2008 Run to Remember "Race" Report

On Sunday, I took part in Boston's Run to Remember, which is a tribute to remember our fallen heroes. I ran it last year and it just wasn't fun, but I signed up again as a way to start the spring/summer racing season and as a way to welcome myself out of my intensive yoga training and back into my running. Steve (my ex-boss), John, Paul, David & myself all met up prior to the race. It was great to know so many people running. When I moved to Massachusetts it was so hard for me to meet people because I moved here basically on my own, but running has introduced me to so many great people.

My experience for the 2008 Run to Remember started out great. Why you ask? Because of ... get ready for this ... the bathrooms! Yes, that's right. The bathrooms. I never used a port-a-potty at that race. The bathrooms inside at the World Trade Center, where the race starts, were clean and smelled so pretty. And then Paul came through with finding the lobby bathroom at the hotel across the street and that was just incredible - beautiful full length stall doors, nice paper towels and good smelling soap.

Speedy Steve left us to get to his starting position and the rest of us got in line around the 8:30 - 9:00 mark. The race started with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem and then the blow horn sounded and we were off. It's difficult through the first few miles of this race because the crowd is either pushing you along or holding you up too slow and there are so many turns before we all spread out that you are just forced to go with the crowd. Needless to say we went with the crowd for the first few miles. Once we were over the Longfellow Bridge we had a good amount of running room, but unfortunately little shade. It was a hot day (like last year). The temperature was only in the 60's at race start, but the sun was intense and just beating down on me. Lucky for me I remembered how hot and miserable I was last year and bought a nice super-lightweight Nike tank, which I was completely comfortable in.

So today's plan for me was to run at a comfortable place for the first 10 miles and then break out into whatever I had left for the remaining 5K. And that was pretty much what I did. John, Paul and I stayed together through the race pushing each other to paces anywhere from 8:23 - 8:48 for those first 10 miles while we talked intermittently. The only snafu was around mile 7 when all of a sudden my GU fell into the street. I had it safety-pinned to my shorts and with all the repetitive motion the safety pin just wore right through the packaging and it fell off. This wonderful gentleman stopped to pick it up for me, which was just awesome. So I helped him out with giving him what pace we were at since he thought he got a little excited taking the turn on Memorial Drive.

Let's get one thing straight here. I like John & Paul. They are great, fun and motivating to run with, but I was really trying to beat them. We went into the last 5K together. John was looking strong and I know I (and I think maybe Paul) was struggling with the heat, but I wanted to stay with them - obviously, since I was planning on beating them. Paul and I stopped for water at the last water stop while John continued on. I was able to catch John out of the water stop, but I didn't know what happened to Paul until he came up on my heels just a few minutes out of the water stop. I stayed with John and Paul until about mile 12.2 and then I just started to slip. I was anxious to finish and think I started to kick a bit too early so I tired out and slipped back - not too mention John and Paul were just motoring on ahead. I kept them in sight and pushed up the hill coming back to the World Trade Center. I tried to catch them, but my kick just wasn't strong enough.

I was really happy with the way that everything turned out. I know I'm not in the shape I was back in October at the BAA Half, but it will come back and I'll be even better. I just have to be patient, work hard and train smart.

Official Time: 1:52:49 (8:34 min/mi pace)
Official Results: Coolrunning.com