4 Days until Boston: Final Update

With 4 days left to go, I am in decent shape. The cortisone shot worked, and the SI joint pain is usually 100% gone, but I do feel it from time to time when walking around. Thankfully not while running. It's a huge improvement from where I was 2 weeks ago.

Last Sunday, I ran 15.1 miles with 9 at marathon pace (5 miles MP, 0.5 mile easy, 4 miles MP). The marathon pace miles averaged out to 7:36, and I wasn't even trying to go that fast. This pace felt somewhat easy, which really surprised me. Since I hadn't run fast or long in two weeks, this run made really sore for the next three days. It's only today that I am feeling un-sore, and still not 100%. Thankfully, I had a PT appointment today and he was able to loosen up the tightness in my hips, hamstrings and calves. 

Training cycle reflections
Between Covid and my SI Joint injury, I had 6 weeks of solid running. I was able to run a 20 miler and two 18-milers, so I think that puts me in a decent spot. I kept up with my strength training, ran hilly routes, did some track workouts, and things were super consistent for 6 weeks. 

After the six weeks, I took 9 days off for injury, and the first day back was a 2-mile test run/walk. So in essence, it was 10 days with no running, three weeks out from race day. That's definitely not ideal, but I think that over the past week I have been able to remind my legs what it's like to run. My plan is to take tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday off, with a short shakeout run on Sunday. I don't want any lingering soreness on Monday. 

My race plan
I looked at my splits from Boston 2018, and I have to say I am impressed with my former self! I was very steady until the last 4 miles, when I ran out of energy due to not having fueled since mile 11. I don't think a course PR is out of the question, so I am going to try and run similar splits as I did in 2018, except with less of a slow down at the end. I fully expect I will slow down, but hopefully a little less than 4 years ago!

Many runners are saying that the weather looks ideal, but it's still going to be a little warm for me. (My ideal is 35 degrees.) When it's sunny and 55 without shade, that can feel very warm. Particularly since I am not acclimated to it. I am NOT complaining because this is the best weather Boston has had in over 7 years. It's great-for-Boston weather, but warm enough as to where I need to be careful to not go out too fast. It figures that the best weather year is the year I am the least well trained!

I'm mainly going to focus on having fun and enjoying the experience. It's Boston after all.