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February 26, 2006
three weeks out
The marathon is three weeks away and I'm not really nervous yet, what gives? In fact, I haven't really been thinking about it yet. Usually by this point I'd have all the local Norfolk and Virginia Beach TV, print, and radio sites bookmarked so that I could compare weather forecasts, but I had to remind myself even to check weatherunderground.com yesterday.
This week was something like 77 miles, something of a cutback after the Big Week the week before. It took a few days before my legs felt normal but I'm happy to say they did get normal and stay that way. Yesterday I ran a 15K in 1:02:22, which was a little PR. It was a little warm, and windy both out and back, but I still think I could have done better if I'd pushed myself harder. I don't know whether my reluctance to push is from fear of pain or from fear of looking (or being) out of control: redfaced, wildeyed, unpretty and ungraceful, mouth open, sweat flying from hair and body, drooling wheezing heaving puking (or worse) in front of a bunch of people, and worst of all still slow. I think there's probably a little of both in there, but I sure wish I could just get over it. Bob Glover's Competitve Runner's Handbook has this chart where you can look up a race time and see where you're supposed to be for all distances. With two exceptions - yesterday's 15K, and of course the marathon - I still occupy the same line on that chart I did in November, and my race times line up like obedient sheep. I've been running a bunch since November, and I want to get off that line and onto another line further up the chart.
This week will be another Big Week (97 miles) and the last with any significant mileage before the marathon. I'm planning on a tempo run Tuesday and some MP later in the week. Friday I was offered a job for a little less money, but with no on-call and only prearranged and prescheduled overtime, and I think I'm going to take it. The lighter work weeks won't have any effect on this marathon training; my boss is on vacation the next two weeks so I won't be able to give notice until the week of the race. But maybe I can train for the next marathon without a single 7-day week or overnight shift, whoohoo. Like normal people.
Posted by joe positive at February 26, 2006 9:12 AM
Comments
Congratulations both on the PR and the job offer -- both seem like signs of even better days to come!
It's great news that you're not nervous or obsessing over this marathon, I think. Some people do well with the obsessing, but think of all of the other more interesting places you could channel that energy... Though I know we often don't have a choice about such things.
If you're worried about how you look when you race, you should race me sometime. When you run a good time, there isn't an asterix next to it saying, "but she looked terrible!" So if it takes looking terrible to get across the line faster, I'm there. I have race photos I could present as evidence. Do you think things like this hold men back?
Good luck with your 97 mile week!! I didn't realize your marathon was so soon. I am so used to certain people always putting in the hard training that I sometimes forget that their big race day will eventually come...like all of those people training for Boston around here are eventually going to run it.
Posted by: Alison at February 26, 2006 12:45 PM