Howdy all,

Bad news: Well, I didn't make Sub3 but hey, you've got to set your goals high. Will break 3 someday. If I had made it I'd have had to find a new goal :-).

Good news: It was my second fastest marathon (11 seconds slower than Portland last October), my third marathon for this year, and my 24th marathon overall (Number 1 was on 5/21/95). And I'm still having fun.......

Got it to the expo Saturday PM and managed to avoid most of it. Spent a lot of time with Jonathan Beverly at the Running Times booth. When I showed up Bill Rogers was signing autographs while sitting next to Jonathan. Jonathan was greatly enjoying his new job - busy being introduced to runnings elite.

Made our way to the encounter dinner. A good time as always. Thanks again Robin.

Played it smart for a change Sunday. Went for a short run then stayed around the our hotel in Newton. The expo and the downtown excitement beckoned but previous years I've always spent way to much time in my feet. Meet with some Mass. friends for pasta. They again gave me with a ride to Hopkinton Monday AM. This is real nice - get up around 8, meet them around 9, get to Hopkinton around 10.

Took advantage of Maine friends offer and made my way to met him at his dads house which is VERY close to the start line. This year we were joined by DR's Jonathan Beverly, Kevin Johnson and Willie Sproul. A nice place to wait for the race to start, warm with good company. I think Jonathan fell asleep for a while. Heard a commotion and looked outside to see Johnny Kelly taking a short run from the start line to the delight of the crowd. We watched the wheel chair start and a made a dash to our corrals.

I had a plan. Downloaded 2:59:59 splits from the RRCA web page and made it into a wrist band. Unfortunately I forgot to learn how to subtract:

>From my watch: Mile Split Total Proposed 1 0:07:39 0:07:39 0:06:38 (race clock read 8:24 - I lost 45 sec. to start line) 2 0:06:29 0:14:08 0:13:25
3 0:06:38 0:20:46 0:20:09
4 0:06:35 0:27:21 0:26:49
5 0:06:39 0:34:00 0:33:48
6 0:06:33 0:40:33 0:40:38 (I made up the lost time and was ahead through mile 16)
7 0:06:43 0:47:16 0:47:28
8 0:06:47 0:54:03 0:54:27
9 0:06:50 1:00:53 1:01:16
10 0:07:00 1:07:53 1:08:14
11 0:07:00 1:14:53 1:15:13
12 0:06:47 1:21:40 1:22:03
13 0:07:01 1:28:41 1:28:53
14 0:06:54 1:35:35 1:35:45
15 0:06:58 1:42:33 1:42:45
16 0:06:39 1:49:12 1:49:22
17 0:07:21 1:56:33 1:56:29 (started losing back the time)
18 0:07:18 2:03:51 2:03:31
19 0:07:00 2:10:51 2:10:23
20 0:07:16 2:18:07 2:17:23
21 0:07:40 2:25:47 2:24:40 (worst mile at Heartbreak Hill)
22 0:06:52 2:32:39 2:31:21
23 0:06:59 2:39:38 2:38:07
24 0:06:58 2:46:36 2:44:54 (I didn't get mile splits after 21 so I
probably these mile
25 0:06:58 2:53:34 2:51:40 aren't as consistent as it looks)
26 0:06:58 3:00:32 2:58:34
0.2 0:01:21 3:01:53 2:59:59

Would have liked: a warmer day, no headwind, and less of a crowd at the start. I was in the same (3,000) corral last year and I'm sure it was more crowded this year for the first miles. I lost 45 sec. at the start plus was slowed for several miles by the crowds. Looks like I might have tried to make up the lost time to quickly. I would pay attention to the mile clocks and not remember to subtract the time lost at the start. Hit the 1/2 at 1:30:09 and thought "I'll never do negative splits, not with the hills coming up". My net time was actually 1:29:24 - perhaps slightly to fast. Or maybe it was the wind. Or maybe it was the cold ...... :-)

Pleased to see that I could keep up a strong pace for the last 5 miles. BAA has my last 1.4M at a 6:51. Have to learn to keep that up for the other 24.8.

Will think twice about racing Boston again. I did miss a lot of the fun (the expo, high fiving the kids, talking with other runners and spectators, etc.) while concentrating on racing. A first sub3 at Boston 2000 did sound nice though.

Will try again at Hartford in October (easier logistics, less crowded). For now 10K and 5K PR's :-)

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