Ryan Hall's Blog, page 172

Photos From The 2017 Boston Marathon Men’s Race

This year’s Boston Marathon saw a strong men’s field competing for the top three podium finishes. Ultimately, in the final miles Kenyan Geoffrey Kirui surged ahead to take first, with American Galen Rupp close behind for second and finally Japan’s Suguru Osako rounding out third. For all three, this was their debut Boston Marathon. Check out these images taken throughout the men’s race from the front of the pack, and read the full men’s race recap here.

Photos: Bob Betancourt

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How to Recover From The Boston Marathon in 3 Easy Steps

Photo: PhotoRun.net

There’s no doubt that running a marathon is challenging. It’s so difficult that even the post-race recovery is complex!

Marathon recovery is substantial for several reasons. After a marathon:

Inflammation and cell damage are common and persist for up to two weeks.
The immune system is suppressed, making it far easier to get sick.
Even the heart can be slightly damaged (it’s a muscle, after all).
Muscle memory is compromised, making fast running difficult and riskier for overuse injuries like IT Band Syndrome.

No matter what marathon you run, there’s significant trauma and muscular damage to recover from after the race.

But the Boston Marathon is a unique event that makes recovery more difficult. The very nature of the course itself requires a more structured approach.

It’s hillier, meaning you’re going to spend more time running downhill. The course itself is also a net downhill course, finishing at a lower elevation than it started.

All that downhill running requires a lot of eccentric muscle contractions where your muscles are both under load and lengthening at the same time.

The result? Muscular micro-trauma, soreness and a really hard time putting on your pants the day after Marathon Monday.

To help you get those pants on, here are some of the most effective ways to recover from the Boston Marathon.

Strategy #1: Re-Fuel ASAP

The body is in a carb-depleted state at the end of 26.2 miles, no matter how well you fueled during the race with gels, blocks, or powders.

The first goal is to replenish your carbohydrate and fluid stores. Don’t worry about over-eating—now is not the time for that!). Eat the bagel, banana, or energy bar that’s available at the finish line and cherish that sports drink.

After that post-race snack, aim to eat a big meal within 1 to 2 hours, if your stomach can handle it. While a healthy meal is ideal, you can take some liberties with your diet. If not after a marathon, then when?

Finally, continue to eat well and drink a lot of fluids for the rest of the day. Your urine should be pale yellow or clear and you shouldn’t let yourself get hungry.

RELATED: Eat And Drink Away Sore Muscles

Strategy #2: Manage the Damage

There’s no avoiding the muscle damage that a hilly marathon like Boston inflicts on your legs, so it’s best to do everything possible to recover quickly.

And while some soreness is encouraged during training, a stricter recovery protocol after a marathon is a smart idea. Here are a few steps to take:

Don’t sit or lay down after the race; keep walking for at least 10-15 minutes.
If possible, take an ice bath for 10-15 minutes before your shower.
Wear graduated compression sleeves to promote extra blood flow for the rest of the day.
Avoid getting a massage or stretching during the 24-36 hours after Boston. Muscles are not “tight”—they’re damaged.
Take a 90-minute nap if possible.
If you’re really sore, consider ibuprofen.

This simple checklist ensures you’re promoting healing blood flow, not exacerbating any additional damage and putting yourself in the best possible position to recover as quickly as possible.

RELATED: The 10 Commandments Of Injury Prevention

Strategy #3: Sleep Hard

You trained hard. You raced hard. Now it’s time to sleep hard.

There’s no doubt that sleep is the top recovery tool at your disposal. This is when your body does its most restorative work, not only to your muscles, but also your endocrine (hormonal) and nervous systems.

The body recovers most during the delta wave and REM sleep cycles. This is why I recommend a 90-minute nap, which allows for a full sleep cycle.

For a few nights after the Boston Marathon, try to get an extra 30-60 minutes of sleep every night. This extra time will help the body rebuild and recover from the difficulties of racing 26.2 miles.

