(Shorts, top, shoes, socks, bottles)
That was rough. And this might be my longest post ever, but I have so many thoughts, so let’s start.
We woke up at 5:25 am, I took a shower and got ready, and we were out the door at 6:10. We walked over to Boston Commons, about a 10-minute walk from where we were staying. I had two bagels, Gatorade, and water at the hotel, and we set out to meet my coach and another friend. We dropped our gear bags off (a dry shirt and shoes to have when I finished) and then went to the busses. I left my phone with Andrew because I didn’t want to carry anything extra during the race.
I sat in front of the bus to avoid car sickness, and it worked. In 2022 I sat towards the back and felt sick the entire time.
Boston allows you to bring a clear bag that they give you on the bus and to the start, so I had one with a poncho to sit on the grass with, headphones, and gels (I brought all of my own because I get nervous about missing them during the race), gloves and a banana (ate that at 8:30 and a caffeine gel at 9:55). I also carried my Vaproflys and wore old shoes until the race started.
It was very foggy in Hopkinton, and it didn’t start raining until we reached the starting line. I met a new friend who told me he would help me get a 2:4X. I love having someone to work with, and it just seemed like everything would come together. I was also cold at the start, which was my perfect race condition.
I kept having this feeling that it was going to be the perfect day. I wasn’t running on snow, I had Andrew there supporting me after an amazing weekend together, and I had some great training runs leading up to this race. I thought my hamstring was 100% after taking a few days off. It was going to be my day. I just knew it!
I started with my friend and felt amazing for the first 3 miles, and then my hamstring reminded me that it was struggling. Ugggg, it was way too early to be feeling something like that. I lost my friend about then because I decided to play it more conservatively for my hamstring to survive.
The friend I was running with is a PT, so he told me to take shorter steps, which helped my hamstring out a bit. I’ll be going in to see him next week to analyze my gait and help me figure out why my hamstrings seem to be the first to go and what to do to strengthen everything and prevent that.
The rain felt pretty amazing. It wasn’t raining the whole time, but when it was, it felt refreshing. There were a few points where I noticed the headwind, but overall it wasn’t too crazy. I missed the tailwind that we had in 2022 though ha.
I didn’t realize my necklace was on backward the whole time until I saw Andrew’s pictures.
I kept telling myself that feelings change drastically in the marathon. I was just needing to warm up, and before I knew it, I was going to feel good again, and my hamstring would behave. But, sadly, something else got worse as I went on… I had to stop for the bathroom twice (this was a first for me!) because my gut was so off. I wanted to stop at every porta-potty I saw because of my gut, but luckily, I only had to twice.
My gut never improved, but my hamstring didn’t get any worse, so I was happy about that. It’s crazy how in 2022, I kept thinking about how the hills just felt so doable and not that big, and then this year, they felt like they were never-ending. They felt like monstrous hills yesterday. I’m positive that some plates shifted, and new hills were created over the last year.
The miles clicked by with each one slowing down. Paces that usually felt ‘easy’ during training just weren’t happening in the second half of the race. I stayed on top of my fueling with a gel every 4 miles, drank from my bottle for the first 9 miles, and then took water or Gatorade from each aid station.
Those final miles were so hard. I was trying every mental trick up my sleeves, but paying attention to my paces turned to just focusing on getting to the finish line. I went from wanting a sub 2:50 to wanting a course pr to wanting a sub 3 to just hoping to finish. It’s so hard to watch the thing you dreamed about for months slip away, but it happened, and that’s just part of the gamble that happens when we sign up to do this.
I wanted to quit so many times yesterday (and I would have if my hamstring had been getting worse), but I kept reminding myself that I’ve made it through harder things in life 100% of the time. If I could make it through those things, I could make it through yesterday.
Ali was at the finish line waiting for me and gave me a 2-minute hug—> The tightest squeeze that was precisely what I needed at that moment. I love this woman so much.
I felt like I was back in 2015 again as I was wandering around the streets after the race. I was soaking wet, shivering, hurting, and feeling a bit delusional. I picked up my bag and then walked over to Boston Commons to me and Andrew’s meeting spot.
When I saw Andrew, I started crying. I was having thoughts on my walk like, “Maybe I’m too old for my goals. Maybe I did too much last year, and my body is paying for it this year. Should I stop setting big goals because it is embarrassing to come up short repeatedly? Was training through the winter that we had worth it for this?”
But then I remembered that I could have believed similar thoughts when I was going for my goal of my first sub-3 marathon. I had EIGHT years of coming up short of that goal. What if I had quit trying during those years because I believed those negative thoughts? I would never have hit it.
I’m not going to listen to those thoughts this time either.
My best running days are ahead of me, and I won’t stop believing that!
It was such a good feeling to get inside and warm again.
Now for all of the tangents:
*It’s a good day to have a bad day if Kipchoge also had a bad day, ha.
*I LOVED having my hair in braids for the race (my first time!). It kept every hair out of my face, which was much appreciated. Andrew, however, did not love them because he said it made it so much harder for him to find me. He said he can usually tell it’s me from far away by the way my ponytail swings, so maybe I’ll do braids for small races where it’s easy to spot me and ponytails for big races;)
*Even without the hamstring and gut issues, I don’t think I would have gotten my goal of 2:49 yesterday… I felt so off overall.
