Hello, fellow marathoners!
Can you believe twelve weeks down and only six to go? The weeks seem to be flying by. October 7 will be here before we know it. I’m too excited at the moment to get scared. Hopefully, the excitement will remain stronger than any apprehension that may come closer to race day.
My training this week was awesome. I was able to complete my planned mileage. It was a high-mileage week – my first one ever over 40 – and included a 23-mile long run. Although disappointing, giving up speed work has been the best thing for my hip pain. My new running form continues to improve and is becoming more comfortable and natural.
On Tuesday I met at 5:30 a.m. with my PR Training group and ran an easy seven while they did their speed work. In true team spirit we encouraged each other along. On Wednesday, I ran over my lunch hour. I tried to push myself and ran 2.4 miles at a 9:11 pace, which I was very pleased with given the heat. However, when I stopped at a park drinking fountain, the effects of the heat caught up with me, and I had to sit for a couple of minutes to get my wits about me again. I finished the mileage running about a minute/mile slower and walked for some of it. On Thursday, my run was in the cool of the early morning. Now that the sun is rising later, I’m finding myself grateful for everyone who leaves a yard light on to light my path.
On Saturday I started my long run at 5:30 a.m. without any set expectations. I planned a 23-mile out-and-back course, and every so often I evaluated my form and hip pain to see if I needed to turn around and cut it short. But at each mile my hip pain was minimal or non-existent, and my form and pace remained relatively consistent. In fact, I ran the second half only a few seconds slower than the first half. I ran for 4 hours and 6 minutes only stopping briefly at the halfway point to refill my water bottles. I still had some life left in me, so I know I can go the full 26.2.
At mile 15 I was excited that I might finally have a long run where nothing weird happened. I narrowly missed stepping on a frog and ran in a light rain for about two miles, but none of that seemed momentous enough to write about. But at mile 16, when I looked down to get a gel out of my Fuel Belt pouch, I saw it and it startled me. There was foam running down the inside of my legs. My first thought was that my legs had rabies. But then, I quickly realized that didn’t make any sense. After much head-scratching I finally came up with a logical possibility. The agitation of running combined with the light rain, which had soaked my running shorts, had worked a little residual laundry detergent in my shorts into a nice lather. It’s the same phenomenon that causes the foam in hot tubs.Phew, I felt better … that was until mile 19 when I looked down and saw two red streaks running down from “gunshot wounds” on either side of my chest. The capillary action in my bright yellow, rain-soaked shirt had turned a minor case of double jogger’s nipples into a case for the FBI. This happened to me once before so I wasn’t worried. But it really freaked my kids out when I got home. “Dad, you’ve been shot!” I guess I’ll invest in some Body Glide; it’s cheaper than therapy.
Sunday, my family and I went to an amusement park and spent the day walking and riding roller coasters and other stomach-churning rides. I was encouraged that my legs didn’t ache at all. Actually, I felt worse after I rode the Tilt-A-Whirl twice than I did after running 23 miles.
The week coming up is a step-back week, which I’m looking forward to. My long run is only a half-marathon. I have to pinch myself as I type that … when I started running only eight months ago I never would have dreamed that running a half-marathon would be considered “step-back!” :-)
Six weeks to go means only three more intense training weeks before tapering. Now is the time to focus in on making the most of every remaining training day. May your remaining training days be awesome!
One step at a time,
Dave
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