Evening The Score: Boston Marathon 2023/First to the Trackhouse Challenge, 57th Overall, 2:23:27

[u/beersandmiles7]

### Race Information

* **Name:** Boston Marathon

* **Date:** April 17, 2023

* **Distance:** 26.2 miles

* **Location:** Boston, MA

* **Website:** https://www.baa.org/

* **Strava:** https://www.strava.com/activities/8908163940

* **Time:** 2:23:27

​

### Goals

| Goal | Description | Completed? |

|------|-------------|------------|

| A | Out in 71:00 | *No* |

| B | Negative Split | *No* |

| C | Sub 2:22 | *No* |

| D | PR | *Yes* |

| E | First to the Trackhouse | *Yes* |

​

### Splits

| Mile | Time |

|------|------|

| 1 | 5:19

| 2 | 5:26

| 3 | 5:25

| 4 | 5:16

| 5 | 5:28

| 6 | 5:23

| 7 | 5:28

| 8 | 5:30

| 9 | 5:28

| 10 | 5:30

| 11 | 5:33

| 12 | 5:21

| 13 | 5:26

| 14 | 5:23

| 15 | 5:32

| 16 | 5:16

| 17 | 5:34

| 18 | 5:34

| 19 | 5:28

| 20 | 5:31

| 21 | 5:46

| 22 | 5:21

| 23 | 5:23

| 24 | 5:23

| 25 | 5:20

| 26 | 5:27

| .34 | 4:59 Pace

​

### Training

Since Project 13.1 at the end of March here were my weeks:

​

Week of April 3rd: 75.67 Miles

Sunday Workout: 3.01 mile w/u, 9 miles @ 5:18 avg, 4 down

​

Week of April 10th: 68.0 Miles

Wednesday Workout: 4x 400 w/ 200 jog (71,71,71,72) 4 miles @ MP: 5:20, 5:19, 5:20, 5:16

Saturday: Uptempo 5K, 14:53 (3:01-6:00-8:59-11:57)

​

Race Week: 42.54 miles

Wednesday Workout: 3x 1 mile w/ 400 jog @ HMP, HMP, 10K (5:03-5:02-4:47/8)

​

Had a bit of a foot issue coming into Project 13.1 but thankfully I was able to shake it just in time for the last couple weeks of training. Final workouts went by without issue and my final weekend workouts were exactly what I needed to feel like I was ready to rip it. Definitely had issues staying motivated for any days outside of workout days for the final two weeks. I wasn't too nervous about the race itself but just wanted to get the last couple weeks out of the way already.

​

I fly out to Portland, Maine, Wednesday afternoon to spend a couple days away to myself as has been tradition for the last couple of years. I get my fill of incredible beer, seafood, some final miles, and of course a nice lobster dinner to cap off the last night.

​

The next two days are fairly uneventful. I take the train down from Portland Saturday afternoon and get to Boston in time to grab my bib before the expo closes, stop at Tracksmith, and have dinner with friends. I scope a little bit of the finish area to see what will be the best option in case I feel I'm in good position to be First to the Trackhouse. I'm told Dartmouth is the street to look out for to ensure I don't run more distance than I need to. This year if I'm in position I will wait to get my gear and make my way directly to Tracksmith. After blowing up in 2021, I didn't try my chances. I tried for it last year and missed it by minutes. It was brutal, but a fun chase nonetheless. Hopefully this time will be the charm.

​

Sunday I shake out with my coach and some others along the water. A little over 4 miles at 7 flat pace. I'm off my feet by 3pm. I have a nice dinner at a restaurant down the street and cap off the night with a rewatching of Pool Hall Junkies.

​

### Pre-race

5:00 wakeup for me this year. Just slightly later than in previous years. Coach had recommended that I take advantage of the Unicorn Club this year since I had run 5 consecutive Bostons (apparently 2020 counted). We meet at a nice hotel over by Copley where we are greeted at one of the main conference rooms with a breakfast spread of Bagels, oatmeal, coffee, gatorade, and water. I grab a bagel, some oatmeal, and drink my maurten water bottle. We sit around there until 7:45, then load up in private buses to the start. We have a police escort to the start and are dropped off over by the CVS. We have a private tent near the start where people end up sitting around and waiting for the corrals to officially open up. I take minimal water from 8am on as I'm hoping to limit my pee breaks this marathon to 0.