*It was my 2nd fastest Boston time, so I will go ahead and celebrate that.
*I loved my outfit so much. Nothing chafed (IN THE RAIN), and it felt so comfortable the whole way. Outdoor Voices isn’t typically a brand I would think about running a marathon in, but wow, their shorts and tops work great for the marathon.
*My splits (DO NOT PACE A MARATHON SIMILAR TO THIS ONE haha)–> 6:20, 6:17, 6:19, 6:17, 6:31, 6:27, 6:29, 6:36, 6:38, 6:40, 6:47, 6:35, 6:47, 6:50, 7:05, 6:37, 7:15, 7:21, 7:01, 7:15, 7:47, 7:01, 7:50, 7:05, 7:13, 7:33, 7:38 pace for the last .45. I just kept my watch running during the bathroom breaks. I went out fast, but I thought I was prepared for those types of paces!
*I’m unsure if the new Vaporfly is better than the 2s. It was too wet to be able to tell, but I can’t wait to try them on a dry day. I finished the race blister free with happy feet, which is a great sign.
*I put one headphone in for a few miles and then took them out again for the end of the race. I needed a distraction, and it was helpful.
*Training this year was rough in Utah. Many workouts were skipped or changed, and I think if I had to do this training cycle again, I would have hit the treadmill more on those days to still get in the paces I needed. With Andrew’s new job, I think I’ll probably be on the treadmill a bit more!
*It’s a good thing I love the training so much when races don’t go how I want them to. I love the miles and my group so much. Also, these training cycles build on each other. So, even if the race doesn’t produce the desired results, the work doesn’t disappear and will show up for the next training cycle.
*I missed training on the trails because of the snow this year. Trails do so much for me mentally and physically, and I missed having them as part of my training block.
*Another thing I thought a lot about when I was struggling was that I am not going to be able to do this forever. Someday, I will miss the hurt I experience in the marathon. I’m going to miss pushing myself to these limits, so I am going to embrace it.
*We learn so much about ourselves in these races. It’s crazy to pay money to get a peek into who we are at the core, but I will keep paying money to do it.
*On the downhill, I kept repeating, ‘Nose over toes’ to myself to avoid sitting back into my stride. It helped me to remember to let gravity help me down the hill.
*I can’t wait to get back on the Peloton again. I need to figure out how to get that back into my weekly routine.
*At the Athlete’s Village, I saw a man carrying a box of Lucky Charms and munching on them as he walked around. It made me happy.
*I have never had to stop to use the restroom during a marathon until yesterday (my 16th marathon). I had to stop twice (and not just… oh, that would be nice to use the bathroom, it was like EMERGENCY I must stop now) to use one, and I need to figure out what in the world went wrong. I ate basically the same as the previous year of Boston, and I had zero issues then! I should have taken an Imodium before the race. Edited: Lauren reminded me I was on an antibiotic last week, so maybe that caused GI problems??
*Time for a week off of exercise and however long I need for my hamstring to be 100% again.
*I thought a lot about running calm leading up to the race. I feel my best and most loose when I run calm, and I want to do that this year. So anytime I had thoughts leading up to the race that caused my body to tighten up anywhere, I would redirect them to thoughts that made my body relax. It seems simple, but it took me 37 years to recognize what thoughts made my body tense.
*The crowds and volunteers at Boston are my favorites. The cheers I got from internet friends made my heart so happy. Something about looking into the eyes of the amazing spectators along the way made the whole experience so worth it… the long runs on fresh snow, the 80-mile weeks, and the speedwork that hurt so bad. The connections made between different runners along the way (a guy put out his fist for a fist pump as he passed me, and I swear he transferred some energy to me with that) and seeing the amazing volunteers and spectators out in the rain and cold trying to help people they don’t even know… It’s beautiful and so very worth the 1000 miles I put in this year leading up to Boston. I’m so thankful for how running brings us all together.
*I’ll learn to someday not get on a 5-hour flight right after the marathon… that hurt.
——————————————————————————
Anyone else that raced over the last few days… How did it go for you?
If you were following anyone yesterday, how did they do?!
Ever had GI issues during a big race???? What caused it for you?
Have a focus for your running this year?
91 comments
Nadya
I saw you in Wellesley at about 12.5miles and loved cheering for you! You are Leila’s and my hero! My husband, Patrick, said you looked so strong. You were amazing. You inspired my little girl even on a tough day.
Hugs,
Nadya
The Hungry Runner Girl
Nadya! I SAW YOU GUYS! I wish I could have gone over and hugged you. Seriously, it meant the world to me.
Isla
Janae, you are such an inspiration. I’m sorry you didn’t have the race you wanted, but I really admire your positive attitude. Whenever I have a bad race, I tell myself to channel you–you never give up! All of that hard training this winter will still be there for your next race, even if you couldn’t see it all yesterday. Thank you for sharing all of your ups and downs with us, and we are all looking forward to seeing your fastest races yet in the coming years <3
Jessica
It has to be so hard to have trained so hard and to not hit your goals – I was thinking about this yesterday, watching Kipchoge, and how there are so many variables out of our control when we go out for a run like this. You did what you could control and you should be so proud knowing that!
We just had our second baby a few months ago and my husband said something to me that I have to continue to remind myself “Why are you being so hard on yourself?” (in reference to mothering, running, working, etc.) By nature, I tend to always want to be the best but sometimes I remind myself to just be grateful that I can do all these things. So don’t be too hard on yourself – especially because what you did is amazing!
