Base training? Check.Running intervals? Check.
Hills? Check.
Injury? Check. (A definitive check.)
20 mile long run under your belt? Check.
Speed? Not on your life.
So I've been training for this marathon and as far as marathon training goes, I have no complaints. Actually, I have no reference for how it is "supposed" to go. I can only do what I can and on the advice of coaches and real endurance athletes that have gone before me.
What I can say given all that I've done or tried to do is that I'm slow.
Slow like molasses. Slow as in I'm hoping to be sub-6 hours at this point. Well, maybe not that slow, but still. My grandiose visions of coming in 4 hours or 4:30 are long gone. Now I'm just hoping to finish before everything closes.
Unfortunately, there really isn't time left for me to improve this. I have the endurance to finish the 26.2 miles. That I'm sure of. It's just the speed. This slow going is not what I envisioned. Not that I planned on having Kenyan like speed and agility. I mean, I weigh over 200 pounds for god's sake. But running slowly drains you mentally. You want to finish your goal (time, distance or what have you) sooner to get it over with and accomplish it. When you run slow to keep your heart rate and pace manageable so that you CAN finish, but it slows you down, you're only prolonging that finish line.
But I guess it's about finishing that matters. Nobody gives a rat's about my time. I will have completed this marathon on June 27th and will have the proof to say so and can tell my kids and anyone who asks, "yes, I've run a marathon before." And it's true what they say about running a marathon. You can amaze yourself on what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it and take it one step at a time. I mean, I got up at 3:45 AM last Saturday. Met my group at 4:45, I was on the road at 5 AM and ran 16 miles for shits and gigs. Not bad. Not something everyone does or can do. I'm proud of that accomplishment and my new endurance abilities.
Now if it didn't take so long.
Maybe next time.
Hey, the PF Chang's Rock n Roll Phoenix Marathon is only 7 months away.
Going long!
