4 crucial Tips for first-time Boston runners

I ran the Boston Marathon for the first time last year and walked away with my second best ever marathon time of 2:26. After reflecting on the race, there are a few things that I think first time Boston runners need to know before starting the iconic race from Hopkinton to Boylston.

Don’t freak out when you see your half split

Charging hard to the finish on Boylston Street

As you’ve probably heard by now, quite a bit of the Boston Marathon course is downhill in the first half. My first suggestion, if you haven’t yet, is to train your quads for the downhill racing in the first half. 

Make sure you’re incorporating downhill training in your long runs. A lot of people know to train for the Newton hills, but you also want to add some downhill specific training in your cycle and even add some quad strengthening in your gym circuit in preparation for the first half of the Boston course.

That being said, remember not to freak out or get too excited when you see your half marathon split on the course. Odds are, you aren’t going to negative split this race unless you’re taking it a bit too easy the first half. 

Let the downhills carry you, but don’t force anything. You should feel somewhat comfortable through the halfway point and you might surprise yourself with how quickly you go through the half. I myself was pretty happy with the way I ran the Boston marathon, and I positive split the course by over 3 minutes. Always listen to your coach, but seeing a quick 1st half split at Boston is very common. 

Pro tip: Practice eccentric step-downs to strengthen the quad muscles in the gym. 

Have one foot on a step or a low box-step, and slowly squat down to lower your opposite foot to the floor. Return to the top and repeat on each leg for a set number of repetitions. 

Let the crowds carry you, but don’t get too excited

If you’ve run a major marathon before, you know that the crowds can give you energy that not even a Redbull spiked with tequila could. I myself dropped close to a 5 minute mile in the middle of the Chicago marathon when I ran through the crowds in China Town. This was a fatal mistake and probably cost me a minute or two on the backend of the race. With that experience, I was more cautious in Boston to take in all the cheers but not let it affect my pace or race strategy. Did I blow kisses to the girls in the scream tunnel at Welsely? Absolutely! But did I proceed to drop the group I was with to show off? No way! Use the cheers and posters to have the time of your life, but don’t waste too much energy trying to show off or change your race plan.

Pro tip: Run and train with friends if you can to get your mind off of things. Practice keeping a pace while you run with others and work off of each other. 

Be prepared for the “Dreaded” Newton hills, but don’t be scared!

When I was running Boston, I had the dreaded Newton hills in the back of my mind as soon as the race started. I’ve heard horror stories of people having to walk the hills or blacking out at the top of the rollers. Maybe this dread helped the hills seem less horrible when I actually raced them, but part of me wishes I wasn’t quite as scared of them as I was.

Are the hills hard? Yes–but this is mostly because of where they’re placed in the race. You’ve run hills like this before, just remember you’re prepared for this! Take it one hill at a time and focus on a rhythm going up while staying strong and this time letting the crowds carry you up and over. 

Pro tip: Try to add hill strides or repeats at the end of some of your training runs to help with turning over up hill on tired legs

Take it all in!! This race is iconic

Do all of the things! Get the swag at the expo, drink all the Sam Adams, and go to the after parties! At the end of the day, this race is about trying your hardest at something you love and have worked so hard for. If you don’t celebrate it, who will?! Have the time of your life before, during, and after the marathon. 

Pro tip: go to the expo early enough before the race where you can make sure you’re not too stressed before. Most importantly, work hard and have fun!

With then teammate Ryan Ford after a big day for both of us!