Yeah, I'm still here.
In case you were wondering, I ran St George last year - a 3:37:14. This year's Boston Marathon application volume was unprecedented. For 9 days, it was torture running hypothetical mathematical scenarios. In the end, the cutoff was higher than most folks predicted but pretty close to the more thorough analysis. I squeaked in with 18 seconds to spare. I never would have thought that 2:46 would be that close to being "out."
I also ran Houston in January (surprisingly pulled out a 3:42:xx with not the greatest training - I think I had a lot of base built up from STG that carried through). San Diego Rock n Roll was a shit-show for me, 4:09 (slowest marathon time since 2003 - 12 years ago), thanks to many illnesses I got from the little monkey (infants put germ-y thing in their mouths). I ramped back up probably a little too quickly and didn't do really any speed work (and zero racing because it was just disgustingly hot here... and still is - 82 was the high today on the coast which is an improvement to what was in September), so I got just an okay result (3:46:xx) at Chicago.
I realized as I hobbled around, cramping, for an hour after finishing the Chicago Marathon, that it wasn't worth half-assing training and flying out to a race that costs me a lot of time and money. Half-assing a local race? Sure. But not something big like Chicago.
Aside from this, I started another blog using my programming skills to do the 2017 Boston Marathon cut off prediction. If you like data, you may like the posts there.
http://www.namethatbostonmarathoncutoff.com
Anyway, hope anyone that is still reading is doing well! I feel like running blogs have lost their pizzazz? Has it jumped The Shark?