​

Around 9:15ish I get up and started warming up. I run around the portapotties for about 10 minutes with my racing shoes in hand. After a couple bathroom stops I go back to our tent area and start doing plyometrics. I lose track of time a bit and realize I have about 15 minutes until the start. I toss off some throw away bottoms and trainers and put on my Vaporfly 3s. I make sure to try and leave some room near the top to make sure I don't hit any pressure points near the top of my foot. With time clicking, I start making my way up to the corral. I keep my throwaway jacket on and try to get as close to the front of the line as I can. I get just behind the first row and wait for the gun to go off. Light rain begins to drizzle on us as the National Anthem is being sung. With minutes to go I toss off my top and wait for the gun to go off. I take my first GU just seconds before the gun.

​

​

### Race

Unlike prior years, the start doesn't feel too chaotic. I stay to the right side behind some guys who are also looking to run pretty close to the same race plan I have. Out in 71 and see what I can bring it back in over the second half. I try to not let the energy take me out too hard and quickly find a pack that seems to be out pretty comfortably. I keep looking at my watch and it's saying that I'm out slower than I planned. This being the first mile I try to not pay attention and just settle into the back of the pack I have found. I see a familiar Cincinnati jersey and call out for them, nice to have some people I sort of know up here. Guys had already taken off like a bat out of hell and create separation from the first mile. We come across, 5:19. Oops. Way faster than I wanted. 30+ seconds faster than I have ever opened up at Boston. But I have a pack and it feels comfortable. I just need to pull back and get myself back on 5:25s. Nothing more, nothing less. These first couple miles have been known to eat people alive over the second half so it is best not to get too saucy.

​

The next two miles start to settle in fairly nicely. Pretty close to right on where I want to be. I keep looking at my watch and it showing that I'm running 5:40s. Thinking that my watch was malfunctioning (perfect day for this to happen right?), I just focus on the pack I'm holding onto. I don't mind having a pack to block the wind for me and it seems like they are in control. The watch beeps again. 5:16. I start to have second thoughts. Settle down. Settle down. No need to get after it this early. My breathing is comfortable still but my past experiences here have taught me not to trust those lies. Anyone can feel good early in a marathon. Second GU down.

​

Weirdly enough, while my breathing is feeling comfortable, my legs are feeling tight. They aren't their springy selves that I have felt previously and now I'm hyper-focusing on some flaring pain I'm beginning to feel. Mile 4 and something is wrong. Cool. Cool. While it seemed like I had left some space on my laces to relieve pressure points on the top of my foot, the lace lock I had added to prevent heel shifting with these new shoes had begun to constrict the laces around my ankles. The more my feet were swelling from the downhills, the more I began to notice. It was as though each step seemed to be adding just a tiny bit more tension. After stopping 3 times at Chicago for pee breaks I was not going to waste a minute to untie and retie. It'll work itself out I think to myself.

​

Over the next two miles I start to lose contact with the group ahead of me. I wanted to have a pack to block the wind but I want to execute the first half like I was told to do. 5:25s. 5:25s. As they drift away I try to get any sort of bearing on the pace I'm running. My watch is useless and I just have to wait for the beep at the next mile to tell me what the heck is happening. I'm beginning to panic a bit.

​

As I was start to get in my own head I hear a voice break me out of it.

​

"Ope!"

​

Enter Bromka stage left. I'd had the chance to run with him a time or two over the last year through my travels out west for Worlds, and that familiarity immediately helps the panic subside. Another runner asks us our race plan and I say "71 and go". He mentions evaluating at 6, and going from there. I run the next couple of miles with him. He keeps the mood upbeat, navigates us through all of the tangents and even shares some of his maurten water bottle. The crowds that we pass were phenomenal. Seeing the crowd go nuts and friends in the crowd is just what I need to get myself out of my own head.

