Sudbury Marathoners Offer First-Person Reports on Monday's Race

Dave Kirk

Race went well (Monday). Sure was hot though. From many of those I spoke with it was the toughest marathon they had done. I have never seen so many people walking during a race and stops at the first-aid stations. The crowd was great and I think because I had my name on my chest and maintained a decent pace throughout I got a lot of shouts from the crowd ... that felt great.  

My plan was to run, not race. I had a GPS watch to follow my pace but I ran more based on how I felt. This did well for me allowing me to run a fairly even race. I worked really hard to keep myself cool with putting ice in my hat, running under every sprinkler and stopping at every water stop. I feel pretty good today given that I had given up any hope of a "time" and making sure I would have enough left in me to feel OK in the late miles.

Sarah Romain

It was hot from start to finish, but I felt like there were patches of brutal heat with little relief along the way. I made sure to stay well hydrated the day before the race and race day morning so that I wouldn't have to be so dependent on the water stations along the way. That being said, I only skipped a few water stations, and normally I only take water or Gatorade 8 - 10 times during a marathon.

I did notice a few people suffering and looking like they might quit, but I didn't actually notice anyone drop out. I think that the runners were very dedicated to finishing the race because it was so especially hot. In the results I noticed that most runners finished about 20 minutes slower than they usually run, and I think that was mostly a self-controlled slow-down.

I did consider dropping out at one point around mile 11. There had just been a stretch of road that was very hot and dry and my knee began to hurt. But, after I took in some Gatorade and dumped water on my head I felt a lot better and I felt like I could keep going. Another runner shared a really cold bottle of water with me, and I felt really cheered by all the support throughout the race. I kept cool after that by taking ice from fans and grabbing a few sponges that my parents were handing out. With that kind of support throughout the race, I wanted to keep going and just enjoy the event.

Even though I ran much slower than I wanted to, this is definitely my most memorable race to date and I'm really proud that I finished it.

Cathy Lifschultz

As this was my 27th start for the Boston Marathon, I have run in many types of weather. But none compared in heat to Monday's race! Going into it, I had received at least one warning email every day about the bad conditions, how the heat was really bad for your health, etc. And yes, there was the deferment thing, which I only thought about for half a second. I just figured I was one of the "seasoned" marathoners, one who wouldn't harm myself by running too fast and ending up in trouble.

In any endurance run, there is the potential for something to go wrong — weather, poor preparation, poor choice for clothing/shoes/running pace, etc. — any number of choices can go either way, and then add to that the New England weather, and you've got the potential for a medical issue of some kind. I ran with a very reasonable goal: avoid the medical tent!

That said, I honestly did see many more walkers earlier in the race than in prior years, plus the tents along the way did have runners in them. At the finish line, the VIP tent I usually go to needed to have half the space taken away to make room for more medical help area. This was in addition to the gigantic medical tent already in place at Copley Plaza-a sing of the increased number of runners needing help. I saw at least five wheelchairs within 100 yards of the finish line on my walk to the VIP tent.

I did a walk/run plan at every water station I stopped to walk for at least a minute or more, to drink both Gatorade and water (boy was I sick of Gatorade by mile 24!), to ensure I was properly hydrated, and I think it did pay off. I made it, lucid, and clear-headed, no cramps, and not much soreness at all (Tuesday) or today! I saw runners even within a mile of the finish completely cramping up — not an unusual sight at that point in a marathon, but a reminder that proper hydration was really key to survival in that awful heat. My skin felt like it was on fire when the sun was shining on it — the air felt heavy even.

My overall time was much, much slower than in recent years, but, in the end, it wasn't about how fast — it was the run of the tortoise this year!