Boston Tips, Fueling, & Results

If you're looking for the cliff notes of Boston tips, here I share a few quick ones to review. There are a great amount of videos, race reports, and in depth race weekend articles. Over the 15 years I've participated in Boston, I have researched several resources as they arise each year. Here I share a brief notes section as I wanted to be a little more strategic again in my approach to race the Boston course this year. My strategy wasn't absolutely perfect this year with a 4-minute negative split. Ideally, it should be 1-2 minute positive split. This means I left a little on the course in the first half. However, my body also is not in its peak form as I have been struggling with recovery and injury since my Kilimanjaro Project and racing LAM too soon afterwards. Therefore, I wanted to review how I was going to strategically approach this course given my body's limitations and injured state. I would never recommend starting a race injured; however, Boston sometimes makes us do things we probably shouldn't. I will be adding to this list in coming years. Thank you for reading and if you find it helpful, please share it with a friend. I'm grateful to share my experiences. I am grateful to be able to run another year for my Papa Dog and my Max in the sky. 

Course:
Hydration starts mile 2 for every mile.

Water and electrolytes provided at every aid station.
Aid staggered both sides of street: first right then left.

Pinch cup, drink, pour over head, don't stop/walk in front of aid.

Mile markers, 5K timing clocks + K markers.

Maurten fueling stations miles: 11.8, 17, 21.5.

Non-caf and caf at each one.

Loss 1275’, gain 815’, net 460’.

First 0.6 has 139’ loss.

600 m finish stretch on Boylston.

Newton Hill grades: 2%, 4%, 2%, 4%.

Newton Hill length: 0.7, 0.4, 0.6, 0.5.

Most well executed is even or 1-2 minute positive splits.

Marked with blue line to mark the measured 26.2 distance.

Hug all the corners efficiently to run the tangents.

Course Segments:

Mile 0-4: sharpest downhill, stay conservative 

Mile 5-10: steady, cruise it 

Mile 16-21: main hills, manage it 

Mile 22-26: full send 

Towns:

Hopkinton 

Ashland

Framingham

Natick 

Wellesley

Newton

Brookline

Boston

Last Checklist:

Pack throwaway clothes for athlete's village.

Include throwaway gloves + buff if colder start.

Pack extra nutrition for the wait in athlete's village.

Pack mylar to sit on in athlete's village.

Take bottle with you to corrals to sip. 

First hydration aid isn’t until mile 2.

Walk to corrals from athlete's village is 0.7 mile.

Last portable restrooms and urinals right before corrals.

Put name on bib if you want to be called out.

Put protein in your gear check bag for after. Takes awhile to exit finish area. 

Take Boylston left turn wide for best race pics. 

2025 Weather start/finish: 52/62°, 36/26% RH

My 2025 Boston Fueling:

5:30am wake up - 1 bottle Electrolit

6:30am - 1 Maurten solid 

8am shuttle - 1 banana with PB + 1 bottle Electrolit

9am athlete's village - 1 Maurten solid 

9:30am to corrals - pickle juice, Vital4u, 1 Maurten gel 160

Mile 3 gel 100

Mile 6 gel 100 

Mile 10 gel 100 CAF

Mile 13 gel 100 

Mile 16 gel 100 CAF

Mile 19 gel 100 CAF

Mile 21 gel 100 CAF

2 cups every aid station/every mile: 1 electrolytes, 1 cup over head 

25g RNWY protein 1hr after finish + 25g RNWY protein 2hrs after finish (includes 10g creatine)

Total 1900 Calories

My 15 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬:

2010 3:28:32    (7:58) 40°/51°

2011 3:33:36     (8:08) 44°/53°

2012 3:32:30     (8:07) 71°/93° *record heat

2013 3:21:17     (7:40) 40°/55°💙

2014 3:29:46     (8:01) 40°

2015 3:25:30     (7:51) 43°🌧

2016 3:35:42     (8:14) 65°/72°

2018 3:44:07     (8:33) 38°🌧💨*record cold 

2019 3:30:51     (8:00) 55°/65°, 75% RH 🌧 

2020 4:05:14     (virtual) *with Max

2021 3:38:42     (8:09) 59°/70°, 91% RH 🐶 

2022 3:27:43     (7:55) 44°/48°, 55% RH 

2023 4:42:35     (10:47) *pacing dad

2024 3:28:51     (7:58) 58°/70°, 86% RH

2025 3:25:57     (7:52) 52°/62°, 45% RH

Thank you for reading and your support throughout this journey! See you at Boston 2026.

Maurten Q&A | Race Routines

1. What is your morning routine on the day of the race? 

My morning routine the day of the race is to take deep breaths as soon as my alarm goes off and say my positive mantras: today is the day I will grind. I say good morning to my love and pups with some quick kisses and cuddles. I then get ready in my kit. While I get ready, I create the mental space to zone in on my goals for the day and visualize: today is the day I will grind. Next is my morning nutrition and hydration routine ensuring I intake my Maurten DrinkMix, electrolyes, and mini breakfast that may consist of bagel with PB and walnuts or a Maurten solid if I’m on the go. 

I do one last minute check that I have all my gear, nutrition, and hydration and aim to head out early to my race start. Once I arrive, I aim to keep my mind calm with my positive mantras, my deep breaths, and aim to focus somewhere quiet that I can find before it is GO time. With moments to go to the start, I run through my nutrition / hydration strategies and mental check again before I begin a mobility / warm-up routine. One last deep inhale / exhale and I’m off at the gun. 

 

2. What is one personal thing you always do before the race? 

I always give thanks for arriving to the start line of a race. There are many times when we are unsure if we are prepared, if we will make it to the start line healthy, or when life happens that may need to take priority. By starting with an attitude of gratitude, I am able to feel at peace for the moment and find joy and value in: yes, I am here and grateful that I get to do this. 

3. What is your routine before going to sleep the night before the race?  

I visualize. For me, every race is a gift and the outcome is never guaranteed. I often am told that: you will do great. I always appreciate the confidence; however, I also respect that anything can happen. Therefore, my goal is to aim to control the controllables and aim to navigate through the challenges that may arise. 

The night before my race, I aim to have my dinner early in a calm setting, which usually means takeout or home cooked. I have found if I dine out the night before a goal race, it adds distraction and nerves to my center. After dinner, I aim to watch an inspirational movie or clip to help refocus my energy into what I want to achieve at my race. I write in my journal, review my splits, and visualize the energy and reasons why I am doing this. I allow myself to fall asleep with those thoughts in my mind and when my alarm goes off in the morning, I say: today is the day.