I used a training program entitled “To Finish” and whaddayaknow? I finished. 5 hours, 22 minutes. A 12:30 mile pace.
The first half happened as I expected. A 10:30/11:00 mile pace was easy to keep up. Then I hit mile 15 and the left brain took over. “QUIT RUNNING!” it screamed.
So I switched from nine minutes of running/one minute of walking to eight minutes running/two minutes walking. Then I walked an entire mile… Went back to the 8 and 2. Walked another mile. Finally hit mile 24 and ran the rest of the way in. The last mile point 2 felt like the longest distance I’ve ever run.
The sorest parts of my body were the back of my calves. Sunburned like you would not believe!
I’m glad I did it and I will do another; I’m signed up for the Twin Cities marathon.
My dad’s buddy once met the famous marathoner, Dick Beardsly. He told Beardsly that he had run in the Boston Marathon at the same time he did. When Beardsly asked him how he did, MDB sheepishly said “5 and a half hours”. Beardsly looked him straight and the eye and said “that is AWESOME. There is no way I could ever run for that long.”
Good work Gazelle. Heck I woulda ran it, I just wanted to avoid that road construction north of Hinkley. Er, no, ummm, I had to do my hair. Er, no, ummmm, I had to finishing eating my spaghetti. Er, no, ummm, I twisted my ankle. Yyyyeahhh, that’s it. I twisted my ankle. If I hadn’t, I probably would have gone, and won!.
It’s a feeling of tiredness unlike I’ve ever felt before.
I’d imagine 12 hours of labor might make a new mom feel a similar exhaustion. (although the pain of a marathon, while it can be bad, probably doesn’t compare to childbirth!)
I’ve just gotten a vacation request approved for January. I’m going to sign up for the Rock & Roll marathon in Arizona.
Sorry to disagree with you, but I’ve been called an ass twice so far just today - unless I’m some kind of a wild mutant sweet ass…
Yesterday eve I ran a 2.25 cross country race as a warm-up for my 4-miler next week. (A local group puts them on every Tuesday night - .75m laps around a park near my house.) I was going to do a warm-up lap or 2. A woman around my age - mid 40s - comes up and asks if I wanted to warmup together.
A lap or so later I find out that this innocent looking suburban mom is a freaking athlete. Qualified for Boston and all that. Long story short, her 2 warmup laps were probably faster than my intended pace for the upcoming 3-lap race. Then, when the race started - MAN did those men and women take off fast. Couldn’t get my breathing and stride rhythm going and almost started panicking.
Glad I got those mistakes out of the way before the race I care about next week.
I actually remembered today that you wanted to run the Marathon on the 21st but since I’m datically challenged (or whatever you might call it) I had no idea that day had actually passed
I have no idea whether I’m going to make my own half-marathon or not, I’ve been sick the whole week and had to skip running…
Anyway, good on you and may all your marathons in the future progress smoothly.
You go scoutybaby! Rock ‘n’ Roll in Arizona sounds fun; I got an advert in my Grandma’s goodie bag.
Y’all remember me getting all excited about meeting Bill Rodgers last year? Well, the same half marathon is featuring Alberto Salazar this year! Sweet! We’re going. Dick Beardsley’s Half Marathon is on September 6 in Detroit Lakes, MN.
Dinsdale, you’re sweet. I know because you can admit that a woman whooped you on a training run.
Thanks Einmon! It was great and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes to run. I hope you feel better in time for your half. You can doooo eeeeeeeet!
Scylla schveetie! Thanks for the congrats. I’ve definitely got the bug, but had it before I even ran Grandma’s. Signed up for the Twin Cities Marathon. Word!
Oooh! scouty! A very interesting coincidence occurred last week. I weighed in at Weight Watchers and my total weight loss for the week I ran my first marathon was…