Mollie
I’m sorry it wasn’t a good race day. It’s so hard when that happens. There’s always so much to unpack on the why but I feel like, when we think about it, how crazy is it that sometimes it DOES all come together. Especially being working, busy parents who do this as a hobby. There’s so much room for error, over training, under training, 300 feet of Utah snow 😂…life. Excited to see it all come together for you.❤️❤️ Congratulations on a solid time regardless.
April
Thanks for your vulnerability, even in the hard times. I loved what you said about how you love training and your group. Just last year, I finally made a group of training friends. And the happiness (and how they push me) I get from running with them is amazing. After training for marathons alone, this summer I get to train for one with my group! It truly is about all those training runs and times together doing what we love, not just the race. Also loved what you said about the work and training cycles building on each other – so true. Thanks for everything you bring the running community! Your posts are a daily bright spot for all! ❤️
Lin Sigler
Congratulations!! I am a 63 year old grandma training for my 19th marathon. I love reading about your training, racing
and beautiful family. The only time i had gut issues during a race was because of antibiotics!
Jan
This all makes perfect sense. You are AMAZING ! Things are so different training to racing. Never know how the day goes. Be so proud of yourself to over come the issues on race day. Awesome to have a positive attitude !!!
YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR !!! Continue to keep us motivated with more daily posts.
Michelle
I know it wasn’t what you had hoped for, but your finish time changes nothing about your complete amazingness! I loved “following” you online and following all your training makes me so happy. And, yes, antibiotics do crazy stuff to some people’s bodies. I suspect as we get older, we get more sensitive to them. Happy Resting!
Mariah
I’m sorry your race didn’t go as planned 😢 you did amazing though! Second fastest Boston is such an exciting accomplishment, especially on a day you weren’t feeling it! You’ve come so far! Plus the thing you said about being calm sounds just like what I read in Kara Goucher’s book, so you are learning the same lessons as the elites.
I was tracking my friend Mike, him and my friend Christina met you Saturday! He was a couple minutes ahead of you, so it was fun to see you both moving along the course so close together.
Also the elite races were so close!! They were really fun to watch.
ASHLEA
I’m sorry it wasn’t the outcome you wanted, but I really admire your positive attitude. You are an inspiration to so many! With 2 bathroom stops I’d say that’s a pretty impressive time to me!
Just tracking you yesterday my stomach was in knots haha. Never give up on your dreams!!! You are amazing
Mikenzi
Thank you for your vulnerability in sharing your running journey. You are an inspiration to me in ways I don’t feel I can fully express in a comment box. It’s easy to act like a winner when you always win. It’s much harder to do that when we don’t hit our goal and you are an example of someone who is showing up even when they didn’t hit their goal they had planned. Your blog is apart of my morning routine every single day and my own running journey that is just starting to take off. A big part of my success is you so thank you again!
Jenny
Janae, I’m so sorry you didn’t have the race you wanted. It makes me sad that you were crying afterwards, but I probably would have cried too. It’s frustrating to put in all that training and then have a bad day- but as you said, Kipchoge had a bad day too! It happens to everyone. I think it was the antibiotics that caused the gut issues- I’ve heard of that happening to other people (and btw you made some FAST bathroom stops!!!)
I hope you have a nice week of rest and hamstring healing!
Molly S
Hold you head high!! Your class and grace are so apparent which can be harder to display than running a marathon!
Sometimes we are due for sobbing after a marathon. You’ve paid your dues on that so hopefully better races are to come.
Antibiotics can inhibit absorption. So it’s possible your gut wasn’t absorbing all your nutrition like it normally does leading up to the race. Small things like that can compile to make for a rough marathon day.
And last comment: EMMA BATES!!!!!
Victoria
I’m so proud of you for finishing even though it wasn’t your day. It’s so so hard to have put in months of work and then the day just doesn’t turn out right and you aren’t sure why. I’m glad your hamstring mostly held up and I hope you can get physical therapy to help you out with it.
Christine
You are awesome, Janae! Your times on a bad day would be an amazing day for me :) I wanted to say with the stomach issues, where I live there is a super mild stomach bug going around! Literally just causing 2-4 trips to the bathroom but going through entire families/classrooms so it’s possible you picked up something mild on the flight or around Boston! Antibiotics are a def possibility too. Either way, I know you’ll keep rocking it in future races!
Stacey
Great recap, Janae!
I also had major tummy troubles and had to stop to use the restroom at mile 23 (EMERGENCY!)
I think I would’ve hit my goal had it not been for my stomach. It’s impossible for anyone to just keep getting better and better and better. We train so hard for one day, and it’s extremely possible that on that one day, we are feeling off.
I’m not sure what my issue was, either! I trained with the gels, and was very mindful of what I ate the days before. I wonder if I ended up getting dehydrated, because I wasn’t hot so I wasn’t terribly into the idea of stopping for water. Plus Maurtens don’t have electrolytes.
Either way, I think you are a rockstar and should be very proud of the marathon. I hope you get home safely to hug your kids!
NikkiD
Amazing job! I am a long time reader and have been with you for allllll the races!! Your first sub 3 :) the internet still whispers ‘OQT JB!’… Keep gunning for it!
