Boston Marathon AGAIN!

I can't believe another year has rolled around since the 2011 Boston Marathon and that in just 8 days I'm running it again!! Wow. I'm nervous about how the race will be this time around. My training hasn't quite been up to par with last year's. Most of my long runs were done in the dark, on frozen sidewalks and even in blowing snow. I got the distances done, but the speed was lacking. Last year, I did awesome tempo runs on the treadmill. I don't love the treadmill, but I felt faster and stronger after using it. I haven't done any speed work AT ALL this year. I've done a lot of mountains, snowshoe running and long, slow miles, but I think the lack of tempo runs and speed work are going to hurt me in 8 days. I'm not even sure I'm going to run as fast as I did last year. I'll actually be surprised if I do. I felt strong and happy with where I was for the Mid Winter Classic, but I don't feel ready for that kind of speed now. And the road just hurts! I've run a few races since my last post, but not too many. The Granite State Snowshoe Series had to cancel most of its races due to lack of snow, but the Series Championship at Great Glen Trails was held despite the poor conditions. Chris Dunn, Timothy Lindsey, my acidotic RACING teammates, and I went out to mark the course the day before and realized right away the original course was not going to happen.  The snow was too scarce, so we had to stick to two loops of the Nordic Meister's course to make it a 10K. Race day ended up being beautiful and warm. Just before the race, I opted for short sleeves and a running skirt. People thought I was crazy. I thought they were crazy for wearing all of that gear. Turned out I was still too hot, so it was a good choice. I didn't have much competition at the race so I ended up finishing first female in 48:00 flat.

Granite State Snowshoe Series Championship Race 2012
photo by Scott Mason

The following weekend was the Winter Wild race at Bretton Woods. I realized at this race just how much work I need to do to get back to where I was in the Fall with my mountain running. I was slow. I've been mountain running all winter, but I haven't been pushing myself. I've just been maintaining, and I could feel it in this race. The woman who had been winning most of the Winter Wild series races surged ahead of me right off the bat. I managed to stay right behind her the entire way up, but I could not catch her. I'm a good downhill runner, so I thought I might be able to catch her on the downhill, but she just flew down the mountain. However, I had the advantage. She never knew I was right behind her. She never once did a look-back, so within 10 yards of the finish line, I surged past her for the win. I caught her totally by surprise, and by that point, she couldn't get her feet going in time to maintain the win. I actually felt bad about passing her right at the finish. It sucks to be passed then. And in all reality, she ran faster than me the entire race. She did the get the first-woman-to-the-summit award which she so deserved so I didn't feel so bad after that.

Just barely taking the win for first female at Winter Wild Bretton Woods
photo by Gianina Lindsey

So for racing that's it. In 8 days, I'll see where I am at the marathon level. I do have 2 50Ks and 2 more marathons on my race schedule for this year. My friend, Kendra, and I are trying to win a free team entry into the Transrockies Run in August. That's like the running experience of a lifetime, but it's also 120 miles over 6 days at high elevation, so that, too, would be a challenge.
I guess my next post will be my Boston report. I hope it's a good one!