It’s also worth noting that alcohol inhibits restful sleep. If you’re going to celebrate with a few adult beverages—no judgment here!—it’s best to choose a rich beer or glass of red wine because of their nutrient content.

And of course, limit yourself to 1-2 drinks if possible. With more alcohol, you risk further dehydrating yourself and preventing your body from entering the most restorative phases of sleep.

Racing a marathon is hard. There’s no reason to make it more difficult by hampering recovery by under-fueling, not sleeping enough or making the trauma of 26.2 miles worse.

Take recovery seriously and your post-marathon running will thank you. You might also be back at Boston next year, ready to duel with the Newton Hills once more.

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The Best Spectator Signs From The Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon spectators are known for their enthusiasm and support. So of course it is no surprise that they come up with the most creative signs. Here are a few we spotted along the course of the 2017 race that made us smile.

Photos: Steve Godwin

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Veteran With Prosthetic Leg Carries Guide Across Boston Marathon Finish Line

WCVB—the ABC affiliate in Boston—captured a truly inspiring sight at the end of the 2017 Boston Marathon yesterday. Earl Granville, a combat Wounded Leg Amputee and an Adaptive Athlete, carried his guide, Andi Marie, and his American flag across the finish line.

Granville is a veteran of the Pennsylvania National Guard. On this third deployment to Afghanistan in 2008, he lost his left leg after a roadside bomb hit his vehicle.

This was his first time running a marathon. Granville had previously competed Boston on hand cycle as an adaptive athlete for Operation Enduring Warrior. After watching friends, who are also amputees, cross the finish line last year, he knew he could take on the challenge too. When not running, Granville is a mental health advocate, helping other veterans speak out and find treatment for PTSD.

In an interview with Spartan Races, Granville said about 10 miles before he started cramping. “The options were to quit or walk and I wasn’t quitting,” he said of his race.

After turning onto Boylston, he asked Andi, a fellow Spartan athlete who guided him the entire way, if he could carry her across the finish line.

Watch the amazing video below.

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8 Run-centric Ways To Blow Your Tax Refund

Ah, the welcome surprise of a tax refund—it’s the savings account you didn’t know you had! Sure, you can save it (which is probably a good idea). But you can also save some of it and use the rest to make an investment in your running. Check out this list of run-friendly splurges. We included options to work with a refund check of every size.

RELATED: These Are The Best Watches For Every Runner’s Budget

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Kirui Shines In His Boston Marathon Debut, Third Marathon Ever

Photo: Bob Betancourt

For years, the traditional wisdom has held that running the marathon, especially successfully at the highest levels, requires several attempts at the distance and a long background in distance running. But in recent years, speedy neophytes have begun turning that dictum on its head, recording near-record times in their first or second run over 26.2 miles.

That trend continued today at the 120th running of the Boston Marathon. Kenya’s Geoffrey Kirui, running his first Boston Marathon, displayed the patience and savvy of a seasoned veteran, pulling away from American Galen Rupp, himself running just his third marathon and first Boston, to record a 21-second, 2:09:37  victory. It was the first Kenyan men’s win since 2012. Kirui broke open the race after cresting Heartbreak Hill with a pack of six, then running a scorching 14:34 for the downhill 5 kilometers on Beacon Street to drop everyone but Rupp, who was finally eliminated by a 4:27 24th mile.

“I can’t say enough about the race Geoffrey ran today,” said Rupp. “He put in several surges I was able to cover, but at the end he was just too strong. This is a very challenging course and I was really hurting the last three miles, but I tried to stay relaxed and drive to the finish, dig deep.”

Photo: Bob Betancourt

As the Olympic bronze medalist, Rupp had to be considered one of the pre-race favorites in a field that wasn’t extraordinarily deep by some Boston standards. Yet the big question leading up to the race was his health, as a flareup of plantar fascitis hampered his buildup to Patriots Day. “I got a cortisone shot a few weeks ago and that knocked out all the pain,” he said. “There’s always a shred of doubt, but after the first few miles I knew it was going to be OK.”

