Robbie-T's - Boston Marathon

[Robbie-T]

Pre Race.......
Meet up with Doonst 3:00pm Friday to drive down to Boston, Arlington actually, 8km or so from Boston core, we are away shortly after 3:30pm and arrive about 1:30am. The drive went by rather quickly and uneventful, thats a good thing.

Wake up Saturday and head down to the Expo on the T, spend a couple hours collecting "stuff". My knees wobbled a bit when I was handed my number.

Saturday night we head out for a Birthday party in a local pub, lots of laughs and head home for an early night.

Sunday wake up and head to Boston on the T again to watch the US Woman's Olympic Trials and then over for the Breakfast Brunch. Lots of RM'ers showed for that, it was a nice event, lots of nervous Marathon talk.

Back home and feet up for the rest of the day.

Race Day........
Goal A- Sub 2:59:59
Goal B- PB Sub 3:05:35
Goal C- BQ Sub 3:15
Goal D- Finish
Race Day, up at 6am, leave for Hopkinton, Doonst and I get a ride to the dropped off point just outside Hopkinton, take a 2 minutes bus ride and walk up to Athletes Village. Easy peazy, no stress.

The Aside.....
I saw a girl with a phrase written on her bib "Fast Fat Girl" she was from Canada too, she wasn't fat, but I assume she use to be. That brought me back, I use to call myself "The Fastest FAT Guy" mostly joking with my wife as I raced in the the Clydesdale Category (+200lbs)

My first Marathon I ran 4:10 in 2004 at about 215lbs, I was likely closer to 225 or more when I started training for that marathon, I was 235+ at my heaviest. I weighted over 200 for at least my first 3 marathons. I broke 4:00 hours on number 2 but number 3 was over 4 hours again.

I ran 4 marathons the next year (2006) with a best time of 3:34. 2007 I BQ'd (3:14) in London at 170lbs, bettered that time in Hamilton the same year (3:05).

Boston 2008 is my 10th Marathon since the fall 2004, 215lbs - 165lbs, 4:10 to 3:05 marathon time.
1)4:10, 2)3:53, 3)4:03, 4)3:41, 5)3:37, 6)3:56, 7)3:34, 8 ) 3:14, 9)3:05

I learned how to run by trial and error, if I find something that makes me run faster I exploit it. Running hills made me stronger, I ran the biggest and steepest ones I could find, I made myself enjoy running hills, I never was someone that poo-poo'd hard work. Losing weight would make me faster, (believe or not this took a while to sink in) so I ran more and lost weight.

Ok back to the Story...
We do the normal pre-race stuff, then we part and I head to my coral, small chat with a few people along the way and we are off. About 2 minutes for me to cross the Start line. Its all business now.

The sun comes out just before the race, and I can feel it is already starting to get hot, heat will be a factor. I hate the sun.

We start off slow and avg about 5:00 for the first KM. After that the crowd is commanding the pace but it is very close to my race pace pace and I just flow along with it.
I'm feeling pretty good, a bit heavy but not bad.

Cruise by the Biker Bar playing "Running with the Devil", I think it may come to that by the end of this race. I give them "Rocker" salute.

For some reason I think I keep seeing my wife, weird I don't know why, I must have been missing her.
8-13k I look for my parents, they say they have a huge sign I can't miss, I missed it. Oh well that kept me busy and helped pass time for a while.

The crowd slightly opens up around 15km but still packed. Even with a so called "fast, downhill" first half, the course is very rolling, it is never an easy course.

Every bit of the race has spectators out cheering, handing out orange slices and water, from start to finish, and water stations on both sides of the road every mile from start to finish. No reason for dehydrating, although by the end I probably was.

Up through Natick and Wellesley College, I hit Half way right on pace, right on plan, feeling OK, but it is hot and I'm dumping water on my head every other water station.

