Maine Coast Marathon Recap - Wet, Windy, and Half a Mile Long

This marathon served a lot of milestones for me. It was the first marathon I ran in a nor'easter. It was the second marathon I ran past property owned by the Bush Family (Houston and Kennebunkport). It was the first time I ran a marathon with a gaping course error. And, it was my 39th marathon in my 25th different state which means I am halfway to my goal of a marathon in every state. Plus, it was my final marathon in my 30s. I turn 40 in July and my next marathon would be my 40th.

The weekend began with Laura, Miles, and me flying from BWI to Logan. We rented a car and then drove about an hour to Matt's house in Groveland. I hadn't visited his home before, so it was good to see him. He had lunch ready for us, a pack n play and a bumbo to borrow for Miles, and he bought baby food too. We spent about an hour before we finished the drive to Kennebunk, Maine. I was surprised that it was such a quick drive.

The Ames Family in downtown Kennebunkport

We stayed at the Elizabeth Rose right by the Kennebunk High School which served as the start line. The innkeepers were very friendly. We had the entire B&B to ourselves. We settled in before heading into town to walk around. Kennebunkport is a cute town. We went to several stores and took a drive to the Bush Family compound. The weather was perfect for running - too bad it wasn't race day. For dinner, I grabbed takeout from Federal Jack's which sits atop the Shipyard Brewing Company.

The Bush Family Compound in the background.

Saturday morning, we had a large breakfast provided at the inn. We went to walk around the town. Laura picked out a hooded sweatshirt that I bought for her as a gift for her first Mother's Day. We got pizza in the center of Kennebunk and went back to the inn to rest. The innkeepers, Betsy and Paul, are both from Massachusetts originally. We learned their family history of how they came to be in Maine, their four kids and numerous grand-kids, and that they have been married over 50 years. Betsy's first husband died in a canoe accident when she was months pregnant with their third child and Paul raised them as his. I played with Miles in the main room while Laura rested - that's when Betsy told me their story. As I was waiting for my folks, another runner, Mike, and his pregnant wife arrived. This was his first marathon and he was hoping for 2:55-3:00 (he ran 2:54). I gave him some advice as a seasoned marathon runner.

Waiting for me outside packet pick-up at University of New England, Biddeford

Before my parents joined us, we took a quick trip to the finish line which was also where the expo was held. I was worried they might cancel the race, but I was the only one thinking that. I guess since Mississippi Blues Marathon was canceled while I was on my way there and stuck in Chicago, I have become a tad sensitive to a race cancellation. The expo was a quick in-and-out; nothing like Boston or NYC. Back at the inn, I waited for my folks to arrive. Once they made it to the inn, they settled in before we took a drive. We had time to go for a drive to the Bush Compound and then to dinner at Ports of Italy in the center of Kennebunkport. Dinner was nice and there was plenty for me to eat. After, we walked to get ice cream where there were several runners with the same idea. We beat the rush then ate on the patio.

When we got to the room to go down for the night, Miles had trouble going to bed and staying asleep. He doesn't sleep well in new locations, apparently. In the morning, I got up early, prepared in the bathroom so I wouldn't wake Laura and Miles, and went to the kitchen to eat breakfast. Dad and Paul were down there, and after eating, Dad took me to the start line. The rain was light at first, but I knew it was going to pick up. Luckily, I had VIP access so Dad could park near the high school and he came inside to wait with me. I ran into a fellow running buddy, Andrew, who I met at the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville. I have met a number of runners and kept in touch.

Dad watched and filmed the start of the race and then got in his car and went to the finish line where I had secured VIP parking close to the finish. As for my race, with the wind and heavy rain, I made a lot of good decisions that day. First, I wore an Under Armor shirt under my club's singlet, which kept me warm. I also wore arm sleeves my coach sent, gloves, and a hat. I wore regular long sleeve cotton shirt (I think a Cherry Blossom Ten Miler shirt I got as a volunteer) for the first few miles before ditching it. I also ran with a pack of runners targeting my finish time. And, I quickly tossed out my sub 3 goal and aimed for 3:05. I did a good job of staying with the pack. There was a lot of chatter early on as we did two loops near the beach, including mile 11 by the Bush Compound. The race went wrong for many people right at mile 12. A paid volunteer directed many of us down a dead end road that wasn't part of the course. Here is the race's official video of me running. It added half a mile, and a lot of people were really upset going by the comments on the race's Facebook page. The race posted this apology:

"We want to sincerely apologize for an error that was made on the marathon race course today. During the race, we learned of runners being taken off course by a volunteer. At approximately mile 12, runners were turned off course down a dead end road where they then turned around and ran back onto the course. Unfortunately this added about 0.5 miles to the course. We believe about half of the field of the field of runners ran a total of 26.7 miles. The error was corrected as soon as we discovered the problem. The course is still considered a Boston Qualifier even with the added mileage, and those who ran a qualifying time are still valid results. If you missed your qualifying time because the course was long we sincerely apologize. We're extremely sorry for those trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon that did not. As fellow runners, we know that nothing will be able to make up for a lost chance like that."