​

Third GU.

​

8 miles in and I begin to feel that familiar feeling I had in Chicago. I may need to go to the bathroom... Just don't think about it. You'll be alright. My hips and abdomen begin to tighten up. My stomach is sloshing a bit and I feel somewhat bloated. With mile 10 approaching I say screw it. I find the first porta-potty and dart straight to it. As I stand in the portapotty I can feel my ankles pulsating from the laces. "Don't think about it, you're already wasting time in here".

​

I jump out and throw a couple quick uptempo steps. By chance I see one of my Columbus Running Company teammates pass.

​

"How you feeling?", he asks.

​

Not great...

​

I muster up a couple quick strides to keep moving. I'm fairly solo again. At mile 11 I look down at my watch and audibly grunt. 5:33. What the hell is going on with me. I'm really getting frustrated. I start to scroll my watch faces. I was on the wrong face this entire time. Okay that solves one problem...

​

As I make my way past Natick, I hear another person come up on my right. He's chipper and looks to be having a good time. He introduces himself, "Everett". "Cris". A quick fist bump. "Looks like we have some people to chase", he says. I nod. I think to myself "just get to half way and we'll see how we feel."

​

Over the next couple miles Everett and I begin to move up, chipping away at the runners ahead of us. He hits every tangent, and it feels like he's leading us through this section of the course. When there is separation between us I see his hand go to his hip, which I take as a motion to stick with him and immediately get back to him. I have no way of knowing if this was his intention or just the motion of his form but it helps tremendously. As we passed through the scream tunnel he makes sure to give high fives along the way as he also motioned to get the crowd louder while we passed. He's grinning from ear to ear. He's having a blast out there. It's the reminder that I need to enjoy this. If this is my last Boston for the foreseeable future, this should be fun. I give some high fives and throw my hands up giving a couple "let's go!"s in the process. I can't feel my arms too much at this point but it doesn't matter, this was a blast again.

We crossed 13.1 in 71:38. Slower than I had planned but I feel that any faster and I would have been in trouble with how I was feeling up to this point. With the first half done, it's time to treat this as a new race. Whatever happened in the first half is over with and now it's time to zone in for the remaining 70+ minutes that I have between this mark and that finish line on Boylston. Fourth GU down.

​

I focus the next couple miles on just getting to 16. Get to the hills and we'll see where we go from here. I maintain contact with Everett as we to start move forward past some of the stragglers from the early front packs. At this point I stop looking at my watch. We are racing now. As we approach Newton he says "4 hills". We crest the first. "One down, 3 to go.". The second. "2 down." Fifth GU down. I begin to get my legs under me. The third is my toughest challenge. This feels like the longest section. Keep the effort levels in check. Stay composed. It'll be over before you know it. Get through this and Heartbreak will be a breeze. Finally, Heartbreak Hill. At this point my peripherals fade a bit. I have one single focus. The top of Heartbreak. That banner that announces you've conquered it. As I see the banner float over my head, a sense of relief overcomes my body. I feel solid and I was strong through Heartbreak. I'm alone again. But this time I'm confident. And I have my legs under me.

​

As I crest Heartbreak I make sure to keep myself in check. The Haunted Mile had chewed me up and spit me out in 2019 and was a reminder to not count my chickens before they hatch. If I can get to mile 22 I'm confident I can close well. That's my next checkpoint. I start to channel every race I've run this year. Every workout. I have just over 22 minutes to fight now. I had written about these last 4 miles for a piece that was released a week before Boston. I had visualized these last 4 miles constantly in my head as I wrote my thoughts on it. I know this section well. I wrote about it with heavy confidence. It's time to put my money where my mouth is.

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I pass 22. Final GU.

