Well, I survived it! :) My second marathon is now "under my belt." I feel like I can legitimately get one of those "26.2" stickers for my car and get my little "26.2" tattoo on my foot (uh, more on that later). HA! I feel like I am officially "a marathoner." Ok, so I know that not many people ever run a race....much less a marathon (speaking of which....I know I mentioned this last fall as well when I was training for Chicago, but when I've talked about the marathon this spring/summer as well...I've been asked about a gazillion times "So how long was this marathon?" etc. Uh....and I am NOT trying to be disrespectful here...but EVERY marathon is 26.2 miles! ;)). AND, of those that run a marathon, many run one just to say they ran one....and just leave it at ONE.
Well, unfortunately I've caught the bug and couldn't leave it with just one. And I can't leave it with just TWO, either :). I've already got my sights set on the Quad Cities Marathon at the end of September :).
I had a blast on Sunday. An absolute, absolute blast. I commented to more than one person...there is just something about pushing your body precisely to the brink of what you can handle that makes you feel so alive. It is the best high I've ever experienced (ok, that's not saying a whole lot...since I've definitely never done drugs ;))....and I am definitely addicted. I had to fight, fight, fight for much of that race. For any non-runners, that probably sounds super dramatic and strange...but it's exactly how I felt. I had to stay mentally TOUGHER than I ever had in my entire life. I had a few shadows/glimmers of doubts about myself and my training as I carried on through that beast of a race....but for the most part, I was confident that I would finish. Quitting wasn't a real option for me.
The mental games I had to play with myself were many and varied....there was the basic runner's game of just thinking about the race in little chunks of a few miles. There was the predictable game of "ok, I will slow my pace for 30 seconds on my watch, and then I will catch back up to runner X wearing X ahead of me." There was the "I need to pass more people than pass me."
I started with the 3:40 pace group (8:24 min/mile pace), which was, quite frankly, not a good decision. I stayed with that group for 8 miles....and then knew I had to scale back my pace significantly or I wouldn't be able to finish. The temperature was hotter than I had expected (but it really was a beautiful day)...and the course was exponentially more difficult and hillier than anything I had ever experienced before in my life. Seriously.
So....I came to terms with the fact that 3:40 was not to be, but perhaps I could get 3:50. Soon, it was obvious that I just couldn't do that either....my finish time ended up being 4 hours, 4 minutes, and 7 seconds. This was NOT what I was hoping for, not what I thought my training had made me capable of getting....but really, in the grand scheme, a decent time. I got 17th out of my division of 116 female runners ages 25-29. Nothing to be ashamed of. I have to keep reminding myself of that...because I really really really wish I had done better :). It was 3 minutes and 3 seconds slower than my time in Chicago in October...so not even a PR.
*Sigh...*
But did I mention how hilly that darn course was?! ;)
A good portion of the course was through an old military base...which was FREAKING HILLY! It was also muddy...parts of the course through the base/fort were unpaved and quite muddy from all of the rain lately. My wussy self was paranoid about rolling an ankle, so I slowed down significantly through the mud.
While I was running, my mind was filled with the many things that I was "running for"...my brother Dan who is at Quantico right now for Marine Officer Candidacy School training, my family who has done so much for me, my wonderful hubby (who unfortunately wasn't able to come, due to being sick and due to his work schedule), my Easter Seals kiddos...all of the awesome, awesome people I am so blessed to know.
Ok, again, if you are a non-runner, it sounds totally lame to read that I am sure....that I am "running for" things :). Maybe I'll elaborate later.
***********************************************
So, I've tried to keep my blogs separate...my "general life/contemplations/ranting" blog, my "gluten free" blog, and my "marathon training" blog (which would be this one)....ok, I recognize that it is somewhat lame to blog at all, much less have more than one blog ;). BUT, I do enjoy writing...I find it relaxing/therapeutic for me (I can't use running for de-stressing ALL of the time! ;)) and, if you know me, you know I definitely have some OCD tendencies ;), which would necessitate the need for organization in all aspects of my life, including my blogging. Ha!
SO, anyway, I'd been writing about some of my emotions regarding the most recent marathon training on my general blog...like HERE: "Four More Sleeps"
So, some lovely Anonymous poster has started responding to my running posts with some really nice, useful-sounding advice.....I responded to him with this post: Dear Mr. (Mrs.?) Anonymous, as well as this post: Here's Your Sign
I have no idea who this person is....much less why they feel the need to offer me advice (which, as I said, appears to be helpful :))...but it has given me some good running-related things to think about.
*************************************
So, as of 11:04 this morning, it has officially been ONE WEEK since I've run a single step (ok, I probably ran up the stairs at work a few times ;)).....and I am going on a run this afternoon! Not sure yet how that is going to go or how long I will go for (it's hot!), but I am going! I am going to run some errands and then get out there.............uh........as soon as I typed that it started down pouring! HAHA! Maybe I'll go run on the track at the gym. According to Mr. Anonymous, treadmill running is not a good plan.
Speaking of which...I am somewhat self conscious about getting out there and running again. Whomever Mr. Anon is, he has seen me run...and apparently my stride leaves something to be desired. Uh oh. Makes me feel kinda like a big dorky loser out there running with all of the "real" runners!
Oh well.
Just means I have work to do, I guess!! :)
Have a wonderful day!
Rachel
No comments:
Post a Comment