DFMC Group Run from Wellesley (18.17mi)

That was awesome. I'm not really sure exactly what I did right, but whatever it was, it worked. I felt fabulous out there today. Everything was moving in unison, flowing from one step to the next, it was almost effortless... Well, at least until about the 14.25mile mark or so but I'll get to that in a minute. Today's run was a Dana Farber Marathon Challenge Team group run. I haven't been able to make one in quite some time now, and I was very anxious to get back out there and meet some new faces. We met up at the Boston Sports Club out in Wellesley at 8am, and starting from there, we did an out and back over a portion along the actual marathon course. After a short 1.5mi stint of pavement to get you out to the actual boston marathon course, you enter right about what would be the 13.5mile mark. From there, we follow the course, down over the Newton Hills to the top of "Heartbreak hill", which is right around the 21mile mark, before turning around and heading back. On the way back, you run up a hill (apparently known as "Grossman's Hill") which I somehow barely noticed on the way out but now it definitely got my attention, around the 14.25mile of today's loop. It wasn't extremely bad or anything, but after 14mi, well, I'm guessing this is about the best approximation of what it's going to feel like when I hit the Newton Hills during the actual race day, that I've had to date. Suffice it to say, it felt good to get to the top and arrive at the water station. Which brings up my next good point... During team group runs, the DFMC staff have water/gatorade stations every 3miles along that day's route. Having this hydration support there was fabulous. I generally just go without any water/fluids during my long runs, so when I finish, I'm usually quite parched. I realize it's not really the best thing to be doing to myself (going without water), but I really don't like carrying anything with me, but perhaps today's example will serve to persuade me to purchase myself a fuel belt or come up with some other solution... In any event, having these water stations out there made all the difference in the world. It was great, and I really can't thank them enough for providing them.

I met up with a pack of runners around the 2mile mark who looked to be going along at about my pace, so I settled in with them, and eventually ended up running with this one guy whose name was Ben. He was actually having some ITB issues, and made the wise decision to play it safe and call it a day around the 12mile mark, but he made for some great conversation and was a pleasure to run with thru the first part of the route. After he pulled off, I mostly ran by myself for the last 6miles, but I think it worked out quite well this way. It allowed me to get the best of both worlds, having someone to chat and go along with in the beginning while I was fresh, and then just be able to focus on what I needed to be doing for the 2nd half. All things taken in perspective, I really felt great throughout the run, and can only hope that the rest of my long runs from here on out go nearly as smoothly...