Mike's Marathon Blog

My biggest challenge with running is my pace. Since I started running about 5 years ago, I have always had issues pacing myself. I run too fast, then I run too slow. If you’re a runner, you probably know what I’m talking about. It’s actually one of the biggest challenges for most runners. Even the world’s elite runners struggle with pace. I have watched numerous videos of some of the best runner’s in the country and all of them practice their pace. They run miles down to the second. It’s very impressive.

The reason Boston is one of the toughest marathons is because of pace. The elevation at the starting line in Hopkington is 490 feet. The elevation at the finish line in Copley Square is 10 feet. The elevation drops 340 feet in the first 9 miles alone. Pacing yourself during this section of the course is extremely difficult. Most amateur runners think running downhill is easy and this is a good time to gain some ground. Not the case. Running downhill may feel easy and not as tiring, but your quads would disagree. Miles 10-16 drop another 100 feet. This is when most runners start to feel their legs burning. They’ve been running mostly downhill for 16 miles. This is when the race really starts.

Miles 16 to 21 are known as the Newton Hills. The course rises 170 feet in just 5 miles. This is the part of the course that the Miles for Miracles team runs every single Saturday. Not only do we run miles 16-21, we run 21-16 to get back to our cars.

I have been running with the team for a few months now. There are typically about 30 runners who participate in the weekly runs/practices. Most of the same faces are there every week. Obviously with 30 or so runners, not everyone runs together for 15+ miles. Everyone usually stays within eyesight of each other and most people, at this point, have found a running buddy or two. I run with the same girl every weekend and have been for 3 months. The interesting part of this……….she doesn’t know about it. I don’t know this girl’s name, she doesn’t know mine and we have never spoken more than 20 words to each other. I run directly next to this person every single Saturday!

I immediately started looking for a ‘pacer’ during my first practice all the way back in December. I noticed everyone’s running styles and speeds. I watched runners separate from each other and began learning who I could keep up with and who I couldn’t. After a few weeks, I noticed that one girl never ran slower or faster than me. Little did she know, I found my pace girl.

This girl must be aware that I follow her. The reason, I assume, that she has never spoken to me is because she thinks I’m a super creep and/or a running stalker. She must surely thinks it’s strange when I pass her, look back at her a few minutes later, realize that I’m too far ahead, jog until she catches up and then run 3 inches away from her for the remainder of the run. Putting this in words is actually helping me understand the situation a lot better. I think a 10 foot separation is in order for this weekend’s practice. I’d rather run the marathon without a restraining order. It would be difficult to keep pace when I have to stay 150 yards away from my pace girl.