Still, Rupp had no answer for marathon rookie Kirui over the final stretch of the course. “I was feeling good, my training was good, but I knew I would be facing my colleagues who had run many times at Boston,” said Kirui. “I felt I could challenge for the victory – we train at altitude, on hilly courses, so I felt I could run well here.”

Rupp’s runner-up 2:09:58 finish led an American resurgence at Boston. Five other countrymen cracked the top 10, the most in the prize money era which began in 1986. Perhaps most surprising of them was newly-minted masters runner Abdi Abdirahman, who was in the lead pack coming up the hills before he tangled feet with Rupp and stepped awkwardly, causing his quads to begin cramping. “I figured I’d try to make it to 40K and then drop out, but once I got there I said, there’s only 2K more so I might as well finish,” which he did in sixth in 2:12:45, good for third American. “This is an exciting time for U.S. distance running,” said Abdirahman. “The future looks great with guys like Galen.”

Photo: Bob Betancourt

“I think the sport has changed,” said Rupp. “The top marathoners all have tremendous track pedigrees. You need that speed to be able to run 2:05-2:06 pace and stay relaxed. You might not run a lot of 5 and 10Ks on the track but you’ve got to have the ability to do it.”

Certainly, on a relatively warm April day, when temperatures hovered in the low to mid-70s, it was the guys with track backgrounds and not a lot of miles and marathons in their legs who showed the way in Boston.

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Debut Marathoners Prevail In Women’s Race At 2017 Boston Marathon

Photo: Steve Godwin

The top three podium finishers for the women’s race all have one thing in common: this was their Boston Marathon debut race. 

In the final miles of the race, it was clear that Kenyan Edna Kiplagat would take the title of 2017 Boston Marathon champion for the women’s elite field. Crossing the finish line at Boylston Street in 2:21:52, this is the 38-year-old’s debut Boston, but third Abbott World Marathon Major title.

It was a slow start for the women’s elite race (starting mile splits: 5:55, 5:36 and 5:38) with temperatures already reaching 70 degrees. Within the first couple miles, though, American Desiree Linden made a move to the front of the pack, running comfortably in the lead for most of the first half of the marathon.

“I wanted to be patient in the first 10K or so,” said Linden about her strategy during the first half of the race. “I just feel like if it was a respectable pace, I was just gonna tuck in, but so many fast half (marathon) runners in there, I can’t let it be too slow. After the 10K mark I knew I had to put my foot down on the gas just a little bit.”

Photo: Steve Godwin

By mile 18, though, Linden fell far behind while Kiplagat, Rose Chelimo of Bahrain, Kenyan Gladys Cherono and American Jordan Hasay surged ahead to form the top four, approaching what most consider the most difficult section of the course, Heartbreak Hill.

As temperatures climbed into the high 70s and the women’s top four started the ascent up Heartbreak Hill, Kiplagat surged ahead with a fast mile split of 5:02 at mile 20—leaving Hasay and Chelimo chasing her dust.

By mile 21, Kiplagat had secured a 28-second lead, maintaining a strong pace and form in the final miles, alone on the road with no other challengers in sight.

“I was feeling good, my body reacted really well,” Kiplagat said in the post-race press conference.

Chelimo followed Kiplagat, placing second in 2:22:51. This was also her debut Boston Marathon following her eighth-place finish at the Rio Olympic Games.

Photo: Steve Godwin

Jordan Hasay held her own throughout the race, placing third in 2:23:00, the fastest American debut time on the course and fourth fastest American women’s marathon time ever. Although it was her marathon debut, Hasay’s determination to stick with the lead pack showed in the last 5 miles as she surged ahead of fellow American Linden for third.

“I think that the marathon is a very emotional event and I try to stay as relaxed and calm as possible,” said Hasay about her mental state during the race. “The crowds toward the end were chanting ‘USA, USA,’ so I tried to feed off that energy.”

