Baystate marathon 2011

Finally got around to writing about this one. Really pleased with the work that I did going into this. No real hiccups. 4x20mile long runs, a 10 mile, 7 mile, 18.5 mile, and 13.1 race leading up to it. So I would say this time around I was plenty prepared. My last two weeks were not the best, I never felt like I was getting stronger during the taper, just holding on. I had some wierd stomach things going on during those two weeks-wierd pains and gas stuff, but nothing too severe, just enough to make me worry. In retrospect I think that the 1/2 Marathon all out two weeks before was too much. I should have geared towards a 10 miler or 10k instead. I was really beat after that race and it topped off about 6 really big weeks of running. Lesson learned there, hard to tell going into it, but I knew by 4 days after the race when I was still sore that it probably wasn't the best idea. But still my marathon result was all within 4 minutes or so of a bunch of predictors (i.e McMillan, Daniels etc). As far as the marathon goes,it was a perfect day dry and mid 50's (probably a bit warm), the Baystate course is plenty flat and I really grooved in a good rhythm. My big fade happened at mile 23 (about the same length time wise as all my long runs, coincidence?) I was 6:57 pace through 10, 6:57 pace through 13.1, 7:02 pace through 20, and the wheels came off the cart at mile 23. Just lead legged for the last 3.2 miles (almost a death march). Felt like I was gonna pass out after finishing and then like I was gonna throw up when I felt the chaffe in my inner legs (third degree burn style). But other wise held it together. Good enough for 70th place overall and a Boston Qualifying time. Given my first 23 miles I definately feel like a sub 3:05 is possble. Splits below:
1-7:14
2-6:54
3-6:47
4-7:01
5-7:12
6-6:47
7-6:48
8-6:53
9-6:49
10-6:55
11-7:00
12-7:01
13-7:01
----1/2 1:31:14/6:57pace
15-7:02
16-7:09
17-7:07
18-?-----------30k-2:11:11/7:02pace
19-?
20-7:17 -----2:20:51/7:02pace
21-7:17
22-7:20
23-7:33
24-7:39
25-7:52
26.2-9:33:08/7:57
Total: 3:08:16/7:12 pace
First Half: 1:31:39/6:57pace
Second Half: 1:36:38/7:22pace
Last 6.2: 47:16/7:37pace