da miles

Matt, I see you started you blog up again at the beginning of March. I had stopped checking it since you weren't posting anything. I did a quick review of the recent entries and it looks like you are getting in some good training runs and are probably not too far off your training plan. I'm shooting for 3 hours at Boston and feel like I have a realistic chance at it. I'll probably aim for about 1:31 on the first half just like at SGM. The difference is the second half of Boston is more difficult than the 1st half unlike SGM. As it gets closer we'll have to try and find a place we can meet up at the start. It's crazy there with all the runners but hopefully we can find each other.

I've been doing alright, and I feel I'm in just as good of shape as I was for St. George, but what makes me less optimistic is that my bib number (for a 2:59 qualifying time) usually finishes around 3:10 at Boston. I'm guessing this is because a lot of people aren't ready for a spring Marathon, but I'm also wondering if it is just because it is a tougher course, amoung other factors. I don't want to go in thinking "3:00", and then kill myself on that second half, as you mentioned.

How have your previous Boston times compared to your other marathons those years?

Last year I ran a 3:15 at Boston but I qualified with a 3:15 as well. The year before I ran a 3:17 at Boston and had qualified with a 3:11 (which was my PR before SGM this year). I feel like I am in much better shape now than I was going into SGM and that is why I have hope to go sub 3, but it will be tough. Weather will also be a major factor as to wether I will go for it or not.