Long... that's about the only word I have to describe it... today's run was crazy long. With this being the farthest I've ever run, I was pretty excited to see how it would feel... and pretty darn exhausted when it was done. And finishing with a per mille pace somewhere around 8:39, I'd say exhausted was about the only way I could expect to feel.
Today's weather was a little cooler starting out in the high 30s and probably ending up somewhere in the mid-40s by the time I finished. It was overcast with a little bit of a breeze... it was actually a great running day.
I needed a restroom break at mile 6 (something I'll need to work on before marathon day... maybe the half a pot of coffee an hour before running is the problem... hmmm... certainly something to consider), which worked out well since my route is a six mile loop, so I was back at home anyway. And, since I just can't seem to part with my watch, I noted that I'd been running at just under a 9:00 pace. I felt good, so I decided it was best not to question it. I really make an effort to run my long runs based on my comfort level and not my time. I've learned not to question my times since I'm obviously faster than I ever seem to give myself credit for. With 10 miles to go, I was feeling pretty confident.
I added an extra mile to my second loop so that, by the time I got back to my house I only had 3 miles left... I figured the fewer miles I had left when I got back to my house, the better chance I'd have to not throw in the towel early. And I was right... with only 3 miles to go, I wasn't even tempted to stop. As tired as I was, I knew what I really wanted was to finish all 16 miles and the thought of stopping early never crossed my mind.
It was at mile 13 that I took some time to consider where I would be on marathon day. It had nothing to do with my physical condition or what kind of time I might finish with. I simply considered the fact that, if this was marathon day, I'd be at the half way point with 13 miles still ahead of me. Of course, my first thought was that I was simply glad it wasn't marathon day... I didn't feel like I could handle another 13 miles. But, I also realized that the reason I wasn't ready for another 13 had a lot to do with the fact that I knew I only had 3 more to go. When I started my run, I knew I had 16 miles ahead of me and I counted down those miles as I went along. If I had been counting on a total of 26 the entire way, I would have been far better prepared for the idea of 13 left. In fact, reaching that point would likely be a little mental boost... knowing that every step meant fewer miles left ahead than miles already behind me. But jumping from the thought of 3 miles left to 13... that was more than I could really handle at that point. So I simply took the time to consider how I felt physically... I wasn't trying to psych myself out with the idea of 13 miles ahead... I just thought about how I was feeling at that moment so that I might know what to expect on marathon day. Sure, I was tired and sweaty and was starting to note muscle soreness and foot discomfort... but after considering all of these things, one very important thing occurred to me... I felt better at that 13 mile point than I ever thought possible before now. I felt strong and in control. I knew I could reach the finish without stopping. With 13 miles behind me, there was no question that I had more in me. This was an eye opening moment and one I needed more than I realized. I felt more confident at that moment than I've felt during all of my training so far. And with 7 weeks of training still ahead, I'm feeling very good about how far I've come, where I'm at now and, most importantly, how much more I can accomplish in the future.
When people ask me if I've set a goal for the marathon, I've always had the same answer... I just want to finish. I have no interest in qualifying for Boston (don't get me wrong, I wouldn't try not to... I'm just saying), I have no specific time in mind... I simply want to cross that finish line. And today I realized that, even if I'm crawling at the end, I absolutely plan to finish that race. After all, I've just run 16 miles... what's another 10?!? LOL... okay, okay... that's just a silly statement. But still...
No comments:
Post a Comment