Annelies
Jana! You are a powerhouse of a runner! Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they just don’t. Such is life and you should be proud of yourself for holding on, pushing through and still ending up with a time that a lot of people would give their right arm for, haha. I am sorry that things did not go your way yesterday but I am convinced that great things are ahead of you, keep setting big goals!
Much love from Belgium,
Annelies
Jenna Lester
Janae! I’m sorry you didn’t get the result you wanted and EARNED through those hard training months. Do not give up (not that you ever would), you have so many amazing accomplishments in your future! Such a blast meeting you on Saturday and thank you for the amazing pep talk leading into my race.
Annelies
Jana! You are a powerhouse of a runner! Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they just don’t as it is with all things in life. You should be proud of holding on, pushing through and still ending up with a time most runners can only dream off. I am convinced good things are coming your way. Keep setting big goals, the best is yet to come!
Much love from Belgium,
Annelies
Mary
You should be proud of yourself. You overcame some runner’s obstacles and pushed through them. And I would have LOVED that race time. You are amazing!
Kristine
Congratulations!! I hope you enjoy recovery and celebrating. Boston is such a togh course but a special place to run. It was so much fun following you! Now I want to run a marathon again lol.
No races this past weekend but I ran 16 miles of trails for the first time in 6 months and my body reminded me lol. My goal race is in August and this year my focus is to find the joy in running. I remind myself that I run because I love it. It has been a long winter here too.
Have a fantastic day and can’t wait to see more photos. Congrats again Janae !!
Tiffany
Last year you said you did so well at Boston training on lower mileage & this year you really amped it up…do you think your body responds better to less mileage and more strength training? Especially on hilly courses where you really need leg muscles.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Yes yes yes yes yes! I have been thinking about that a lot. Life is just too busy for me to be running that much and recovering properly. I also really think the peloton did something for my running… I had my best two races (Boston and vigor 1/2) ever with lower mileage and peloton in my legs. Such a great point and thanks for bringing that up! I think my hamstring holds up much better with that combo too. I hope you have the most beautiful day, Tiffany!
Rachael
I was going to comment this too but wanted to be supportive, so I’m glad it’s something you’ve already identified! You had such an awesome season last year with more Peloton, strength, and less volume—hope you can find your magic combo!! And gosh I am so impressed you pulled out that time with the GI issues, I had something similar in a race last year and it was so miserable!! There was a pace past which I absolutely could not push my GI system and it was so frustrating bc I knew my legs could go faster.
Hope you can take some time to just recover, sleep, and rehab everything so when you start running again it feels joyful.
Colleen Martin
I am so proud of you and all the runners yesterday!! Your pace is so incredibly fast, even though it wasn’t as fast as you wanted. I hope you can enjoy your week off from running and rest up. Sorry the weather was sucky here yesterday, of course today is sunny and cool!
Belle
My sweet Janae, do you know why your best days are still in front of you? It’s because these lows you have the privilege of experiencing now, teach you how brilliant the highs can actually be. By allowing yourself to be vulnerable and laying it all down on the road today and even having to use the toilet twice, you will value the highs even more in all parts of your life later. This means the best days will always be in front of you and never behind. And maybe someday even something as simple as not needing to find the toilet will fill you with indescribable joy. And you will count that as your high life. Who knows how this will all manifest in your life? I can just testify that my lows are what teach me to find the good life in the smallest things as I age. What a beautiful life it is! Plus I’m very proud of how hard you tried yesterday.
Katie A
I am impressed that you kept running the fast paces you did WITH both gut & hamstring challenges – it’s hard to run anything over a super-easy-day-pace when you are not feeling your best. I was reading & keeping tabs on the Boston news yesterday, and even not watching the race was so inspired by all of you Boston runners! SO much work goes into even getting there in the first place. I love your positivity when it comes to learning through the challenges that don’t go the way you planned. And I am sure we can find some geographical evidence of those dang hills getting even larger!!
Andrew did a great job with catching multiple photos of you during the race – that’s not an easy task.
My 6 yr old’s gym teacher ran Boston & it was so fun hearing his explanation of what she was doing & how they got to see how she was doing during the race. And then his next question was, Mommy, when are you going to go run the Boston race. :) Hahaha, apparently I have a lofty new goal.
I think you are right with the BEST running days being yet to come – because I’m 37, and I am counting on that too!
Ida
I’m sorry the race wasnt what you wanted. It does sound like your body was pretty worn down. You even said 3 marathons in 6 months wasn’t the best idea… I think you should go back to training like you did in 2022 for Boston- shorter training cycle and less volume. You need to figure out a training plan that works for you. Running with a group can be great, but not everyone responds to the same workouts the same way. I’m sure you have some PRs in you too!!
Kristen
It was definitely the antibiotic! It took my daughter a few weeks for her gut to recover after an antibiotic. You’re amazing! You didn’t meet your goal this time but that’s life right? You’ll get it next time! ❤️
Joy
Janae, you are incredible and you ran an amazing race! I’m so sorry you had GI issues, as well as that troublesome hamstring. But you persevered and you ran an amazing race. You are truly an inspiration.
