After running competitively for 34 years, I believe these were the worst conditions I have ever raced in. Certainly the worst of the 31 marathons I have run. It was day that looked like the conditions were going to be pretty good. I was talking with a woman in the parking lot before the race and she said the weather forecast was for the rain to stop around 10:00. Buddy Jim said that it was supposed to rain hard around noon. I had heard that we would have a Nor'easter and that it would be wild in the afternoon. Anyway, it was evident at the start that a lot of fast people had bailed out. I saw team-mate Mike at the start and asked "Where is everybody?" and the answer - they are not coming. Off to a quick start, I was saying at mile 5 that I didn't know what everybody was talking about - these are great conditions! The kiss of death; then all hell broke loose. I was right on track through the first half, fast and felt good, but by mile 16 my toes were numb and at mile 22 I could not feel my feet. Those 37 degree puddles you could not avoid, worked on my feet to the point that they were gone and so was my PR. My race was over, I could run, but couldn't get a good push off with my toes and was falling way off pace. Thanks to Dave for trying to pull me along the last mile plus, but I was just done and not caring about time. I would finish at 2:56:23, 62nd overall and 15th in my AG behind friend Dima. It's pretty funny I would be complaining about having a bad day and running 2:56 (my third fastest marathon and non-Boston PR)! I am just feeling the pressure to get that sub-2:50 marathon on my resume. Anyway, time to get back on the bike. I leave for the 70.3 world championships in three weeks.Anyway, I would like to congratulate:
Jim Koch, 3:07 and first Boston qualifier (on his first try too)!
Mike Brown Dowling, 1st BAA and 2:34:39 in those conditions? unbelievable!
I am celebrating this week (and still asking myself why I raced in those conditions).
I will post again in a week or so.
Cheers!
4 comments:
Oh the part that I left out. If I didn't have hypothermia after the race, then that is the closest I've come to being hypthermic. After running 26 miles in the dirty water streets of Lowell, I had to untie my shoes with my teeth - my fingers were so cold they did not work! I think some of the enamel chipped of my teeth I was shivering so bad. I will work out easy and inside for the next few days.
Hey Kyle,
Stumbled across your blog while looking for Baystate Marathon postings. 2:56 in that weather, you're a monster. Do you have time to work anymore? I hadn't run for a month because of a quad injury, but ran to get a old man BQ (didn't enter before it closed out last year). The one thing I did right was dress warmly: tights, poly shirt, windlayer, hat, gloves, smart wool socks, and fleece hat. Slow but relatively comfy (drank some soup and made it to the car before the uncontrollable shivering started).
I'll look for you at Boston. Maybe a good winter of training and I can make a run at 3:00.
Pat,
Great to hear from you and glad to see you putting in a fast time at Baystate! Let's get together for a run sometime soon.
-Kyle
... and you are right. I have had this discussion a number of times with a number of people. Preparation should have been better for this race; including wool socks and wool gloves a must for conditions like those. See, even a 44 year-old can learn something new.
-Kyle
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