What I Tried This Week: Running the Boston Marathon

This past Monday, I lined up to race the Boston Marathon after a cold, Canadian winter. With the nasty weather conditions, I was never happier to be a Canadian runner than this week, where our winter of blustery long runs, icy roads and difficult terrain came together to make me feel unbreakable in the face of the wind and rain in Boston.

I was warned by race vets that it’s the first stretch that makes or breaks the marathon so I squared my shoulders and eased into the race, going slower per kilometer than my goal pace. It was for the best as the busy first kilometers prevented me from passing other runners easily. I find that dodging around fellow runners, especially at the beginning of a longer race, is a waste of energy that can be better used to accelerate on clear stretches, so I moved along at a slower, respectable pace.

After the first 10K, the downhill stretch tapered off and I was left with an even course and outstanding crowd support. As I settled into my race pace, I made sure to enjoy the energy from the people who lined the course, despite the weather. One of the most memorable moments for me was moving through the different pockets of the race and experiencing the unique flavour of each location, running from Ashland to Framingham and running towards the screaming crowds and free kisses in Wellesley.

After I passed the half way mark and hit 25K, I prepared myself to tackle the notorious Newton hills. I was pleasantly surprised at how manageable they were, especially Heartbreak Hill, but training on rolling terrain was a helpful element for this race.

After I confirmed with a spectator that I was indeed past the hills, I buckled down at around 35K and began picking up the pace as the course provided a lovely downhill stretch which allowed me to slowly accelerate and pick away at my race time.

The closer I was to the finish line, the more frenzied the crowds became and, with one mile to go, the support was so overwhelming that it almost carried you along. It was one of the biggest racing moments of my life so far to cross the Boston finish line for the first time, get a finishers medal and a big hug from one of the volunteers.

I think my largest takeaway from this race was to listen to those who have raced the course before and know it well. Not going out too quickly at the beginning allowed me to savour the race, enjoy every moment and negative split the marathon. I ended up finishing in 3:15:48, crossing the finish line with strength and a sense of pride and accomplishment.

You can find me on twitter @lacesandlattes and my personal blog.