Your best running days are definitely still ahead of you. :)
Meg
Hi Janae! I was volunteering at mile 17. When you came over to grab a gel from me, it made me so happy. You are even more beautiful in person! When I realized it was you, I screamed your name. I hope I didn’t freak you out! You made my whole day being out in the cold worth it. I have been reading your blog for years. The way you put yourself out there and go after what you want is inspiring. Your realness is beautiful!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Meg. I legit told Andrew about you after the race. I knew there was just something special about you and I had to go to you! You knowing me gave me the exact boost I needed. Thank you for being out there yesterday. Connecting with you helped me to keep going forward! Have a beautiful day!
Lisa P
I’m so sad we weren’t able to connect this weekend! I agree with you the volunteers and crowds make the Boston never ending hills still feel magical. I ran 20 minutes slower than I did in March, but had a stomach cramp at 15 and those hills are way different than my flat training in Louisiana. I’ve had one stomach issue during a half in New Orleans and blamed it on a cocktail the night before! You are amazing Janae and continue to inspire me!
Arthi
Janae – I can’t say it enough … You are an INSPIRATION! The fact that you fought through the race despite rough GI issues and a flared up hamstring is amazing. You are tough and I have no doubt in my mind you are gonna come back to Boston stronger and have the race you want. The hard days make us better. (Also on the GI issues/antibiotics – My family friend is a GI doc and after I had to take a round of antibiotics and things were, um, not great lol .. She said post infectious IBS is a common thing so could have been what was going on for you!)
My goal race/34th bday race is this Sunday!! I dedicated an entire training cycle to a half marathon instead of a marathon, which I’ve never done before, and I’m excited to see what happens come race day!
Ps – I’ve dealt with hamstring issues for well over a year and a half so I feel your pain. Literally. Two exercises that help me a ton – Nordic curls and those swiss ball rollouts (where you put your heels on the ball and push it out and pull it in). Rest up, take care of yourself, and celebrate this week!!
Lindsay
So sorry your race didn’t go as planned but you didn’t give up! Sometimes if I feel like something is awry, like your hamstring was, nerves take over and that equals jello guts!
Freya
I’ve followed you since the beginning of your blog (literally). I’m sorry Boston didn’t go to plan but I really appreciated this post and your perspectives – my marathon running is awful at the moment and it feels quite depressing at times, but I’ve found this post very inspiring!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Freya! I’m always here if you want to talk about it!
Sharon
It might not have been your perfect day, but you still accomplished more than most people! You have a healthy perspective that I believe will help so many people. You are correct- someday you won’t be doing this! I’m no longer a runner, but the life lessons I learned while running are still with me!! Keep going! Keep running! Keep sharing! I’m a fan!!
Kristin
Congratulations on overcoming the thoughts in your head and persevering 💪🏼 I know you didn’t get the time you wanted, but it was still an excellent time!!!
We had about 8-10 runners from our team in Costa Rica go! I had so much fun watching them in the app along with you!!! I don’t think I got much work done though 🤣🤣🤣
Honestly, hearing your story of yesterday makes me feel better about my 1st marathon. I was better prepared than my body felt on race day. I was so discouraged when the pain started at the half way point. I had felt so much better in my training runs. But race day is one day and we are all allowed to have bad days!!
Kathy
I just want to encourage you to not give up on your goals – I was spectating yesterday (in the cold rain/hail craziness) on the hill just past the 40K mark, sorry I didn’t see you go by to cheer for you – but my friend who I was there to watch ran a Boston PR in her 7th race there, at the age of 65 (she ran 3:31!!!). You will reap the benefits of all the work you did in this training cycle in the future – now go rest up and celebrate another successful finish!
Wendy
I know you didn’t have the day you wanted, but you were still amazing! I love your attitude and positivity. You are such an inspiration!!
Hopefully your calf will heal quickly and you’ll figure out what was going on with your gut (I’m thinking it was the antibiotic too). And, your PT friend checking out your gait will hopefully give you some insight too.
Thank you for taking us along on your training journey, being open and honest, and sharing your day despite it not being what you wanted it to be. You’re amazing!
Now, enjoy some time off, enjoy your kids, and celebrate all the hard work you have done!! ❤️
Amy S
Hi Janae! Way to go putting it all out there! From making big goals, saying them publically, trying your best and never giving up! You are an inspiration!
Emily
Janae, I echo what your community says here – way to show up, give it your all, and feel your feelings. All we have is the effort – the outcome is never guaranteed. (Marathons have taught me that lesson for sure.) Thank you for sharing your journey here. You’re an inspiration.
Jaclyn
You are still a rock star for finishing with that time on a tough day! I’m sorry it didn’t go to plan. I was tracking you, along with my friends running the race, and saw you were struggling by your splits. My last half marathon was a disaster, stomach-wise. I figured out later that it was from the Maurten Caffeine gels…my stomach is super sensitive to lots of caffeine and it was just too much for me at once. I think I had 3 emergency pit stops during my race. I switched over to Huma for caffeine gels now, and still take the regular Maurtens and haven’t had issues since then!
Blaire
I teared up reading your post. I’m not exactly sure why (maybe because I’m in my first trimester haha) or maybe because I know how badly you want to hit your goals but after following your blog for 12+ years I’ve watched you grow and transform so much and it just made me emotional!
You are such an inspiration and I know yesterday was hard, but you continue to keep such a positive outlook on running and life and it’s amazing. You are so strong, so fast, and so driven and you will continue to hit your goals time after time, but you will also learn from the hard days and that will make it that much better when you do achieve the things you want :)
So proud of you and I was cheering loud (and tracking you on the app) from Charlotte, NC yesterday!! You’re amazing Janae- congrats on another Boston Marathon!!!