By 28k I knew my goal was going to be in trouble, my ears are starting to feel plugged, but continued to hammer along, and hold pace best I could up through the hills of Newton. I was doing fine, passed the Hoyt's through the hills and gave them a clap, I hit the top of Heart Break feeling OK, and started to push best I could for the finish. Up to there I was pretty much on my game plan, now for the fast finish. Nope nothing left, I start doing "Marathon Math" which is incredibly hard by that point in the race. By 38k I was doing best I could but knew sub 3:00 wasn't possible today.

I had conquered the hills but had nothing left for the finish. No stopping now I still have a PB goal in site. I pass by a few downed runners getting medical attention, yikes, never nice to see but they did get immediate attention from the staff.

The last 5k of a marathon really do last as long as the rest of the marathon, and seem to take just as much effort to complete. Finally I'm making corners and know I'm close I hit the final straight away down Boylston, the finish is in sight, I straighten up and finish this sucker. I know I PB'd in Boston. I managed to complete the final KMs best I could with whatever I had left in me.
3:05:17

I follow the parade of runners, get some water, get my medal, some food handed to me, a solar blanket. Then head off to get my bag and look for the Strider gang.

A PB is a PB, a BQ is a BQ, to do both in Boston is admirable. Of course Sub 3 would have made this story much more fun to read and write. But at least I still have that goal to write about for another race.

Race Summary and Thoughts.......
Did I go out too fast? Maybe a bit.
Was it too Hot? Definitely for me, my right side is sun burned, it had to be pretty hot out there.
Was I just not ready for sub 3? Maybe, at least for Boston.
Was the Course that tough? Yep super tough, tougher then I thought it could be.
Did I give up when I couldn't meet my goal? I've asked myself this questions many times over the last 2 days, No I don't think I did.
Now what? Sub 3, I'm stubborn, I guess I love the punishment too.

Post Race.......
Clean up and swap race stories and celebrate with Doonst, Strider and Bill, we have all ran ITT and Boston so we had lots of good stuff to talk about. I find a blister on the top of my second toe the size of a baby's head!!

Head over to the bar on the T and hook up with everyone else for more celebration and food. Marathoners ride the T (subway) for free after the Marathon, it really is these small things that make this event and the entrants so special.

Tuesday - On the Road Again....
Up at 7am pack and ready to head back to Canada just after 8am. A few stops for stretching food, potty and Duty Free and we are back by 6pm.
Great time!!

And in the News...
http://news.guelphmercury.com/article/319646

The Tale of the Tape...
Split Avg Pace
0-5k 4:18
5-10k 4:15
10-15k 4:15
15-20k 4:17
20-25k 4:18
35-30k 4:26
30-35k 4:31 - My average pace was ok until about here
35-40k 4:36
40-42.2k 4:52

[mlazenby]

Great tale. Congratulations Rob!

[runningman]

Rob: Once again you ran another great race. You pushed it as much as you could and didn't give up when things may not have been going exactlythe way you'd have liked. Your mental toughness coupled with your hard work resulted in another great PB. Awesome!!!!
Congrats!

[HCcD]

What an incredible journey, Robbie ... thanks for sharing ... and what an amazing chapter you just completed ... awesome, dude, just totally awesome ...

[MINITEE]

Robbie.. it was a thrill on Monday tracking you.. You didn't let up, even when you knew that your sub 3 (which, by the way is going to happen very soon, I predict) was ever so slightly out of grasp.

And thank you so much for summarizing your marathons over the past few years. When I tell people what you've done in such a short time - their jaws drop..

You are an inspiration to many of us - your dedication to the sport - coupled along with an amazing young family, developing ItsMyRun and your daily commute..... need we say more.

Bravo, bravo... and BRAVO!

[Ed Fizz]

Dude, I had a blast tracking you online. Congrats on such an awesome race. Hopefully we'll have a beer together in boston a year from now.

[mcshame]

You are the man Rob! Thanks for the great summary. Love the info on the weight lost and the correlation with speed. You are an inspiration!

