B.A.A Half Marathon (Boston)

That's a wrap on a successful racing season.

Race weekend arrived and went. I was looking forward to the B.A.A Half Marathon, race I have been training for the last several weeks. Going into this event, I was pretty confident with how much progress I have made in several weeks including training. The past few weeks, I ran two half marathons, setting personal bests in both events. What does Boston have in store for me?

Up at 6 AM and the first thought is wearing shorts or tights. The temperature was sixty degrees with 10 mph winds. I decided to wear tights to keep myself warm. Upset that I did not pack a dry fit long sleeve shirt. That was the furthest thought from my mind. After a quick breakfast, I walk up the street to Franklin Park at 6:30 for the 8 AM start. I do not like to eat a heavy meal the morning of a big race. I bring along GU Energy Gels to consume on the course. For fluids, I add Tailwind Nutrition to water to insert electrolytes in my system. If a water table is present, I will have a few cups to keep myself hydrated. 

Around 8 AM, the starting horn sounds, over six thousand athletes are off and running. My objective was to run a methodical race keeping my pace in check. Looking to run 6:50-7:00 for the first 9-10 miles then a little quicker the remaining distance to the finish.

Leaving Franklin Park, the course took a right onto Arborway towards the Forest Hills Transit station. The first mile pace was 6:40. I took the opportunity to dial the pace back slightly so I would have energy to finish strong. Just past the first mile marker, the rolling hills made their presence along the Emerald Necklace section (Jamaica Pond, Olmsted Park, and Riverway). It was a beautiful section of the course with several thousand fans lining the streets cheering all the participants on as they passed. I ran a loop around those three parks with a turnaround point on Riverway. The first half of the race, my paces were under seven minutes.  

Going onto the back side of the course, I began to tire. Maybe running three half marathons in a span of one month was catching up with me physically. Starting at mile 7, the hills got more gradual. I decided to keep moving forward. Around mile 9, achieving a personal best was slipping away. Even if my pace was slow, I kept running so I can get across that finish line. Lot of hills on the course but I had a fun time running in Boston. Relieved that the last four miles were back in Franklin Park (Circuit Drive, Zoo, and White Stadium). 

Finish time: 1:34:19 at 7:13 per mile pace

Not a personal best for the race but I had a great time sharing the course with over 6,000 runners. It was nice to end a great racing season on a positive note. The weather was absolutely wonderful. The spectators, volunteers, safety personnel, and event organizers were terrific. Also, thank you to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute with support from The Jimmy Fund.

Post race reflection: Running races are not always about achieving a personal best. There are times when you need to just have fun running. Running in Boston gave me the chance to take in the scenery along the course. Yes, I have so much more to learn about distance races. You can do all the training and planning you want for a race. Guarantee you there will be issues. Listen to your body mentally, physically, and emotionally. Enjoy the running journey, be patient, and persistent. I had this conversation in a cab on the way to the bus station with another passenger.

This is a good way to conclude this recap. Thank you to everyone who made the B.A.A Half Marathon a fun experience. It was awesome sharing the course with excellent athletes. I will be back someday to complete the mission.

Persistent and patient running,

-MJ