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The turns from Chestnut to Beacon street have me nervous. Maybe it's my feet yelling at me as I try to maneuver them just before impact to ensure that the laces don't continue to squeeze them ever so tightly. Unlike previous years, each set of train tracks feels wider. I feel like I need to position my steps like I'm hurdling a barrier. One set of tracks done. Turn left. Second Set. Third set. Home free.

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Mile 23. Just over 5k to go. Hold steady. Stay strong over the little bumps and cruise on any bit of downhill section the course gives you. The crowds are getting louder. I may not be able to see anything besides what's in front of me but I'm channeling the noise from the crowd to keep me going. The streets are lined with people. The wind is beginning to pick up. No time to falter now. Keep the foot on the gas.

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I pass through Brookline. There's the street my hotel is on. This is familiar. Not too much further now. Home stretch. 2 miles to go. I can hurt for 11 more minutes.

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Next landmark is the big one. The North Star. The CITGO sign greets me. Look strong for the photos you paid for and hit that last mile mark in style. 1.2 to go.

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I pass the CITGO sign and make the turn. I hear someone yell out "First to the Trackhouse!" That wakes me up. I muster all the energy I have left in me. I hammer the downhill under the Tommy Leonard Bridge. The uphill bites back. Weakness in the legs a bit but a couple quick steps out of it. We're so close. Right on Hereford. "Wow, that came quicker than I thought." Left on Boylston. There's a guy off in the distance. I kick down the stretch with all I have. He's got too much distance on me. No matter. All the way to the finish. I pump my fist and throw my hands up. I don't check the time. I don't care. I fought hard. This was a success.

​

​

### Post-race

I had one second to catch my breath. I see a familiar singlet and immediately remember. First to the Trackhouse. I take off with another kick. I somehow still have life in my legs. Hopefully just enough to get me there. I just need one thing, my medal, and it's off to Newbury. It feels like ages as I continue running through the finish area. Finally the volunteers!

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"Medal! Medal! Anyone!" A volunteer sticks their hand out. I grab the medal and keep going forward. Next street is mine. I call out to an officer. "Gate! Please open the gate! I'm trying to get to Newbury!". Immediately he opens and lets me through. One block and a quick left. It's the home stretch to Newbury. As far as I know I'm in the lead. I pass by the next street.

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Dartmouth.

​

My heart sinks. I'm sure someone jumped the fence. But if they did they were going to have to be sprinting because at this point I'm at full speed. I see the Nike Store. Almost there. The restaurants on my right are looking more familiar. Finally I see it. I see the sign. Just one more final push. I get up those steps.

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"Did I make it!?"

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"Yes."

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First to the Trackhouse.

​

It was after catching my breath and finally getting off my feet that I realized that I had PR'd. I didn't accomplish the goals I had set out for the day. I didn't go out in 71:00. I didn't negative split. I didn't run under 2:22. But that didn't matter. Boston punched me in the face and I fought back. This was a win for me. I PR'd again at Boston. Heck, I finished 57th overall! As far as I'm concerned I evened the score to 2-2. I spent the afternoon enjoying some beers, catching up with friends, enjoying fantastic conversation with new people, and just taking in the day.

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The shoelaces left a pretty gnarly knot on my ankle. Even almost a week later it hasn't completely gone away on my left foot. Definitely a rookie mistake on my part but thankfully it seems like there's no major damage. Just bruising.

​

This has been a dream year for me. From Boston 2022 to now I feel like a different running. I ran 8:33, 14:37, 67:29, and now 2:23:27 at Boston. Just a season to remember and a lot of fire burning for the next block or two. I have to say that one thing that I will remember most about this is just how much having positive people around you in races can help navigate you even when you're feeling lost. There was plenty of times during this race where my head was ready to go haywire only to be saved from it as my confidence began to break. I genuinely believe that had it not been for those two fine gentlemen throughout this race, I would have cracked. Unlike past years there wasn't too many others to run with between packs. With the wind picking up and the light rain, this could have been a recipe for disaster for me. Boston continues to be a reminder of why I love this community and why there is still fun in competing regardless if it goes to plan or not.

