Chip time: 25:48 – this would be an 8:18/mi pace BUT honestly I think the course was a tiny bit short (my Apple Watch has the stats below, and it has been pretty accurate on other races + splits!).
I won my age group which says more about the race (not very big) than it does about me, but it was still fun!
On the “helping me” side –> I wore my super shoes (Nike alphafly)! I definitely feel like they helped. And they were more comfortable than they were when I first tried them.
On the “not helping” side –> it felt hot by the end (70F sunny + humid). (Though this was much better than the September 5K I ran.)
On the “not helping” side –> coming back from illness. However, I think I feel pretty recovered at this point.
According to Jack Daniels Running Formula (a book my husband is obsessed with and continually encourages me to delve into), this puts my “VDOT” — his measure of fitness/performance level — closest to 37. My prior 5K would have put me at 34 (though it was REALLY hot, so probably underestimate). I would love to get my VDOT closer to 40 by the end of the calendar year. If I can maintain it there and race a marathon well at age 45 (omg this is ~2.5 yrs away), I could qualify for Boston*. And that would be so, so cool.
I am SOOOO far away from this right now, but it also doesn’t seem so out of the realm that it’s impossible.
And I think I will enjoy trying regardless of the outcome (well, as long as I don’t get injured. Because I hope I still have a couple of decades of running left!)
*Qualifying time for age 45-49 women is a 3:50 and it based on age at time of the race
33 Comments
Hearty congratulations Sarah 🎊 👏 very happy for you ☺
Congrats! And if you ever run Boston, I’ll have to come cheer you on. Just don’t tell all my local friends who’ve run it that I never went to see—I’m a local who’s never been to the marathon before. 🤣
What an awesome time! Congrats!!
Fwiw, my Apple Watch has issues with distance and I have to reset once a year or so to factory settings, that resolves the issue).
Congratulations! That’s an amazing time! I’m a newish runner and I’m wondering if you have any resources/tips on how to run faster? Thanks!
I like the formula of one tempo, one speed work, and one long run a week plus some easy runs. But i am no expert. I do recommend the Runners Connect training programs for a lower cost resource! Marathon training academy has lots it info and I love running podcasts that focus on training like rambling runner, runners connect, the planter runner, and another mother runner.
If you’re getting started the Nike Run Club has been super helpful for me and I love having a coach’s voice in my ear encouraging me! It pushes me to try hard but also really encourages appropriate rest and pacing to keep it sustainable! Happy running!
This is perhaps weird, but I find it reassuring that your HR data for this type of race is similar to mine! My husband (whose HR is crazy low) cannot believe mine gets that high. No ill effects and I train regularly. I’m 5’2” and ~50kg and told him I’m basically a mouse!
Ha! Well we are definitely similar sized, but my ~6′ husband raced today and his HR went to the mid 180s too, so I guess it can happen to tall people too (and he is 6 yrs older, too).
I bet you are like me and have a low resting HR (me = usually between 45-50).
Today I wasn’t even going remotely fast and it was in the 170s when I started overheating.
Congratulations! What a great race!
Awesome job! Congratulations! Who’s old and slow now 😂😂
Lol still me … it’s all relative right??
This is awesome! Congrats!
I’d say you thrived instead of survived! Way to go, especially on the tail of being sick with nasty viruses! You should be super proud of yourself!!
This is a great goal! And I can offer n=1 of success story that makes me think you can do it. I ran a 3:48 marathon to qualify for Boston at age 45. It was a big stretch for me – previous and only marathon was 4:27. I spent a couple of years between those marathons getting faster (5ks and half marathons) and stronger (one ultra). FWIW, I used Run Less Run Faster as my training plan because I tend to be injury-prone.
Amazing Megan! I’ve run a 3:48 marathon … but i was 29!!!!! So cool that you were able to ramp things up that much at a similar age!
Great job, Sarah. I hope this is the boost of confidence you need after the tough run earlier this week.
My sister (in the 45-49 category) recently qualified for her first Boston marathon! I don’t have any distance running aspirations of my own, but it is thrilling to know people running in these big races!
Way to go, Sarah! I bet that you can qualify for Boston in a few years!
huge congrats! that is awesome time!!! and I’m with you about qualifying for Boston for the next age group, that’s my plan too. do one marathon per year until 45 to qualify for Boston, ideally one of the 6 majors, then I might get the majors medal. again, just like you, I’m not obsessed about getting there, but enjoying more the process going there. 🙂
Great goal! You’re making me want to quit my job so I can pursue my athletic dreams. Screw research, lol. 😉
You could take a part time clinical job and dominate as a swimmer or triathlete I bet! If you wanted to 🙂
Haha don’t tempt me. I just started swimming again and I love it so much!
Way to go!! Placing in your AG is a great accomplishment! Qualifying for Boston is a fun goal and will keep you pursuing running for sure. I’ve run it and it’s an enjoyable course (I don’t think it’s as hard as people say but I have the benefit of living locally so I trained on the course). I ran it in 2012 in the record heat (85 I think??) and PRed, however that was 10+ years ago (?!?!) I am happy you have found your running groove again. I’m not there yet but I know I’ll eventually get back to it.
I should clarify I did NOT qualify but will I likely ever! Lol. I’m content being slow.
Wow amazing!!
Remember for Boston that it’s your age *one the day of the Boston Marathon race day* not the race where you qualified, so you can aim to qualify when you are still 44.
Interesting about the VDOT. I use a training program called VDOT and it estimates that measure, but I thought it was their proprietary take on VO2-max. I didn’t realize it was a real thing. Mine is about 43, which is humblingly “level 4” and at the 65th percentile for women my age who use that site, lol.
My may birthday is not advantageous unless you can qualify over a year in advance!
(Just read that you can qualify up to 19 months in advance! Ok, good to know.)
So the way I think it would work is:
You turn 44 in May 2024. Registration for Boston 2025 will happen in September 2024. You BQ sometime in fall/winer 2024 (*after* September 2024) which will qualify you to register for Boston *2026*. You turn 45 in May 2025, you register for Boston in September 2025, you *run* Boston in April 2026. 🙂
YESSS. Love it. Except I feel like maybe a spring 2025 race? Bc fall marathon means summer training and … well, we will see!
Congratulations! This is an inspiring story 🙂
Very very nice! Congrats and very impressive! You prefer the Apple Watch over the Garmin now? I’m a long term Garmin user and really want to get the AW to put my phone down more, but the running capabilities have me hesitating.
I think it’s good enough for my purposes! I think the distances are accurate and you can now program custom workouts (repeats etc) in the workout app. If it were JUST for running i’d probably use garmin but I love having just one device.
I love that you are thinking of something 2.5 years away. It really does inspire and encourage me.