I even thought that the directions to go down were not right. My watch almost had me at mile 12 and she was standing in front of the mile 12 marker. But, when I asked her if she was sure, she said it with such confidence and everyone else was going there. In retrospect, I could have ignored her and trusted my gut, but if I was wrong then I would have been cutting the course, disobeying a race official, and putting myself in jeopardy of being disqualified. When I got to the end, I could see no cone, so I didn't go all the way to the end. One of the guys I was running with slipped and fell hard as he turned. Fortunately, he was only pacing a friend and not running it all out (he ran 19 miles as part of a Ragnar relay the previous day), and he is a 2:40 marathoner. Plus, he has a 5 month old and we talked about parenting as runners.

Pacing with Jeff

I was running with Jeff who was hoping to qualify for Boston. He is also from DC and lives on H Street but didn't know any of the names I dropped of fellow H Street runners. He was worried that the turn wasn't part of the course, and I convinced him (maybe I was trying to convince myself) that since the course was altered this year due to construction on the UNE campus, that they would make it up to us later and the signs were wrong. Around the halfway point, I felt good and left Jeff to try to catch the Ragnar relay guy and the friend he was pacing. I felt pretty good and was able to reel in runners ahead of me one at a time. I worried that at some point I would bonk, but my pace stayed consistent. When I went to grab my third Gu ahead of the 15th mile, I fumbled my fourth Gu and lost it on the ground. I thought there would be Gu handed out, but it wasn't so I relied on Gatorade.

Running with Jeff

Even as we went up hills and into wind, I was able to hold a very respectable pace. At the 20 mile mark, I had caught Ragnar and we were again running side-by-side. My left thigh started hurting, but I was able to run through the pain. At some point, I dropped him, but his friend was closing in on me. With 5K or so to go, his friend was trying to draft off me. Along the coast, the wind was the worst as it slowed my pace considerably. I was determined not to let him draft off me. Earlier in the race we can take turns and work together, but with the finish line in sight I get competitive and we're all on our own. I remember hitting 26.2 on my watch and being upset that the finish line wasn't in sight. So I ran the extra half mile, finished on a slippery and narrow chute, and saw my dad. He was filming this shaky video. I was pissed because that race could have been a 3:05 or 3:06 if accurate - maybe even a 3:04. I got into the car with my dad and started to change. I was shivering from the rain and from stopping.

Finishing

Pacing:
6:51/7:07/7:08/7:04/6:57/7:02/7:01/7:13/7:04/7:04/7:13/7:15/7:14/6:42/7:00/6:59/6:53/6:49/6:41/
7:00/6:51/7:14/7:03/7:24/7:45/7:39/ 7:05 (final .7).
I am pretty sure I ran a negative split. I felt strong at the end. The wall of wind at the end is evident looking at my times as I go from 7:03 to 7:24 to 7:45 and 7:39 before bringing it all together for a 7:05 pace in the 27th mile.

My statistics and placement

I was pleased with myself as that was a terrific effort and I knew it. But, I was upset that I lost out on a better time. Even though I was likely in for Boston 2018 (3:08 should be enough to get me in only needing a 3:15), I want to improve my place in the corral. Having been in the fourth corral in 2017, I want to see how close to the front I can get. I will simply have to wait for the next marathon and opportunity to improve my bib number.

Cousins play with Penny at the Mother's Day / Dad's 65th birthday party

After the race, my parents left and went to my brother's for the Mother's Day celebration / my dad's 65th birthday party. We went to Federal Jack's for lunch and a beer and to celebrate. We then drove to join my family at my brother's and my mom was pleased that all her children and grandchildren were together. A good way to finish the weekend! Monday morning, we got up very early to catch our flight back to DC.

Postscript: I started running with Miles in the Bob's Ironman stroller. He mostly sleeps on the run.

