| Author |
Topic: Boston RR |
Sans Souci
Cool Runner |
 posted Apr-18-2007 01:37 PM
  
Official Time: 3:24:08 PR
Pace: 7:47
AG 40-49: 74/?
Gender: 484/?
Overall: 4144/?
-------------------------------------------------------Race morning was peacefully pensive. I was ready to run in any weather and was anxious to get started. The wait at the village was the only real downer of the day. I glooped a massive amount of Vaseline on each foot while the rain gushed down -- for what turned out to be its last hurrah -- took my bag with gear to the bus, and made my way to the corral. I haven't run in a marathon with corrals before, and I shouldn't have been so insouciant about taking my place. With 3 minutes to spare, I danced in place to A Flock of Seagulls' "I Ran" and off we went. Lots of elbowing in the first 2 miles. If there is to be a next time, I'll need to recruit a brutish lineman to clear a path. After the slow start, though, I seemed to find my groove, "low" fived ('cause they're short) almost every kid I could find, smiled at the crowd, thanked the aid station volunteers, and just took it all in. I can't remember details like so many of you -- hmm, until things started to change. I was running with a young gal around the 20-mile point -- we took turns keeping pace -- and this helped me focus on something other than my heel, which had started to growl. I think this is why I wasn't paying attention to where I would find Pro's B&B stop. Mr. S. surprised me, jumping out from the side of the route, so I was able to get the water bottle, SNORKED at Pro's note ("creme de meth" see Egrd's post), and finish up the hills. My (very minor) heartbreak was still to come. The subsequent downhills took a toll on my "hot" heel. I tried changing my footstrike, leaning forward (hi, Ilene!) ... anything to alleviate the problem. Around Mile 22, I took a stride which ended in the feeling of a spike splitting my right heel. This stopped me cold. I tried walking, then started running again. (I had in mind something a special snowy Canadian friend had told me.) Uh-uh, not gonna happen. One last hope -- and I have no idea why I thought this might work -- a soleus stretch. Something sort of "pinged" in my heel and a sort of squishy sensation in the bursa seemed to distribute the liquidy goo over a wider area on my foot, so I was able to run again, though at a slower pace. The disappointment is that I had a lot left in the tank in the final 10K and I was sooooo ready to really turn it up a notch. This is the point where I've flagged in the past. Improved conditioning and the mcsolar gu-intake formula™ made all the difference. (Thanks, mc!) Even though, to me, this event is too big, it is the perfect marathon course. I loved every bit of it. It is amazing well-organized. I may just have to return and try to get that last bit done the way I know I can. To finish on a much more SS RR note: Without a hope of catching them, it's a Super Special day when you're lucky enough to be able to chase real B&B Gods for over 3 hours! Mr. S. had a great time with the Pro team. It was a real lift to see him cheering at two points on the course and at the finish. Thanks for reading! I've had trouble sleeping the last three days, so I know this isn't very perky. I'll have a few things to write about the other goings-on later. 
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Barefoot Rick
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 01:42 PM
Wow! Even though you had some left in the tank the last 10K, you did very well.Congrats on a great run race!I agree with you that Boston seems overcrowded. I wonder why Chicago doesn't with twice the entrants? Rest well! Rick ------------------
Barefoot Running ... So easy, a caveman could do it!" - Barefoot Rick @ www.barefootrunner.org
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ladysmithrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 01:44 PM
"Wow my Girl!, you are an amazing runner!" "You did real good!" How is the heel now? I'll see you soon,Tam
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hollys4874
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 01:45 PM
San Souci - I don't know what to say, other than YOU ROCK! You are an awesome runner, and you did a great job in less than desirable conditions and in spite of your heel pain. Congratulations on a great race!------------------
Holly
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ksrunr
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 01:47 PM
Thanks for the report. Enjoyed reading it as well as all the others. Wish I could have been there too.
ksrunr
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hermosaboy
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 01:48 PM
You rock!!!Sorry about the hot spot -- could have been generated by your blazing speed???
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Kimble
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 01:50 PM
SS - that is an *amazing* time! Congratulations! (Pesky heel!)Kimble
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FlyingFinn
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 01:52 PM
Soul Sister, you are incredible! Get some rest now, and I hope your footsie feels better soon! Huge Hugs, FF
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hopeful4ever
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:00 PM
Greta job SS! Sorry about the heel problems - like you say you'll just HAVE to go back and show them how SS really does a marathon!Congrulations! ~Mary
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DaveinAA
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:01 PM
SS, it was so exciting to follow your race online on Monday. It was obvious you were having a great day--amazing to hear that it could have been even better. Creme de meth or no, you are still my heroin.How's your heel now?
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La Tortuga
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:10 PM
I hope that your heel is better - you ran an amazing race!