You'll sub 3:00 this year, just pick a slightly easier course

[horselady]

What a terrific report. I really enjoyed reading it particularily the history of your marathons journeys. It is truly inspiring how far you have come.
Congratulations on a great race!

[ChrisL]

Great run buddy! I know you were a little disappointed of not going under 3, but it will be so sweet when you do. You've got the speed, you need a venue...

[trixiee]

OK. That's IT!! I'm losing weight and signing up for 4 marathons!!

Robbi-T, you're the meanest, leanest machine I know!

CONGRATS on the BOSTON PB!!

[hmacdonald]

Awesome race Rob!!!

My sister and I were just exchanging emails about Boston (she's a maniac, but doesn't post often). Before you posted your race report, I told her that you were one of the people that impressed me the most, given how much you've accomplished since your first marathon. Then, I came here and saw your post. Thanks for including your marathon history too. I sent it to my sister, and her response was "Holy Sh**, That's impressive!" I think that sums it up nicely!

The sub 3:00 is well within your reach, I have no doubt about that.

[Doonst]

So that's what happened! Well done Robbie. You done good. It was a pleasure and an honour doing Boston with you.

[CAW]

Rob, you were so fun to track. I knew you were fast but I had never taken note of any of your times before...so you blew me away with your split times.

It was good to read your report and get a better picture of what it took for you to get to Boston.

Next time you'll make the headline...with a 2:58:20 marathon...you mark my words.

I hope to have the honor, one day, to run with you and watch you take off in the wind.

[RayMan]

Great report, man - you are such an inspirational story!

[Run26.2]

A PB is a PB, a BQ is a BQ, to do both in Boston is admirable. Of course Sub 3 would have made this story much more fun to read and write. But at least I still have that goal to write about for another race.

That's it right there my man...congrats!!!

[redhead]

WWRTD?
Dream big, work hard, make it happen;
dream bigger, work harder, make it happen........

Congratulations Robbie! Great FEETS!

[turtleslow]

CAW had it right - we had so much fun tracking you - you blew our minds, you are such an inspiration.

Congrats on a great race, thanks for sharing your journey

[scrumhalfgirl]

Congratulations, Robbie. Thanks for sharing your journey to Boston with us - so proud to count myself among a running group that includes a dedicated, hard working guy such as yourself.

[Hermes]

Congratulations, Robbie! Loved your report, as hard as it is to believe your story. I really can't imagine you nearly twice the size you are today.

And this: "8-13k I look for my parents, they say they have a huge sign I can't miss, I missed it. Oh well that kept me busy and helped pass time for a while. " Somewhere I'd heard about this sign... and I was looking for the Robbie T sign too, but couldn't find it... amongst the thousands of others.

Nice to meet you!

[Agent Provocateur]

Congratulations Robbie-T!

[Irongirl]

Rob - you looked amazing when we saw you....I tried to do the marathon math when you went by, and, I was a little worried that your sub3 might not be met - but, heck, you just looked so strong and so Robbie-T like!

thanks for the marathon summary.....when I start to think that a BQ is outside my grasp, I think back to the Robbie-T summary, and I know that one day, I could be just like Robbie-T!

[Mouse]

Robbie T
You the MAN.......
The BOSTON MARATHON MAN that is.....
Way to go. Loved your report. The journey it took you to get to Boston was interesting, which just goes to show hard work pays off in the long run.......(no pun intended)
I'm excited and proud of your accomplishment. Take the PB and keep on runnin till you break the 3 hours, probably the next marathon....
Mouse

[turd ferguson]

Congratulations Rob - thanks for sharing so much of your story.

[getfit]

Wow, I had no idea you had been a heavier runner, I just assumed you had always been a lean, mean racing machine Congratulations Robbie-T, you worked so hard this past season, I was always so impressed with your work ethic. No weather conditions were too tough for you. Well done

[Tori]

Congrats - to PB and BQ on the same day in Boston is very impressive. It was really cool to see how far you have come over the last couple years, I had not idea either and had assumed you were always a super speedy guy.