After the race, I took Miles on the MBT for our first run together in the Bob's Ironman stroller

Boston Marathon 2017: The Finish Line Was Only the Midway Point

This year's Boston Marathon was more than just a race for me: it was also my first time traveling alone with Miles. Laura needed to go home to New Jersey that weekend, so I was able to prove that I maneuver the logistics myself. Saturday began with dropping Sammy off at our friends' home near 16th Street around midday, then I drove us up to BWI (a rental van was driving dangerously up 16th Street - I even called the number on the van to report his speeding and hitting the median), parked in the daily lot, folded the stroller to get onto the bus to the terminal, and dragged our luggage with us. I only took a bottle or two of breast milk and would be relying on formula the rest of the way. I was able to get the two of us checked in, through security (collapsing the stroller, putting the car seat through, and walking the two of us through the magnetometer) and got us to our gate in plenty of time. In fact, we sat down at a bar where I fed him a jar of food then fed myself Banza (chickpea pasta) since it was Passover. After eating, I walked us around the terminal several times until it was close to boarding time. Once on the plane, I was able to give Miles his own seat since it wasn't full - I just strapped him into a seat while he remained in his car seat. Once landed at the Providence Airport, we met my folks at baggage check and went back to Foxboro. Thankfully, my folks have a pack n play so I didn't have to travel with that. And, they bought food, diapers, and wipes to save me from packing that too.

Miles and Daddy ready to board the plane to fly to Massachusetts!

Sunday morning, I went for a 20 minute run to Wolamolopoag and back to my folks' home. Dad and I went into Boston to get my packet while Mom and Auntie watched Miles. In Boston, I met up with Derek Bailey at the expo, got my packet, then met my dad. We didn't linger in town. I did buy a hat but nothing else.

With Derek Bailey at the Boston Marathon expo.

We then drove to the Route 128 train station where we practiced the logistics for after the race pick-up. I even went to the platform and "limped" to the car as if I had just run the race. Then, we went to the Wegman's nearby and bought some wine and more Banza for dinner that night. We also stopped by Howie and Cheryl Lampert's and thanked them for lending us the bouncy.

Miles loves his bouncy at Bubbe and Papa's

At dinner, Amanda, Ryan, Auntie, Molly, Drew, and my friend David Gaffin joined my folks and me. The meal was nice and I ate plenty, as usual. After dinner, Miles had a huge poop, but he was able to still pose for nice pictures with Molly and David.

Two redheads (cousins!) and a lion.

For the race morning, I woke up wondering if we're due for good conditions in Boston. Yet again, they were calling for warm temperatures. I talked with my coach and he thought that while it would be 60s during the race, we would get a tailwind that would cool us. That was my plan going into the race- try to aim for 3 or possibly 3:05 if the weather permitted. Dad and I left the house shortly after 6AM, and it was a good thing we did. Usually the off-ramp to the athlete's village at Hopkinton High School doesn't close until 7AM. But for some reason, a state police officer was already at the exit with cones blocking it off by 6:30. We went to the next exit, and it was the same. Dad pulled over just past the exit, I got out of the car to talk to the officer, and he saw my bib and let us back-up and go towards the start line. He didn't know why they ordered it closed so early.

It was great to see my childhood friend, David, and that he got to meet Miles!

Once at the Athlete's Village, I found a bench and laid down. I think I fell asleep. I remember when I woke I met a woman named Elizabeth from Baltimore who was finishing her master's in speech pathology from Marshall University. She had been inspired to get into the field because her friend's brother is non-verbal. I was waiting for PJ and Alex, who were traveling on the buses from Boston. We eventually met up minutes before it was time to head to the start line. I tried to convince Alex and myself that the weather would be perfect, recalling that my coach said while it was 60s, the tail wind would cool us. I think I did convince myself that would be the case. In the start corral, I met with Derek Bailey. We were in the fourth corral as his bib was 3800 and mine 3966. This was the first time I had ever been seeded so far forward. We saw Kevin D'Amanda. After talking and getting the jitters out of our system, the race began.

Dad with Miles watching the Red Sox game on Sunday (Sox won!).

I started strong and felt comfortable. I ran smooth for the first two miles, but I quickly realized that it was warmer than they predicted since I was sweating into the third mile. There, I decided to pull back and aim for 3:05/10 and give up my PR goal. It would turn out to be a wise decision. The course was hot and the longer I ran, the warmer it was. I recall getting passed by Amanda and she asked how I was doing. I replied something like "not great" since I was upset it was another warm Boston Marathon. Then, somehow, she passed me again. I asked how that was possible and she apparently stopped to use a bathroom.

