A couple of years ago my girl shared her dream with me of wanting to Boston Qualify. I told her I'd help her chase and achieve this dream.
Our first try was October 2015. When we trained for the Baystate Marathon that year, we did so with a purpose. We wanted to get faster. We wanted to BQ or get as close as possible.We got closer that year. And knew that work still needed to be done.
Our first try was October 2015. When we trained for the Baystate Marathon that year, we did so with a purpose. We wanted to get faster. We wanted to BQ or get as close as possible.We got closer that year. And knew that work still needed to be done.
When we started this journey my goal was to keep her company...to be her motivation and support. Help her achieve her dream goal. All the training that we did...that I did...was to make sure I would be able to be by her side when she crossed the finish line achieving her goal.
Through this journey we have realized that even though we're great friends and have a lot of fun running and training and racing together...achieving this dream together might not work. We have different racing and running and training styles. We have different fueling and pacing strategies.
On our way to PA this weekend we talked about our goals. What we thought we could do...how we thought we could do it. And we decided we were each going to run our own race. We'd line up together. We'd start together. We'd run the same course. We'd finish in the same spot. But the journey from the start line to the finish line would be our own.
The Via Marathon is in PA. It runs from Allentown to Easton; much of the route is along the Delaware & Lehigh Canal. It was definitely a beautiful course. The weather was perfect for race day...and the route was shaded with many trees.
In 2004 I had moved to PA, with my ex-husband. I lived in Whitehall, a little town kind of between Allentown and Bethlehem. To say it was weird being that close is an understatement. Throughout the few free hours we had, we traveled from Bethlehem to Easton and back, then to Allentown and back to Bethlehem. Every one in a while I'd have a story to share about an area. Most of them brought back memories I wasn't ready for.
We went over the bridge where I remember being complimented for my driving technique (since that stuck out so prominently does that mean that's one of the only compliments I had received?). The race started at the hospital where I learned of my 2nd miscarriage. Packet pick-up was next to the casino I made him take me to for the last birthday I spent with him (and my last one in that state). We drove by where I had bought my car, where he had to leave me to go get more money so we could leave with the car (there were tears shed that day). The race ended near where I use to work (we actually parked in the lot I use to park in). We ate near where the bus used to drop me off (ask me about that bus driver the next time we run together). Friday night was hard for me...and by Saturday...well I was ready to make new memories with the race.
I wasn't as nervous on race day as I thought I would be. We woke up early, got on a bus to ride from the finish line to the start line. It felt cold. We knew it would warm up during the race...but at 5am it seemed really, really cold. We were quiet at the start.
7:10am start. We ran out of the hospital parking lot and along the roads through a neighborhood then up a hill. The course was not flat...but definitely not hilly. As we had discussed...we started out together and then promptly ran our own race. I wasn't going to worry about where I was in the pack...my girl was ok without me and I was ok without her. We were running our own race...it only took about a mile for me to be comfortable with that.
I watched my pace on my watch. I knew I had to keep my pace steady...not too fast at the beginning...not too slow. I had to make sure to not push too hard at the beginning and to listen to my body. I wanted to be able to run strong the whole way.
I said before that earning a BQ was not my goal. But the NY marathon showed me that it could be achievable. I did put the training in...and I know there were friends that believed I could do it. I had made three goals: a really big goal (that I didn't achieve) a big goal (that I did achieve) and a basic goal (of finishing the marathon). So I started the race aiming for the really big goal.
The course was beautiful. And I would definitely suggest it to someone who wanted to run a pretty marathon that was mostly flat and wasn't too crowded. The course is not all street. It starts on the street, and as it winds by the Lehigh River it's on dirt trail and cinder trail, over a few wooden bridges and some grass trail before finishing on the street. Some of the paths along the river are not very wide. The marathon is also a relay. So in 4 spots there were huge crowds of people cheering on racers, and runners waiting for their relay exchange. Even though some of the spots along the river had no one to cheer us on (because they couldn't due to the trail) there were a number of sections (including the relay exchanges) that had cowbells and spectators.
I ran the race based on how I felt. I concentrated on my breathing. I tried not to chase the people in front of me. I tried not to pass people that were at my pace. I tried to remember 26.2 miles is a long way. I made sure I was fueling and hydrating regularly. At the half marathon marker I was on pace to meet my goals. And I was half done. And I was feeling pretty good! And I still had 13 miles to go... Because I felt good I wanted to push a little, but I knew that sometimes the last 4-6 miles can be the hardest. Especially when you've been pushing yourself through the first 20-22 miles. I remember that happening at Sugarloaf; when each step for the last few miles hurt. I remember the last mile in NY; when I felt like my legs didn't want to move any more. I wanted to be able to finish this race strong, but also feel like I left everything on the course.
I really don't remember my last few miles. I remember being mad at the course around mile 21. I remember cursing two inclines (or three?) during the last mile or two. I remember crossing the finish line. I remember not wanting to stop moving after I crossed because I thought my legs wouldn't ever move again. I remember being tired and done and feeling accomplished. I had met my big goal!
For the next little bit I walked up and down the course near the finish line waiting for my girl to finish. I really was afraid to stop moving. The end of the course kind of wrapped around, and I could see my girl from the finish line twice before she came down the final stretch...I made my woohoo's as loud as I could!
We did it!!
Finished the marathon in 3:41:25; earning a BQ and 2nd place in my age group
