'm going to do about it in Boston on April 15th.

A look back at Boston 2012

On April 16th 2012, I somehow survived the incredible heat, finishing Boston in just under 4:00. Many marathoners I know would do almost anything for that kind of performance under normal weather conditions! But my goal was to qualify for the 2013 edition of Boston (requiring a time no worse than 3:15:00) and in a long shot felt I could have challenged for a sub 3:00 marathon. During the race itself, after Heartbreak Hill I ended up walking a lot, accepting food, drink and ice from spectators and even from volunteers stationed at a Red Cross medical tent (the organization I continue to support with marathoning and fundraising). Given the intensity of the training we had gone through with a 3:00 marathon target, I actually felt ashamed of walking in some of these final miles. I put my head down and just thought about what was going on and how it fell  far short of how I imagined my first marathon unfolding. Of course given the unprecedented conditions there really was no need for that kind of negative thinking. 

Taking another Shot

Since it was my first attempt, I applied the conventional wisdom that after you run a marathon,  you need to take time off to properly recover. However, someone at work suggested I sign up for another spring marathon and go for the Boston Qualifier (BQ) time that I missed out on. So I considered this after taking 1 week off. With 5 weeks left until VCM, I decided to "replay" my training program - 3 weeks of higher mileage and high intensity, then 2 weeks of taper. I felt this was necessary, that my Boston performance did not truly reflect what I had trained for. I had to give it a proper attempt and establish what I was actually capable of achieving.

The problems started right away when my IT band tightness caused significant pain in one knee. I alternated days off and foam rolling with further attempts to restart the training program. One day I had to cut off a "long run" at mile 3 and hobble / jog home when a sharp pain suddenly appeared in that knee. After more than a week of this of this the stretching finally worked and I was back.

With 2 weeks left I did another final long run, almost the same workout as I had done for Boston: 3x10K at increasing paces, 7:20/mi down to 6:50. My training partners Joe Loureiro and Will Swenson each came out to join me for one of my three 10K loops. I skipped the last part of the workout at the end - that was 4K at "max effort" (foreshadowing!). But once I did those 3x10K loops at the goal paces, I went straight home and registered for VCM because I knew I could do it!

Almost there, and tired!

The intervening days between that last hard workout and the race were pretty busy with work, and also included coaching as my children started their spring sports seasons. The extended marathon training season was definitely wearing me down mentally (I was supposed to be done with all of this and moving on)! Then, I was unfortunate enough to get a stomach bug less than a week before the marathon! Luckily the illness lasted just a day and I could focus on hydrating and fueling up for the main event.

Race Weekend

We made plans as a family to stay in Vermont for the whole weekend, renting a cottage on Lake Champlain. I was very happy to have my family be able to participate in the marathon experience. It is important to me that we share in these experiences, since the training occupies so much of my time and effort for several months at a time. We all need to see that payoff for our collective sacrifices made along the way! The Vermont City Marathon course helped out significantly on race day. It ventures away from Battery Park on different routes, but returns back to the main area near downtown Burlington. This made it very easy for my wife and kids to see me and enjoy the experience. With this in mind it is a lot better than Boston's point to point course where I can only see my family for a few seconds.

The Race

My plan was actually to run the race as I had done my last major workout, in 3 10K segments of increasing paces, with a warmup preceding, some slight recovery periods between each interval (where I would take in some nutrition - GU chomps in my case). The remaining few kilometers were TBD - essentially left as a "gut check". In retrospect this was not the best plan, versus the alternative to identify a goal pace and run it consistently from start to finish. Hey, it was my second marathon, and in my mind it was my first real marathon since Boston was sabotaged by the weather.