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Labduck
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:17 PM
My Dearest SS,I am so proud of you, as silly as that sounds. You ran a great race despite your uncooperative heel. I hate when body parts get unruly. I tracked you online during the race, and I knew you had something left, so I wondered what happened. I really feel for you in your disappointment. The first thing Mrs. Labduck told me when I saw her Monday evening was "Chris was awesome!", so she tracked you too. I hope we can run together for part of the Portland Marathon, at least until you speed away from me! Labduck,
President of the Sans Souci Fan Club, Portland Chapter
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ThunderBolter
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:18 PM
---> Congrats on a huge, headwind-be-damned PR ! No doubt a huger one in your future once your heel heals.---> Stimulating path-crossing @ Henry & Marj's. Nanaimo bars are wicked good. Next time, multilingual Scrabble®. . . . . e k i M ~
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Dark Horse
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:27 PM
Sans Souci,I'm so sorry about your heel pain. You did so well in spite of it, that it's tempting to speculate how much better you would have done without it. Do let us know the diagnosis of your heel problem, if you get one; and the status of your heel as it heals, so to speak. I expect to be there next year. You will probably be a bit too fast for me, but if I can get in a lot of good running between now and then, it would be tempting to try to match your pace for as long as I could. Problem is, if I do get in, it's likely to be via a free National Guard number, which I imagine would place me way back in some low-rent ghetto with other Untouchables. However, it's not absolutely impossible I could qualify by time, if I ran another marathon between now and then. Whenever I have a goal that's not absolutely impossible, I like my odds.  Dark Horse ------------------
I'm a dark horse, running on a dark race course
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jdmom3
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:30 PM
SS, I too was rooting for you on the Boston tracking thread and thought you would be faster based on how well you were doing. I'm sorry to hear that your heel acted up and kept you from running even faster. I hope it is feeling okay now and wasn't anything serious. Congratulations on a fantastic race and PR. I'm sure that there is a much faster marathon in you based on how much sproink you had left for the final 10K. I look forward to hearing about the other goings on when you have slept some more and are feeling better.Meg
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La Tortuga
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:34 PM
It's funny - I had to read through your report three times before I realized that you put down that it was a PR at the top.You are tough!
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lamerunner
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:35 PM
Great race SS! I have finished Boston with bloody feet so I know how those feet things can be. Hope it is feeling better. It is amazing how hard it can be to sleep after all that activity too. Takes a while before the muscles settle down.Get some rest!
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evanflein
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:35 PM
Wow, that's a great race for having heel problems. I hate it when pieces and parts don't play nice. Tell us how you're doing... sounds a little familiar to a pesky part I had last year...------------------
evanflein
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Coastwalker
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:39 PM
Hi SS,I don't know too many (if any) other runners who could hit a PR at Boston with headwinds and spikes coming up through their heel, painful enough to reduce them to a walk. My, how you fly! I hope your heel heals up, that you get some solid sleep, and that you get back to the peak of perkiness real soon. Congratulations on a greta race, despite your obstacles! Jay
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eliz4015
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:40 PM
SS you rock!!! Congrats on an awesome race and thanks for sharing your race report. You have no idea how inspiring you boomer gods and goddesses are to use newbies! Hope the heel feels better soon.
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jimsg
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:43 PM
This reads like the middle chapters in a good book. Our heroine shows her greatness but has some setbacks. Next chapter: learning lessons & overcoming obstacles. Then: the rematch. In the mean time: Have a most excellent recovery & bask in the PR. To fill in some of your question marks: AG 40-49: 74/2541
Gender: 484/7975
Overall: 4144/20348 Hmm.. if you were to take the short-cut of merely comparing yourself to others, you would think this was an EXCELLENT time, but of course as a determined heroine you look inward and compare your performance to your potential within. -Jim in Acton
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willdebeest
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:49 PM
Great job SStimator ! Sorry about the heel thing. You ran an awesome race on a tough course and the wind certainly wasn't helpful. You rock !
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perchcreek
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:52 PM
San Souci... A Hugh congratulations on a PR at Boston! Very strong running, you are amazing. Did you have your fairie wings on? I really hope the heel is ok.
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Sans Souci
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:52 PM
Rick, maybe I'm a Greta Garbo type of runner. Chicago would be too big as well. Tam, Dave (oh, Dave, the puns ...  ) -- goes to freezer to get the ice -- grouchy, grouchy today. Will see PT in about an hour and get to fixing it pronto. All other body parts are A-OK. LabDuck, my fren, you can say the silliest but kindest things. Oh, and I'm slowly getting to your RR, but I'm sure I can safely say, as much as I'd love to run with you in Portland, you are on your way to a blazing marathon and I'll just have to be content with chasing you. Mike!!!! I was a little bit anxious knowing, at long last, I'd get to meet your umlautedness at Henry and Marj's. I was nervous I might break out in a diaeresis. Multilingual scrabble, hmm? Sure. But first a run and maybe a yoga session with Downward Diphthong pose. It was a treat to meet you, TB, and I'm glad you liked the Nanaimo bars. ETA: I had written this post right after Thunderbolter's, and I have to get to PT now and will return -- oh, yeah, and I have to work too (ick). BIG thank you for all your responses.
[This message has been edited by Sans Souci (edited Apr-18-2007).]
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mcsolar99
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 02:55 PM
ho-hum, a pr at boston during a nor'easter.san souchi, you are an awesome runner! it was great to run with you on sunday morning, and even more fun to drink with you and mr ss after the race monday. get some sleep, get that heel fixed (let me know what you do)
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