Liz
I’m sorry that you had a tough race, but you still did an awesome job. Boston is a tough course, made all the more so by injuries and issues. I used to spectate there every year and you could always see the range of days – some people were having their best day and some their worst, but they were all running.
Curious if you had the hamstring problems in the years you did more cross-training and strength training – I recall that you said that helped a lot, but I can’t remember if those training cycles were in your PR years. I’m sure you’ll find whatever works best for you this go around in any case. Congratulations again!
Martina
First of all, congratulations on yet another Boston! It’s such an honor to be there and I truly believe it’s one if not THE best marathon in the world. Just wanted to say that you’re the second person I heard of who was on antibiotics last week and had major GI issues yesterday during the race, so I think that it 100% played a role on how you felt overall (not only your gut… antibiotics take a toll on our entire body and that, unfortunately). Sorry it wasn’t your day but love your perspective and the hard training will certainly pay off next time!!!
Tess
Janae, you killed it. Congratulations! Comparisons are never great, but just think about how you inspire so many people who might never get the opportunity to run Boston. You inspire us to reach for things like that! And I hope that you don’t feel too embarrassed, because it’s equally inspiring seeing someone make large goals and sometimes achieve them, sometimes not – but regardless, you pick yourself back up and keep pushing your limits. What matters is that you are practicing the process and you tried your best. And you KILLED it!! I’m so stoked for you – thank you for continuing to inspire me. I know you’ll keep making and getting those big goals, you’re no where near done or too old! Also, so weird but my PT also ran yesterday I wonder if it’s the same person.
Julie
I was watching you and my friend on the bib tracker yesterday and it was so exciting! Running as far as you did, as fast as you did is a real accomplishment and you should still be proud even though it wasn’t a PR day. Thanks for bringing us along with you through the ups and the downs!
Maureen
Can we just talk about the fact that in the 8 years to hit you first sub 3 this time and race would have absolutely crushed you? Now you’re hitting this time on a day when you are feeling very off. Seriously so proud to see this growth and call you my (internet) friend! Now you need to come race in Philly so we can make it real friends while we try all the donuts in the city post race ;)
Maureen
Can we talk about the fact that in the 8 years leading up to your first sub 3 a time like this would have crushed you?! Now you’re running this on a day when you feel very off. So proud to see this growth in your running and to call you an internet friend! When you come run a race in Philly we’ll make it real friends as we try all the donuts in the city post race to find our favorite ;)
Sarah
Sorry to hear it was a tough race, but you still did amazing! That is an incredible time especially when you weren’t feeling great. I’ve loved following your training and can’t wait to see what your next big goal is. You continue to inspire so many people, don’t forget that! X
jesseybell
I am so sorry you didn’t have the race you wanted yesterday – you weren’t the only one – a friend ran a 3:20 and to her she runs a 3:10 on a very bad day (and she’s 52 so don’t let me hear you talk about giving up because you are too old!!) – so my heart breaks for everyone when your body and gut doesn’t show up for you despite all of the fantastic work you put in during the winter. I was tracking you and of course I thought you were fantastic but looking at your estimate completion time I could just think about how upset you must be. But you have shown all of us over the years what it means to go for your goals and if you “fail”, try, try again. You inspire us all! One of these years I am actually going to make it back to the course as a spectator but this is the 3rd year I’ve had a work project literally due on Marathon Monday (of course they were 2015, 2018 and 2023 so not exactly years I would have wanted to be out spectating!)
I’m always in awe that you get on a plan right away – wow that must hurt!
I hope you are being gentle to yourselves and having a great time hugging those kids
And I hope the snow if over for your guys in Utah! (I was worried for you when it was 85 degrees in Boston on Thursday, so at least you didn’t have that!)
Ashlee
So inspiring. Thanks for sharing all the ups and downs of your emotions. As a new runner I feel so normal in all of these whenever I read your posts. Way to go. You crushed it!
Amy J
Janae. Your attitude is incredible. You just keep persevering and it’s so incredible to see. This recap gave me goosebumps. You see, a couple weeks ago, I was diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive tumor/cancer and since that day, I have kept repeating to myself your mantra of “we can do hard things.” It has helped SO much. I have NO doubt in my mind that you are going to hit that big goal, and I’m going to beat this. We got this – we can do hard things!
**Side note – can you link the Boston hoodie that you purchased this weekend? THANK YOU!!!
Shelley
Your willingness to persevere and find the positive even on a tough day is what makes you a champion! I love running, and it’s sure given me many heartbreaks and triumphs over the 20+ years I’ve been doing it. Thank you for your vulnerability and willingness to dream big and give yourself grace! You’re a great ambassador for the sport. I hope your mental and physical recovery goes well.
ruby
I mean this with kindness, but I really hope you will give yourself a true REST after this. More than a week off of exercise. Let yourself recover – the way pro runners do – for a couple of weeks. You need to give yourself some actual time off (no running, biking, etc) to recover and be ready to come back fresh. I am glad to seem to have identified that lower running volume and more strength training and bike is a better match. Just trying harder (you already try so hard!) and running more is not going to get you to your goals. I would also evaluate whether your coach actually knows what he/she is doing. Seemed like a tremendous amount of volume (crazy long warm-ups and cool downs to workouts – why?) and virtually no taper at all – i hope you understand why they set things up this way, but from an observers perspective (and based on the limited information you provided about the why behind your training) it does not seem to gel with the kind of training others aiming for an OTQ are doing.
