Training for Boston 1982; Spectacular Disaster in Waiting

February 28, 2018

 Boston Marathon Training

January to April, 1982

I'm in the Frank Shorter style red and white striped shorts.

I was arguably getting in the best shape of my life for this iconic event. In Denver (briefly) and Seattle, I trained and entered two races in preparation over a period of 13 weeks. I qualified for Boston with a time of 2:47:26 (6:23 pace) in the Detroit Free Press Marathon on October 11, 1981 ... my first marathon. I was quite literally running away from my life in Detroit, but that's a story beyond the scope of this one.

 Countdown to Boston

Week 13, January 18 thru 24: 
Five days of easy running at altitude in Colorado. I turned 30 on the 22nd. 22 miles

Week 12, January 25 thru 31: 
Colorado, then Seattle, 
Monday, 36:42 undetermined distance, 
Thursday, 5 miles at 7:37 pace,
Saturday, 8.25 miles at 7:28 pace. 18.5 miles

Week 11, February 1 thru 7:
Monday, 3.9 miles at 7:34 pace, 
Tuesday, 3.5 miles at 6:58 pace,
Wednesday, 8.25 at 6:03 pace,
Friday, 9 miles at 6:37.5 pace, 
Saturday, 6.5 miles at 7:40 pace,
Sunday, 6 miles at 6:52 pace with the 5th mile at 5:36. 37 miles

Week 10, February 8 thru 14:
Monday, 4 miles at 7:42 pace,
Tuesday, 6 miles at 6:19 pace, 
Thursday, 10 miles at 6:42 pace, 
Friday, 5 miles at 6:58 pace, 
Saturday, Mercer Island Half Marathon, 1:16:37, a 5:51 pace on a hilly course. 
38.1 miles

Week 9, February 15 thru 21:
Wednesday, 4 miles at 7:28 pace,
Thursday, 5 miles at 6:59 pace,
Friday, 8 miles at 6:54 pace, 
Saturday, 8 miles at 6:52 pace. 25 miles


Week 8, February 22 thru 28:
Tuesday, 10 miles at 6:59 pace,*
Wednesday, 5 miles with third mile at 5:21,*
Thursday, 7 miles at 6:57 avg. pace (variable)*,
Friday, 10 miles at 6:10.5 pace, 
Saturday, 4 miles at 7:52 pace, 
Sunday, 12 miles at 7:20 pace. 50 miles

Week 7, March 1 thru 7:
Tuesday, 5 miles at 6:49 pace, 
Wednesday, 7 miles with tempo miles of 5:14 and 5:31, 
Thursday, 8 miles at 6:16 pace,
Friday, 5 miles at 7:39 pace, 
Saturday, 12 miles at 6:45 pace, 
Sunday, 3 miles in 28:00. 40 miles

Week 6, March 8 thru 14:
Monday, 8 miles at 6:27 pace, 
Tuesday, 8 miles at 6:47 pace with an up-tempo last mile in 5:50, 
Wednesday, 6 miles at 7:53 pace, 
Thursday, 10.2 miles at 6:23 pace -- the last 8 at 6:17 pace and the last mile in 5:50, 
Friday, 10 miles at 7:30 pace, 
Saturday, 8 miles with the first 5 at 7:22 pace, the next 2 at tempo 5:30/5:40, then mile jog, 
Sunday, 14 miles at 6:32 pace. 60.2 miles

Week 5, March 15 thru 21:
Tuesday, 4.1 miles at 6:51 pace, 
Wednesday, 6.9 miles at 6:40 pace, 
Thursday, 13 miles at 7:08 pace, 
Friday, 6.25 miles, first 5.25 at 6:40, last mile in 4:58, 
Saturday, started work at Runner's Place,
Sunday, the Sri Chinmoy 10 Mile race in 57:53, or 5:47.3 pace.* 40.25 miles

Week 4, March 22 thru March 28:
Monday, 7 miles at 7:33 pace, 
Tuesday, 11 miles at 6:27.6 pace, 
Thursday, 9 miles at 6:58 pace, 
Friday, 6.9 miles at 6:43 pace, 
Saturday, 4.1 miles at 8:02 pace, 
Sunday, 17.3 miles at 6:21.3 pace. 
55.31 miles

Week 3, March 29 thru April 4:
Tuesday, 4.1 miles at 7:22 pace, 
Wednesday, 6.9 miles at 6:40 pace, 
Thursday, 11 miles at 6:59 pace with tempo miles of 5:30 and 5:21, 
Friday, 9.7 miles at 6:26 pace, 
Saturday, 6.9 miles at 6:38 pace, 
Sunday, 4.1 miles easy. 42.7 miles

Week 2, April 5 thru April 11:
Monday, 6.9 miles at 6:01.3 pace, three under 6:00, 
Tuesday, 14 miles at 6:39.5 pace, 
Wednesday, 7 miles at 5:54 pace, 
Thursday, 7 miles at 7:19 pace, 
Friday, 20 miles at 6:53.5 pace, 
Saturday, 4 miles easy, 
Sunday, 11.2 miles with the first 7 at 5:57.5 pace. 70.1 miles

Week 1, April 11 thru April 18:
Wednesday, 4.1 miles at 6:42 pace, 
Friday, 26:00 slow run w/Lee in Fitchburg, 
Saturday, 21:00 easy run in Fitchburg. 
10 miles

Week 0, April 19, 1982:
The Boston Marathon ... 

Oh, the mistakes I made.

Let's start with the training. I didn't keep good notes on how I was feeling during training, but there were a few, which I marked above with asterisks*: On February 23, 24, and 25 ("heels still sore," "heels felt better," "heels a little better") ... and instead of taking heed and resting, I ran through it ... the next day I ran 10 miles at an average pace of 6:10.5. 

On March 15 I had to stop during the Sri Chinmoy 10 mile because, as noted in my log, "I did not feel good -- almost quit at 8+ miles ..." (As I recall, I had a stomach cramp or side-stitch at Sri Chimney  and doubled over for 20 seconds or so.) "... although I'm satisfied with my time, I thought it would be easier. Maybe I am tired from Boston training."  

No kidding.

Mistake number one: I had little rest for 12 weeks, always pushing, training as though I were racing myself, each successive week an attempt to go faster than the last.

Mistake number two: Two long distance races in the mix, not a good idea.

Mistake number three: Multiple days in a row of fast-paced running.

Mistake number four: During April 5 through 11, I ran seventy miles in seven straight days of fast; 7 miles of at 6:01 pace, 7 at 5:57 pace, and 7 at 5:54 pace; 20 miles at 6:53.5 pace; only one day over 7:00 pace. I don't know what I was thinking. Wait, yes I do. I had a goal. An unreasonable goal: 2:36.

In truth, I was in fantastic running condition; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to handle what I did.

But the truth of the matter is that I overtrained. Although I made it, I was not fresh at the starting line on April 19. To worsen the situation, the weather was warmer than I was used to by 15-20 degrees.