The Boston Marathon is the oldest 26.2 mile event in the world and on Sunday three Cayman-based runners take on the epic challenge.
It is so popular, that in order to compete, you must have run a previous marathon in a time that meets the qualifying standard for your age and gender.
The history and the fact that you have to qualify are two of the reasons that Boston is one of the world’s big five marathons along with New York, Chicago, London and Berlin. At least 20,000 will be competing.
The course is point-to-point, meaning it starts out in the town of Hopkinton and ends in downtown Boston. The intrepid runners are Beth Schreader, whose qualifying standard for her age and gender is 3 hours 40 minutes. Her qualifying time is 3:15:46, which she ran last year in Vancouver. That time placed her 12th out of 1,300 women. Very respectable.
Cayman’s Mike Ridsdale, last year’s DHL Duathlon winner is competing too. His qualifying standard is 3:15. He qualified with a 3:08:02 in the 2006 Chicago marathon. Ridsdale was also the second placed male in the 2006 Cayman Marathon.
Tennis coach Eduardo Torres makes up the trio. He has the same qualifying standard as Ridsdale. Torres qualified with a 3:06:23 in last year’s Cayman marathon, where he placed second.
Schreader is one of the island’s fastest women runners. ‘My training has gone very well,’ she said. ‘I kicked off my official training at the Cayman marathon in December. Russell Coleman and I ran a disappointing Chicago marathon in October, due to record high temperatures.
‘It was already 86 degrees with 90 per cent humidity at the 8am start time. After that, until the beginning of December, I just did easy running to recover and keep my fitness up. I ran the Cayman half-marathon as my first long run of my Boston training cycle.’
In case you hadn’t realised, she takes her sport exceptionally serious. Here’s a breakdown of her training routine. Stop here if you’re faint-hearted:
‘I ran 50 miles a week during December, 60 miles a week during January, and worked up progressively from 60 to 80 miles during March. The Duathlon ended off my last week of high mileage and hard training.
‘That was exactly three weeks out from marathon day, which is the length of the marathon taper. I cut down from 80 miles to 55, followed by 42 the next week. This week I’ll only run 26 miles.’
For Schreader, from the end of January onward, each training week has consisted of the following:
One speed workout (intervals from 400m to 1600m). One hill workout (on the treadmills at World Gym since there aren’t any hills in Cayman).
One tempo workout (as part of a medium distance run of 10-15 miles). One long run (between 16-22 miles). Numerous easy/recovery runs in between the hard workouts. One rest day or cross training day.
Schreader also trained with some of the island’s top male runners. ‘I met up with Scott (Brittain), Marius (Acker) and Russ for a few speed workouts.
‘They’re significantly faster than me but they push me to not lag behind too much. They are also very encouraging and supportive and have given me great advice.
‘I am fortunate to have them as friends and to be able to train with them. Well, more like train at the same time as them and try to keep them in my sights!
‘I have been pretty much injury free this training cycle. With a few days to go, I hope I stay that way!
‘My right hip flexor has flared up a bit right now, but nothing too serious. I’ve been stretching it out and doing physical therapy exercises to ensure a minor aggravation doesn’t turn into a full blown injury.’
She is confident of setting a personal best time. ‘I’m feeling strong and I hope to break my previous PR of 3:15:43.
‘My training has been solid but a lot can happen on race day. Since the course is point-to-point, the direction of the wind can have a big impact. Also, the weather in Boston at this time of year is unpredictable. Last year it was in the 20s with rain and headwind.
‘A few years earlier it was in the 80s. So, there is a lot beyond my control. I will also have to run a smart race.
‘The course is an overall net downhill course, however, the majority of the downhill portion is in the first half of the race, specifically the first few miles.
‘It is very easy to go out too fast and destroy your quads for the latter half of the race.’
The major hill section is between miles 16 and 21 the Newton hills. The most famous hill is the last one, aka ‘Heartbreak Hill’. It has humbled a lot of runners.
‘I hoping to be able to hold back enough in the first half so that I have enough energy to make it through the Newton hills,’ Schreader said. ‘Overall, I will try to do my best and if I can’t beat my time, I hope I’m able to run under 3:40 so I can go back next year and try again.’
The US Women’s Olympic marathon trials are taking place in Boston the day before the marathon. Schreader will be an excited onlooker. ‘It will be a great source of inspiration. I don’t think I can run 1 mile at the pace those women run for 26.2!
‘I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to watch some of the elite athletes run in person, especially Joan Benoit Samuelson. She won the women’s Olympic marathon in 1984, which was the first year that the marathon was an Olympic event.
‘She also held the US women’s marathon record for 18 years. She’s 50 now has still qualified for the trials in an impressive time of 2:46:27.
‘I’m also looking forward to watching Deena Kastor run. She is the current US women’s marathon record holder (2:19:36) and was a bronze medalist in Athens at the 2004 Olympics. She is definitely the favorite to take first place in the trials.’
Training 60-80 miles a week takes up a significant amount of time and involves some sacrifices. Luckily for Schreader, she has an understanding boyfriend who doesn’t mind when she wants to go to bed at 9pm because she’s getting up at 4am to train.
‘He’s been a great support and even jumped into the Chicago marathon from the sidewalk where he was cheering me on to run the last four miles with me to keep me going!’
Schreader is a manager at KPMG in the Advisory practice. The partners of KPMG have been very supportive of her running and KPMG is even sponsoring her trip.
‘It’s very motivating to know that my personal goals outside of the office are acknowledged and appreciated. It really demonstrates the firm’s commitment to helping individuals achieve the work/life balance they desire.’
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