1L Ran There: The Final Week

As an introduction to my final race report, I just want to finish out my training cycle and the lead up to the race. I was surprised coming in how I didn't really seem to lose it during taper. Most tapers I'm kind of crazy and worried about time and all my runs feel just awful. I begin to doubt myself a lot, and although I wasn't sure of the smartness of my outside time goal on the Boston course, I knew that my overall sub-4 goal and re-qualification was well within hand. I know that I'm a better half marathon runner than marathon runner, so the McMillan calculator is a bit aggressive for me. But I also knew that I felt good after the hilly Publix race and that I ran it as well as I did back in 2012 when I felt ready. I guess I felt ready.

My runs for the week went well and my final "speed" session on the outdoor track was extremely positive as I polished off those four 800s in 3:34, 3:301, 3:28 and 3:30. On a flat course that would translate to roughly 3:40-3:45 for me, so my outside goal of 3:48 to 3:50 for Boston was doable if the weather and everything else cooperated. I was ready.

I left for Boston on Friday morning and after arriving there, I checked into my hotel and took the walk to the Expo before meeting up with my daughter. As I passed the spot on Boylston St where I was stopped last year, I took the photo below. I must admit, that I really had no idea how close I actually was to the 2nd bomb. I knew that it was in front of the Forum restaurant, but I didn't even begin to believe that I was almost in front of the Forum Restaurant too.

The Expo was the typical Boston Expo with lots of electricity in the air. There was a bit of added security in that you had to have your bag checked going in, but that was pretty much like any sporting event in the post 9/11 error. After wandering at the Expo, I met up with my daughter and we covered the remaining booths and then ventured outside to take in Boylston St. and the finish line area. As you can see below, the Marathon Sports store (site of first bomb) was ready for action.

And unlike last year, I took a picture in front of that starting line with high hopes that I would be on the other side in two more days.

After some Mom & daughter time on Friday night and Saturday morning, we (she, her friend, and I) went to the wonderful Dear Boston exhibit at the Boston Public Library. This exhibit is a display of all the wonderful things left at last year's finish area at the site of the bombings where the three spectators - Martin Richard, Kristal Campbell and Lu Lingzi - were killed. It is a powerful display and I hope that it remains there for some time. Here are some of the images from the display:

And after a wonderful get together with some on-line running friends, taking in the Pasta Dinner and getting my nail painted in traditional Boston colors. I knew I was ready.