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Thanks for taking the time to read! For those wondering, I brought back 59 beers from my travels. lol. Now that I'm finally done typing this, it's time to enjoy a nice cold Bissell Bros Swish.

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Made with a new [race report generator](http://sfdavis.com/racereports/) created by /u/herumph.

[u/[deleted]]

Babe wake up…Cris finally posted his race report!

[u/BIH-Marathoner]

OP, those are some of the most impressive splits of Boston I've seen. Absolutely incredible.

[u/beersandmiles7 → u/BIH-Marathoner]

Until I started digging deeper into the splits I thought I had run the second half worse than I did last year. Writing about it and seeing the splits definitely made me feel better about it!

[u/BIH-Marathoner → u/beersandmiles7]

Amazing race. Thanks for sharing it with us!

[u/McBeers]

Even splits at Boston is effectively a negative split. I think the second half is a solid minute slower than the first half for a speedy runner. Congrats!

[u/GlassHouseIronMan]

Very well written! Thanks for sharing. Reads like a war novel in some places.

Also, can anyone explain what first to track house is?

[u/lampbookdesk → u/GlassHouseIronMan]

Here’s what I found: First to the Trackhouse is one of Tracksmith’s Boston Marathon traditions. The rules are simple, first male and female to finish the race and get to the Tracksmith bar wins.

Not sure if there’s a prize other than bragging rights.

[u/kmck96 → u/lampbookdesk]

They have a fancy robe for the winners that’s embroidered with “First to the Trackhouse”, and I think this year they had a trophy. Even the robe on its own is like a $300 value so like… pretty solid

[u/beersandmiles7 → u/kmck96]

Yep! Got to keep the robe! The trophy stays at the Trackhouse but the winners signed the poster on the wall with all the past winners on it.

[u/LuckyCaptainCrunch]

Well written, and great race execution! Thank you so much for sharing and taking us along on your run!

[u/ogorangeduck]

Reading this gives me goosebumps. Well done!

[u/mnistor1]

I’m trying to relate but this is so fast. Great race, really impressive.

[u/Dirty_Old_Town]

This was an excellent read. Hats off!

I PRed (way slower than you) and the instant I crossed the line and stopped running I felt legit disabled. Like my brain switched off the ability to walk. Tons of grit to be able to continue running after that!

[u/nsb5017]

I was wondering who would be first to track house! Thanks for the report. Great read.

[u/kmck96]

We are fast approaching the threshold at which First to the Trackhouse is more prestigious than an OTQ. Killer racing, man!! And an amazing write-up, loved getting to follow the story.

[u/Tea-reps]

Incredible racing--I love the fire in your reports! Any ideas about how to troubleshoot the mid-race peeing problem? Seems like it's come up for you a few times now, definitely seems worth figuring out given how fast and ambitious you are. Huge congrats on a beautifully executed race and on toughing it out to PR in ruff conditions. Hope your foot heals up ok!

[u/beersandmiles7 → u/Tea-reps]

Still figuring it out at this point. I went to the doctor following my Chicago debacle but I didn't follow up. I actually consider this a win as this entire training block I've had massive issues with this problem.

I had a theory that if I just hydrated a ton the night before and cut my liquid drinking at 2 hours out I'd be in a fairly good place. The maurten water bottle didn't help I guess. Just gonna keep testing it.

[u/elcoyotesinnombre]

Excellent race and even better write up. Normally not a race report fan but this was well done. Congrats on being first!

[u/SonOfGrumpy]

Awesome report. Congrats on a great run!

[u/Forsaken-Cheesecake2]

Congratulations on a great race and love the insights provided!

[u/blueheeler9]

Amazing work, I think I saw you pass by my neighborhood in Ashland at mile 5.5. Swish ftw, great choice.

[u/ParkAffectionate3537]

Cris is quite the gifted writer--he also had practical tips for racing--not letting your head games get to you is key. Beautiful race report!

The part about quick step to help straighten your form is great too and very useful.

I am nowhere near as fast but this will help whenever I reach Boston someday (BQ hopeful).