I joined the Greater Lowell Road Runners just before the race and got to see a few of my new teammates at the starting line, Michael Brodeur and James Sullivan. James was hoping to run right around if not under 3:00 that day. I suppose on my perfect day I would be going for the same, but in reality James was in better shape and ended up running faster. The greatest part of this though, with the out and back design is that I got to see James several times on the course. He spotted me each time and gave me some awesome words of encouragement. He was just overflowing with enthusiasm - this such a great example of why I love running! We were in this thing together and shooting for big goals.

James Sullivan, Greater Lowell teammate competing in the 2012 VCM

James, rounding a final turn toward the VCM finish line

My brother Jon, his wife Colleen and her mother Kathryn all made the trip north to Burlington to watch me compete. It was great to have another cheering contingent out on the course in addition to my wife and kids. These guys are great, and Jon and Colleen were also out there in Boston, course-hopping from point to point trying to cheer me on as many times as possible. Their support helped make my "first" (really first two) marathons a truly special experience.

I remember on that first out and back just settling into a calm groove and thinking that I was truly enjoying myself. This is in contrast to how other runners had described this early section of the course: quiet, boring, no-scenery, divided highway. In my mind it was perfect, a place where I could settle in and quietly focus on how I wanted to run this race. It was going perfectly according to plan, and I was feeling great! Cloud cover rolled in and kept the sun from warming up the competitors (the forecast indicated the temperature could reach 80 degrees).

So rewarding to see my family and enjoy the experience together

I came back to Battery Park at mile 15-16 after surviving a tremendous hill climb that the race organizers call "the assault on Battery", a 6 block run uphill on Battery Street. There I was able to refill my bottle with cool water my family had held for me since the beginning of the race. After this point I saw Jon, Colleen and Kathryn. I was just about to start my third 10K interval and increase the pace accordingly. I announced boldly to Jon ,"It's almost time to start racing!". 10 miles to go and I was going to start dialing up the pace!

After the Assault on Battery St., refueling for the final 10 miles. Notice it is brighter (and hotter) at this point.

The Quit Voice, Avoid at All Costs!

My bold prediction was very quickly brought into a reality check. I was finding it difficult to maintain a sub 7:00/mi pace that I had planned at this point. It was warming up a lot, and this section of the course ran through neighborhoods with wide streets and no shade. By mile 19 I realized my pacing plan was not going to work out and it was time to focus on survival and getting to the finish. This is the point where you start looking for little kids with lemonade stands and refreshments, and desperately seeking out more nutrition. I was hitting the wall (again)! I love orange slices. I love watermelons! I really love popsicles! 

At this point in the race a spectator declared that we were running at a 3:05 pace. Now let me say when you start wearing down especially at these "far out" distances, the mind is a very powerful force (both positive and negative). The "quit voice" starts talking to you. And it won't ease up. You have to decide if you're going to give in to it. Well, I mostly listened to that voice and decided I could "coast" in with whatever energy I had left, and sneak in under that 3:15:00 BQ time I needed.

So I trudged along for the final 7 miles, not stopping to walk as I had in Boston, but not "ripping it up" either. I kept glancing at my GPS watch and noticing that the difference between my projected finish and the BQ limit was getting smaller and smaller. In the very last half mile I did try to push the pace to squeak in underneath 3:15. It didn't work and as I crossed the finish line I had a few moments feeling light headed, telling me that I really was completely out of energy, that there was nothing left to give in those final miles. My officiial time: 3:15:16 - 16 seconds short of my goal.

Mile 25+. I love this photo of my son waiting to give me five!

Proud father and family

A "Ken do" attitude with Jon!

Next up

A lot of runners I've spoken to about my experience give very pained expressions, imagining what it might feel like to come that so to qualifying for Boston. It's really quite fun to have these conversations and see the reactions. But I am honestly very comfortable with my performance and feel satisfied that I did everything I could in my first ever attempt at the 26.2 mile distance. I look forward to the immense challenge that this race represents and have taken on my training this year with a similar level of dedication. Furthermore I am armed with marathoning experience, great training partners and friends, and I think a better level of fitness that I hope can propel me to a stronger performance this time!