You are a talented runner and obvious very disciplined, determined and tough – you also seem like a very genuine and lovely person. But sometimes it seems like you haven’t been able to resist defaulting to running/exercising more more more and that is worrying just from an observers perspective.
Joanna Whittit
I’m so sorry you didn’t have the race you wanted, that’s so disheartening, but you always come at it from such a positive place. I loved Boston yesterday. I just wanted to enjoy the experience and I definitely did that (so many high fives) but that’s easy to do when you don’t have big, awesome goals. I’ve had to stop for bathroom breaks the last several races I’ve done and it’s usually because I’ve had way more fluids before the race than I’m used to. I’m curious how everyone from the shakeout run did on their races??
Megan
Janae! I’m the person that said hi at the finish soon after you completed your Ali hug. I’m not sure I made sense in my probably only semi-coherent immediate post-race babbling so I’ll say here as well: I’m sorry it wasn’t your day but it’s so true that you should keep at it because (1) you find joy in the process and (2) striving for big goals helps give our running meaning. You’ve created a great community that benefits from seeing you openly share your goals and training. It took me 4 Boston’s to finally feel like I got it right yesterday — I choked up with emotion at the turn on to Boylston, nearly ruining my finishing kick, because I knew it had taken SO much coming together, combination of things I could and could not control, to get that finishing time.
FYI for everyone reading: you probably know this, but Janae is as absolutely wonderful and kind in real life as she comes off in her writing. I said hi immediately post-race and despite probably being frustrated from having an off-day herself, she asked me questions about my race, and congratulated me with a genuineness that was impressive considering the circumstances.
The Hungry Runner Girl
MEGAN! I can’t thank you enough for saying hi to me. It meant the world to me. You did amazing! You worked so hard for yesterday and you got it right… YES. What you said means a lot to me! I was so out of it I wasn’t sure if I was making sense either haha. Have a beautiful day and I’m going to need your Boston tips!
Amanda
I just wanted to say, I love your positive attitude toward how your race went but also, it’s okay to grieve the outcome you had hoped for a didn’t get. I used to always think it was an either or but it’s not. You can but grateful for the opportunity you had to run and hopeful for future races AND be really sad and disappointed for the outcome of the race. Reminding myself all the feelings can exist at once has helped me a lot. I know you are gonna get that 2:4x! You got this!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
This is so so true. It’s okay to feel really sad about missing it. Thank you for this reminder, Amanda! Have a beautiful day!
KJ
I’m so sorry all did not go as planned but you still rock and that’s still an amazing time.
Will you please keep us updated on what you find out on your hamstring. I have similar issues and just when I think I have it resolved it flairs back up again!
Enjoy the rest day and extra time with the kiddos.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Yes yes yes I will! I’m so sorry you struggle with it too. Let’s get this figured out!
kelly
You did awesome!!! Remember, your off day is someones dream day!
I feel like everyone was relieved by the weather-very few complaints on it. I’ll be honest, I was worried it would be too warm for people especially after such a cold winter in places. The forecast was so much better than it could have been! I remember seeing your photos of wearing tank tops and shorts with snow on the ground and thinking what would you do if it’s 60-70F on race day? Were your shoes slippery or heavy at all?
The antibiotics could easily have been the culprit for your GI! booo. Soo sorry but it sounds like you managed it like a champ and was able to take in fuel and hydration.
Enjoy your time off!!! (from running, that is!)
The Hungry Runner Girl
I was pretty stressed about it being a warm day too.. I would have melted! My shoes weren’t slippery but they did feel heavy! Thank you SO much, Kelly! I learned my lesson!
emily l
So incredibly proud of you even if you did not hit your ultimate goal, Janae! You are awesome and such an inspiration!
Lisa
Congrats – I know it wasn’t your goal but you finished and still had a solid time! I’m running Maui Marathon this Sunday and am terrified of the warmer temps… your statement of having been through harder things than running a marathon was just the inspiration I needed!
Melissa
I just found you online…I’m a Utah runner and did Boston yesterday too! (My 4th Boston and 24th marathon overall) my marathon “career” is definitely winding down but I love following runners as they chase their goals. Also, can we be peloton friends? I’m missmarathon 😋
Megs
You are amazing and your work ethic inspires me ALWAYS!! You will absolutely crush that goal because it is what you do! Proud of you always!! LOVE YOU!!! Xoxoxo
Mallory
Congrats, Janae! You are an inspiration as always.
Sometimes your gut just isn’t happy- it’s just part of being a human! Didn’t you take Imodium once before a race and felt very nauseated by it? Am I making this up?! Or am I really that dedicated a reader ;)
The Hungry Runner Girl
You have the best memory! Yep, it made me feel nauseated but I think that would have been better yesterday hahah! Thanks for being so great, Mallory. Have a beautiful day!
