Experimented with Lifeshotz and Greens Drink powder supplements from Thursday->Saturday morning. Had granola bar pieces for breakfast, plus 1/2 a brownie and 2 chocolate-covered coffee beans. Successful bathroom trips.
The Race:
Felt pretty good in the morning. Weather was cold and perfect. Decided to wear Boston gear for the race, to show support and to dedicate the run to them. At the start of the race, I was so full of emotion that I felt like yelling "FOR BOSTON" as we charged out, but I didn't. It was somber at the start, then things settled in. There were some pretty decent hills throughout. As usual, I passed on the downhills and got passed on the uphills. I caught back up with a couple of people on the mountaintop airstrip at mile 5.5 and enjoyed the panoramic views. It was cool up there, seeing all of the runners on the out-and-back part. You could see where the competition was.
From the start, the top 5 or so were maybe within 1/3 of a mile of each other. Being able to pass a couple of people was a nice boost, and I charged on, taking advantage of those downhills. I caught up with another girl after the turnaround, and that buoyed me even more. Out-and-backs are fun, and it was fun to exchange encouragement with the other runners. I usually do that on out-and-back races, but after what happened on Monday, I think it meant more than ever. I had a second wind, I was excited about being in second place, and kept charging on. I caught sight of #1 with a few miles to go, although my wheels fell off at mile 2.5. I thought "uh oh", but I managed to hold off the people chasing me.
There was powerade and water on the course... 6 stops in all, which was great. I even forgot to take my gel, until mile 11th when I was fading, which was too late to do anything about anyway. The spectators were super-enthusiastic and awesome. The course was extremely well-marked with cones, marshalls, and signs... I was impressed. They also had a number of photographers at great photo-op spots.
I finished in 1:41:09, 7:48 average. The prizes were a pint glass, a nice trophy, and a $60 gift card for Diamond Brand outfitters. The nice folks at Diamond Brand let me use it at their race tent, where I got some great stuff. The swag bag was nice, too, with a 13.1 race magnet, a sticker, a Remember Boston sticker, a copy of TrailRunner magazine, a caribeaner from Morris Broadband, and the race shirt... one of the better HM race packets I've received!
At the race, there was a collection jar for those impacted by Boston.
It was a beautiful day to be among runners and to honor Boston.
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