#1384 — 10 Hours Until Go Time

Tomorrow I am running the Hartford Marathon.

I am not a fast runner, but this is my sixth marathon and the second time I’ve done the Hartford Marathon.

The first time I was as prepared as I’ve ever been, but I ran way too fast in the first half and was in the most physical pain I’ve ever been in from mile 20 to 26, and I didn’t know if I’d even get across the finish line.

But I did, in 4:44.28. That’s a 10:52/mile average.

I averaged 10:00/mile for the first 13 miles, and 13:30/mile for the last six miles. There was a lot of walking in those last six miles.

Thank God my mom came with me that day. I could barely walk back to the car. I live about an hour from Hartford. My mom drove home. I passed out when I sat down in the car and came to as we pulled into the driveway. I hobbled into my bedroom, collapsed on the bed, and slept for the next 16 hours.

I was totally depleted.

So I registered for tomorrow’s race back in April or May because I wanted redemption. I was going to train my ass off and run this race intelligently and break 4:30 for the first time ever AND be able to function afterward.

But I did not train the way I needed to.

In fact, I’ve really only trained in the last seven weeks.

Which is not ideal.

I am also twenty pounds heavier than I was the last time I ran a marathon.

So tomorrow is not going to be the race I was hoping for when I registered six months ago.

Not if I measure success by my time.

But that’s not what tomorrow is about anymore.

Tomorrow is about proving to myself that I can do stuff that people have told me I shouldn’t or I CAN’T do.

I want to prove them wrong.

And I want to remind myself that I’m a bad ass.

I want to have this stored away for the times that life tests me.

I can pass this test tomorrow.

And that will help me pass more tests down the road.

Number 4 asked me why I was still running the race if I knew I wasn’t going to get a best time.

I told her I was going to have five hours of me time tomorrow. Five hours of challenging my body.  Five hours of toughening up my brain. Five hours of doing something healthy for myself with thousands of other people who are also challenging their bodies and their brains.

It is a pretty cool thing to be a part of.

So that is why I’m doing it.

I do have some goals.

I always have goals when I do a marathon.

I always have goals when I do anything, really.

Anyway, my easily achievable goal is to finish.

I know I can do that.

My challenge goal is to break a 4:50. That would mean holding and 11 minute mile which might be pretty tough for me right now. But I’ll give it a shot depending on how I feel.

And my shoot-for-the-moon goal is to do a best time. My best marathon time is a 4:37.

If I run a super smart race, and I’m feeling really awesome, I might be able to do it. That would mean holding a 10:30/mile pace.

That would majorly be shooting for the moon.

Really, I just want to enjoy the day and feel awesome about the fact that a couple days ago I had decided that I wasn’t going to do it. I told myself that quitting was an option.

It’s not.

And I’m glad I stuck it out, because I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. Even if there is a chance of rain.

Which there is.

If you want to follow along with me, I am bib #1384.

You can get text alerts of my progress if you are interested by going here :

The race starts at 8 a.m. and I hope to be finished before 1 p.m.

And hopefully I’ll be checking in with you all shortly after that.

Now I’m off to bed.

Oh, and my mom reminded me today that when I did this race four years ago, I only got about 2 hours of sleep the night before.

I have no recollection of that, of why that was the case, but I guess that’s what moms are for.

Anyway, my stuff is packed up and I’m organized and I’m feeling no stress. Just some nervous anticipation.

Now I’m off to bed, and with more than six hours until I have to wake up, I’m getting three times the amount of sleep I got the last time.

So I’m off to a pretty good start already.

Stay tuned!

 

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