Warren Footz
whatever right? I kept reading, and kept thinking of Bill Rogers…sometimes he actually won, sometimes he was not so much…stuff happens….Just following inspired me to get my butt out and yes, and watching the elites had be focusing on my form (i usually never do)….it is what it is….bet next marathon, next Boston, may be better….had a couple of friends, and one two years older then myself, he did 4:10, and now I have a goal to shoot for….and well, I just have to get a qualifying time somewhere?…the race in the rain looked amazing, I kept listening to the announcers wondering if the cold and rain would affect the elites, um, no…..and the rain makes the photos look amazing right?
congrats, and what’s next?…..
Corey
Congratulations for pushing through the challenges that rose up in front of you yesterday. Congratulations for putting so much into your training that you had many ‘tools in your toolbox’ ready to go. Congratulations on showing your kids that it’s not about the time at the finish line that matters; there is so much to embrace on the journey. Congratulations on controlling what you could and realizing that what you couldn’t control is just how life happens.
Chris
Super proud of you for Boston – have followed you many years. Easy to be positive when things go amazing – not as easy when it’s tough. Thanks for modeling both Janae – you’re a (s)hero :)
Katrine Campbell
You looked so strong and I yelled Go Janae so loudly on a downhill in Wellesley. Proud of you!!!
Kelli
Way to go, Janae! I know you’re disappointed, but you’re so inspiring to all of us. I haven’t ran Boston since 2009, so take my advice with a grain of salt. I was recently having hamstring issues, and a friend showed me this glute activation exercise to do right before a run, and my hamstring has been better! The activation she showed me is on my side/elbow with a kind of hip lift, so it’s awkward outside. BUT I swear this has helped me. Thanks for your blog–I love watching you follow your goals and your sweet family!
Betsy
I’m sitting here at my desk at work in tears reading your post and all the comments. You inspire me every day. You are an amazing mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. My training for my little ole half marathon is pennies compared to your full marathon but when I run my 20 miles a week at 9:XX pace I feel like I’m you, fast and strong. Again, you’re an inspiration to so many people. You’re amazing!
Jason Bui
Reach out to me if you decide to run Boston again. I can help pace you to a sub-3.
Loribeth
Way to go Janae! I am amazed by your speed! That’s an incredible achievement!
I had 3 friends running, Martha is a freakin beast and finished in 2:56 ( her first Boston!), Jessica did 3:28 ( a 10 minute PB), and Chris flew from the soccer game he coached in San Diego and landed in Boston at 5 am and made the 10 am start…..and still finished in 3:15! He had a big week with the game and marathon and he just got his American citizenship so kudos to him!
I have my 4th attempt at the marathon this Saturday in Nashville. I would love a sub 4, but the hills in Nashville are relentless and I am just shooting for a 10 minute pace. Definitely not the fastest, but definitely still impressive to run 26.2 miles😊
Leigh
You are absolutely amazing and never fail to inspire me. Love watching you do what you do.
Thank you for always being so vulnerable and sharing this journey, even the hard parts.
Eric Eidsmoe
“Another thing I thought a lot about when I was struggling was that I am not going to be able to do this forever. Someday, I will miss the hurt I experience in the marathon.”
Keep going! I ran my first marathon at 49 in 2012 and got my first BQ in 2022, just over an hour faster than that first one! I won’t ever go sub 3:00 and I’m sure there will come a time when that may not be attainable for you, but there are always new challenges to conquer and new running experiences to have. Being able to run Boston as a qualifier (after 2 charity runs in 2018 and 2019) was amazing and I took in as much as I could this past weekend. Missed my BQ by just over 3 minutes, but I’m OK with that — I gave everything I had and just didn’t quite have enough endurance. And as I’m sure you don’t doubt, there’s marathon pain for all no matter the pace or age!
Jenni
Janae! Congrats on an incredible race – I know you may not feel that way, but 3:02 on a bad day is something to still be proud of. You could have stopped at any time.
You were on an antibiotic last week?? That would totally affect your GI system AND make you feel off (crummy, less energy, etc).
I loved your braids. I will try Outdoor Voices, does the sports bra run small? I’m small for sure, but I always find that some sports bra feel really tight/restrictive around my ribcage, causing me to size up (and I’m not a chest size up haha)
Leslie
It’s inspiring to read about the bad days along with the good ones- helps remind us that bad days happen to everyone and we can get up and try again! Thank you for sharing it all, and happy recovery!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Thank you, Leslie! That means a lot to me. We are all in this together. Have a great day!
Jenn
Congrats! I’ve followed for years and have been chasing a BQ myself the last couple years. My 2 races this year kinda went like this one went for you – it was so painful to watch my goal pacers get away from me. But there’s joy in the process and I will get the BQ soon, and you will hit your goals too!
Papa's Pizzeria
That is so amazing. You inspired my little girl even on a tough day.
Damarys
Amazing work!! So proud of you! I’m so glad you pushed the negative thinking away, what I would do to be able to run a marathon in less than 4 hours…well less than 4:25, which was my last time in the NYC marathon. I will be running my 4th marathon on Sunday–and they’re expecting rain but it might be just early in the morning. Please keep me in good vibes and I’m hoping rain ends by 5 am on Sunday!
Carol
First of all, congratulations!!! You finished with an incredible time on a tough course!
I want to suggest that your G.I. issues may be partially caused by stress. All of the worrying about potential injuries, hitting your goal paces, the weather, etc., could be affecting your stomach. Sometimes I take a couple of Tums before a race and carry a couple more with me in case they are needed during the race. Might be worth a try.