Most of the actual race was kind of a blur. I remember seeing the usual sites and towns. I took water and Gatorade at each stop - in fact, I dumped water on my head every chance I had. When I hit the hills of Newton, I didn't try to speed up, but rather just let them come to me and climbed them calmly and consistently. I know that when I hit the top of Heartbreak and started the decent by BC, I felt pretty strong and decided to see how fast I could hold my pace. I repeated over and over that I could at least hold a 7:30, my normal long run pace. I thought of a family member who was going through some pain and thought that if they could tolerate what they were going through, I could handle this tiny hurt. I remember flying by my father and Molly at Coolidge Corner, same place as last year, and knowing I could finish in a course PR. I thought going under 3:15 might be possible, but as I got closer and realized it was going to be 3:15-16, I just tried to get in under 3:16.

Finishing the marathon was a nice feeling. I had to pick it up at the end to make sure I got in under 3:16, which I did. I can now say that the marathon I have finished the most times is Boston with five. Four straight National Marathons (the predecessor to Rock N Roll USA/DC), three Marine Corps, two NYC, and two Philly.

I also placed higher than my bib, which was a goal. Wearing bib 3966, my overall place was 3848, so I at least accomplished that goal. And, I can never be upset with a course PR, even if I only cut off two minutes. But, it was the warmest day (except for 2012) that I ran Boston, so I am very pleased with my smart race.

My race support team prior to departing for the airport. I gave my mom my 2016 Boston medal.

However, finishing the marathon was only the midway point for me. I had to walk through the finish line chute and get to Back Bay for a 1:48 train (I finished around 1:20 PM). I caught the train and spoke to a nice elderly couple - he had run Boston years ago. On the train, people spoke to me about the race and congratulated me. When the train pulled into the station, I got off (my walk wasn't too sore) then met my dad at 2:08. We drove back to Foxboro quickly where I showered and finished packing. Mom made some leftover chickpea pasta and I loaded the car and Miles into the car. Mom and Dad drove me to the airport where I arrived by 4. There, I checked us in and a bag then took us through security (his car seat, stroller, and a bag) then fed him a jar of food while eating the chickpea pasta with my other hand! We boarded the flight, and he sat on my lap since the flight was full and had a lot of energy. The couple sitting with me was very nice and the wife (they were newlyweds) loved hearing Miles coo and seeing him smile. The woman behind us made faces at him. But, I was exhausted and had to play with him by bouncing him to keep him from getting whiny. I showed him NYC as we flew over and lifted him in the air and tried showing him Sesame Street. I fed him one bottle of formula which satiated him, but at the end of the flight he was getting fussy again. There was a "vial" of formula and I joked that it was only to be opened in case of emergency. With him fussing, I deemed it enough of an emergency to open and feed him. We landed, the shuttle bus took us to our car, and I drove to pick up my dog before walking into my house at 9PM. But I did it!

In retrospect, I talked to my coach who said I came up to the red line without going over; meaning I did a good job of running a consistent pace without exceeding what I could handle and bonking. I still had a good race left in me after the 21st mile, which was my goal.

6:56; 6:48; 6:51; 6:51; 7:01; 7:04; 7:04; 7:15; 7:29; 7:34; 7:42; 7:35; 7:31; 7:30; 7:35; 7:09; 7:58; 8:05; 7:32; 8:12; 8:35; 7:08; 7:23; 7:31; 7:30; 7:34; 7:08 (pace for .37)

Split = Time / Diff
5K = 21:20 / 21:20
10K = 43:12 / 21:52
15K = 1:06:02 / 22:51
20K = 1:29:49 / 23:47
Half = 1:34:55 / 5:07
25K = 1:53:12 / 18:17
30K = 2:17:33 / 24:21
35K = 2:42:30 / 24:57
40K = 3:05:49 / 23:20
Finish Net = 3:15:57 / 10:09




On Wednesday after the race, the New England Patriots came to the White House for their moment with the President then toured the Capitol. In Statuary Hall I said to Edelman "the best sign I saw in the marathon Monday was ATL 28 | NE 3." He said he saw that on Barstool. He asked how I did and I told him 3:15. Then I was about to ask him for a picture and he took a picture next to an Oklahoma statue and was whisked away onto the House Floor, so I didn't get a picture.

Next year, I hope Miles can actually watch me race the marathon and that we get good weather.

In Statuary Hall with some of the 2016 New England Patriots, 5 time Super Bowl Champions!