Hasay also unexpectedly lost her mother last November, and explains how that was also a motivating factor in her race today.

“She knew I’d be debuting in Boston, and so I was just thinking about everyone out there that has lost loved ones as well, and that really lifted me up and empowered me through it,” Hasay added.

Unable to keep up with Hasay’s pace, Linden finished fourth in 2:25:06. An experienced Boston marathoner, the two-time Olympian has placed second, ninth and fourth in 2011, 2014 and 2015 respectively at Boston. In 2011, Linden narrowly missed the victory by 2 seconds and has ever since been chasing a Boston victory.

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Meb’s Top Tips for Optimal Performance

Meb’s top tips for optimal performance:

Wear CEP compression socks for maximum efficiency during a workout, without compromising comfort
Training at altitude can help your blood and muscles to use oxygen more efficiently
Core strengthening should be an important part of any athlete’s training regimen

To see more tips from Meb, click here

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A Video Tour of Tracksmith’s New Retail Space In Boston

Tracksmith’s first retail store, The Trackhouse, opened on Thursday, April 13, just days before the 2017 Boston Marathon. In previous years, the local running brand has set up a temporary pop-up store at the 285 Newbury Street location during Boston Marathon weekend. Now, the store will be making the address, only a few blocks from the Boylston finish line, its permanent home, and has expanded to an upstairs area that has been hosting events during marathon weekend, and will convert into the brand’s new office digs after Marathon Monday. We met with Tracksmith founder and CEO, Matt Taylor, who gave us a tour of the store, including a look at their special 2017 Boston Marathon apparel on display and the re-creation of the historic Eliot Lounge.

RELATED: Tracksmith To Open First Retail Store Near Boston Marathon Finish

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Blake Russell Looking To Finish Top 10 In Her Return To Boston

Blake Russell placed third in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, which took place in Boston. Photo: Photorun.net

Although she was born and raised in the South, and now lives in California, Blake Russell is a converted New Englander—thanks to post-collegiate years spent living there with her husband Jon, a Massachusetts native. She still roots for the Red Sox and Patriots and on trips back to the area to visit her husband’s family one of her

first stops is at the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts.

It’s small wonder Russell holds a special place for Boston; perhaps the best race of her life occurred there in 2008 when she made the Olympic marathon squad by placing third on the criterium course along the Charles River and through Back Bay, erasing the heartbreak of finishing an agonizing single spot off the team four years before in St. Louis.

But in her one run over the traditional Boston Marathon course from Hopkinton to Boylston Street in 2011, Russell didn’t fare as well, dropping out just before 17 miles. “I kind of went into that race a little sick, with some bronchitis, and by that point I could barely breathe,” she recalled.

RELATED: The Expert’s On-The-Course Guide To Spectating The Boston Marathon

So Monday will be an opportunity to conclude some unfinished business, although one Russell wouldn’t have expected a year ago.

“I raced Bloomsday then had [sports hernia] surgery, and in the fall I started coming back from that,” she said. “I was just having fun running, started feeling good, and the long term plan was to run Cal International, since it was later in the year and relatively close.

“Then in the middle of a run around Christmastime I got Boston in my head, and by the end of the run I was really excited to do it. So I called Sev [longtime coach Bob Sevene] and asked him if he thought it could be done. He said yes, and so I slowly built up my mileage until I was in the high 80s, sometimes 90s. I ran my first marathon off that and did 2:30, so it’s not necessary to do high mileage.”

Although Russell, now 41, entered the masters ranks two summers ago, “I am ignoring that part, but I’ll take it,” she said. “I think I can be competitive, in the top 10. I think there’s going to be pack running 2:30-2:32, hopefully I can just tuck in with them; I don’t want to get pulled out too fast.”

RELATED: The Top 23 Elite Athletes To Watch In The 2017 Boston Marathon

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