Boston Marathon,Erg and Running

[samroot]

Sorry, I’m finally getting around to posting about my Boston Marathon. I was pretty exhausted for a couple of days afterwards.

Up at 0430 on marathon morning, the conditions didn’t seem quite as dire as they could have been. My wife who had barely slept, stayed in bed to try to get a little sleep before she had to get up. As we made our way down to the buses, my 100lb. sister almost gotten blown out into the street by the gusty winds. Also, it was raining and 43F.

When we got out to Hopkington, it was still raining, but the wind didn’t seem quite as bad. Enough time to go to the porto-john and figure out what you were going to wear, before the start. I went with shorts and a lightweight ‘Gateshead 99’ long sleeve performance shirt under my club singlet. The ‘GB Vets’ logo embroidered on the center of the shirt, I took to be a welcome talisman for the coming adversity. Affixed to one corner of my number was a swath of green for my late mother, in the other corner a swath of Cameron tartan for my father’s mother, and in the middle a pink ribbon for my wife. I needed all the help I could summon.

Being 10lbs heavier than last year-some muscle, more residual ‘winter coat’-I had no great expectations of duplicating a 3:20:50 at 155lbs, of last years. I ditched a rain poncho right before the gun. I had a light baseball cap on and cotton gloves, but was still freezing when the gun went off. It took 5 mins. to cross the start, but then we were right up to speed. At 2 miles, I had warmed up, and had settled into a nice 7:45-7:50 pace. I pushed a preemptive ‘gu’ in me at 8 miles and went through 10 miles in just under 79 mins. On to the ‘screaming sirens of Wellesley’, I resisted their allure, and reached the half in 1:44:15.

By this time, I had formulated a new game plan. I was worried about how my wife was doing in the erg marathon, so I was going to stop at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and check it out. I figured , I could make a stop and still hustle to make my re-qualifying time of 3:45. I wasn’t going to break any records, considering my shape and the conditions.


We had made a dry run on Sunday, so I knew what to look for. I came upon a couple of furious erging souls under a tent outside the hospital. I ducked through the crowd, and up the driveway to a couple of guys in scrubs, shouting, ”Where’s the erg marathon?” They said up the hill in the building on the left. A wild eyed middle aged man who’s just run about 17 miles, with a suspicious brown trickle down his left leg-a recently ingested chocolate powergel that spilled on my leg, burst through the door. Unaware of the unfolding events of the day, I was greeted with a very concerned,” May I help You?”
I hopped over the front of a couple of ergs to get to my wife, catching her in complete surprise. I saw she had about 14.5k to go. I gave her a big kiss and the place erupted in applause. I told her ,”I’d race her to the finish!”, and out the door I went back to the course, both of us renewed.

I powered through the hills, thinking that John Hallas and Steve Green would eat these for breakfast. I stormed home to finish in a not to shabby ,3:38:26. I probably lost 2-3 mins. at the stop.

I went to chiropractic and massage, then back to my room to meet my wife and sister.
As I came through the door, she said, “Don’t be disappointed, I only got through 33.5k and had to stop, and get some help from others to get it done, getting on for another 1k and the last 500m.” She said she felt she was holding up the show ,being the last one erging. If she had had at least one other person erging, she might have gotten through. If I had known that, I would have gotten on an erg and rowed till she finished it. I could have shlepped into Boston after ,and run another qualifier in a month. I felt horrible for her, knowing she had trained so hard. We talked it out, and she realized she should have taken a break before 20k-she had felt good and hadn’t taken her planned on breaks every 12k. With all the spirited relays going on around her, she had a hard time finding that quiet little place of suspended animation you need to occupy when going long. Foremost, she didn’t get enough fuel in her and simply bonked. Unfortunately, most of what you need to know about these endeavors, you learn in failure. I told her I was very, very proud of her, and she had nothing to be ashamed of. I said, its easy to do something your good at, but takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to step out of your comfort zone and do something new or not so good at. I said, I’d bet the house she’s racewalked 20k faster than anybody in that room could run 20k-everything is sport specific, an attribute in one sport, is a detriment in another. It was a miracle she was doing this so soon after treatment had ended.

My sister had a tough go also, but finished in 4:30. I went out and bought the largest plush lobster I could find for the four legged lad back home. We got something to eat and laid my radioactive legs down for a few hours. I awoke, commented to my wife that my sheets were drenched ,she responded dryly, “Welcome to my world, six times a night!”

My wife was sponsored by her oncologist and the Western New York Breast Cancer Resource Center at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, contributing $500 to NWH Breast Cancer Center.

Unfortunately, I’ve received a PM, from another erger and forumite, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and is undergoing surgery next week.

[johnlvs2run]

Sam,

Congratulations finishing another marathon, and in less than desirable conditions.

I have run many marathons and done a couple on the erg, but have DNF'd probably many more than completed. This includes an erg attempt a few days ago where I got 16km before bonking, then managed 25km with stops. Your wife got much farther than I did.

Thank you for the story.

[FHM]

Two observations by an eyewitness to these events:

1) Debbie Benton, the only person in the room to have had both chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the last year, triumphed in this event. This woman is tough and determined. There is not a person who rowed that marathon who wasn't absolutely humbled by Ms. Benton.

2) Mr. Neal's sudden appearance at the front of the room arround the half way point was a memorable moment. Who would think that an ERG marathon could be defined by a KISS?

I am grateful to the Benton/Neals for making our ERG marathon something really special this year.

Fred Millham

[samroot]

Thanks Fred,for hosting a wonderful event,and allowing my wife to begin to make some meaning and purpose out of her disease. A great way to benefit a worthy program of early detection.

[samroot]

Sam,
Thanks John!
It looks like you've kept up you running on a regular basis. Congratulations on you recently completed marathon.
Congratulations finishing another marathon, and in less than desirable conditions.

I have run many marathons and done a couple on the erg, but have DNF'd probably many more than completed. This includes an erg attempt a few days ago where I got 16km before bonking, then managed 25km with stops. Your wife got much farther than I did.

Thank you for the story.

[TabbRows]

To Debbie, Fred, Sledgehammer, Mr. Waders, and all who ergged under those less than perfect conditions, to Sam for an inspiring act of motivation and gratitude...a hearty "Job Well Done!" ST

[sledgehammer]

Thank you Tabb, You are a good man to offer the kind words. Next year, you have to join us!

As I see it...20 years from now...the course will be lined with ergs as the cartilidge in baby boomers' knees calls it quits....C2 will be bigger than Google.

Pioneers!...yea, that's what they will call us all.



Ernie

[sledgehammer]

Oops...hit that darn button twice. sorry.

[TabbRows]

Thanks Sledgehammer...
If I can ever get my butt conditioned to sit for more than an hour, I might try to venture up. Did the other one once back in the running days of yore before I left my cartilage along the side of the road. If I can caputre some of Debbie's "can-do" mental attitude, I even make it up for a Crash"B"without making too big of a fool of myself. Working up for a HM attempt on Saturday since our otw is on hold.