15-miler - down! 16 miler - down... it was hot, horrible, and slow, but I did it! 18 miler - down - totally redeemed myself from the 16 miler! 20 miler - down. It rained the last 8 or so miles. Apparently running 8 of 20 miles in soaking wet shoes in September is not nearly as much fun as 12 miles in July. Ya learn something new everyday.
I did the Chicago half marathon too... see? (By the way, that's me pretending to run, not winding up for a fist pump.)
As for the mid-week runs, they're annoying, but I do them. Well, most of them.
I had to do my first mid-week 9 miler in the suburbs, and I unknowingly dropped my license and debit card along the trail. I was kind of panicked because I was planning a road trip to Nashville the follwing weekend and really needed my license. Guess what? Some good Samaritan turned it into the local police! As my husband said, that's why you move to the suburbs! I'm not totally convinced yet, but it sure made a strong arugument.
Anyway, I'm past the peak of my training, and all I have to do is... keep running? Just not as much. Hmm... I'll take it!
It's not like somebody else can run a marathon for you. It's all you out there. Finishing means you can say, "There's not a lot I can't do." - Kenneth Feld, Owner of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
I really feel this way! I am really starting to believe that if I can conquer this marathon, there's not a lot I can't do (through Christ who strengthens me... and I've realized He doesn't need to strengthen me to sit around all night.)
Childbirth? Not scared! Mt. Everest? I could if I wanted to! Living debt-free? I'm on my way! 9-minute miles? ...Someday!
Leave it to a guy who manages a circus for a living to have some wise words about marathoning! Now get out there! 'Cause nobody else is going to do it for you!
But haven't I already been running my tail off, spending ALL my free time running, praying for sub-80 degree weather, moving around like a granny because I'm so sore, and generally getting sick of running all together the past month and half?
Yes.
And it's going to get harder?
Apparently!
You see, up to this point, our "long runs" have been between 5 and 10 miles, and our "middle-distance runs" have been between 3 and 5 miles. Sounds crazy enough for me and most other reasonable people. The problem is that the marathon is not a reasonable distance! Therefore, we have to run extremely unreasonable distances starting now and going strong until the beginning of OCTOBER!
From now on, the middle-distance runs are 6-10 (yes, TEN!) miles! On a TUESDAY! And the long runs are all double-digit miles (from 10 up to TWENTY! OMG!) until the week before the marathon, at which time the glorious-sounding period called "cutting back" begins! Ahhh, I feel peaceful just dreaming about it!
Friday, July 16, 2010
By the way, I just realized that I NEED this shirt:
When fast people run, they're probably focused on their pace or their form or their "splits" (which by the way, I still don't know exactly what those are or how they're calculated or why they matter, but anyway...)
When I run, I tend to focus on things like where the next water fountain is, or how my mom's doing, or what I'll cook for dinner, or I might replay a funny story in my head... basically just about ANYthing other than the fact that I'm already tired and I still have about 1 million more miles to go.
I'm afraid of letting my brain make the connection between me running and how nice it would be to not be sweaty and spending time away from other priorities. Too dangerous!
My most common discouraging thoughts: 1. Am I KILLING my knees? Will I still be able to walk in 20 years? In 2 years? Back to my apartment? What if they just FALL off?
2. WHAT?! I'm not even half way! JEEEEEEZUS!
3. My motivational self: "Okay! One more mile!" My running self: "Ugh, that's still really far! Can't we measure in seconds?"
4. I don't have tiiiiime for 5 miles today!!!
5. uuuuuugh. I shouldn't have eaten that.
6. It's fine if I just walk, right? Like, the whole rest of the way?
I need ways to ward off these thoughts, and one of my methods is to imagine how the song on my iPod will fit into my very dramatic and inspirational made-for-women's-television running movie based on my life.
I can't think hard enough to make a whole plot (that'll be the writer's job anyway) but the part where Virginia really starts training hard, but she's still struggling, but doing it anyway... that scene will show the actress who plays me (yet to be determined. Maybe on my next run!) running in all different points along the lake and in different seasons and weather conditions, and - most importantly- they'll play the new Kellie Pickler song:
(It'll be soft at first, and then get louder at the more relevant parts.)
"I've felt the power of forgiveness. I know that life can let you down.
I'm not blind. No, I don't need a witness to tell me there's angels all around ...
And there's dreams I told myself I'd keep!
Now I don't give up easy, I've got many miles to go, but I can't wait to get to what I see down this road.
And all my life I've learned to just take it day by day I'm not there yet, but I know I'm on my way!
I've looked out the window when there's no hope in sight, But I swear I heard a whisper; said it would be worth the fight!
So I woke up one morning, and I put my fears aside. Now look how far I've come; from the back of an endless line!
I still got lessons to be learned, there's a choice at every turn. Someone out there cleared a path, and there's no turning back!"
THEN, As Virginia finishes the marathon, it be all slow-motion during the last stretch and they'll play "My Hallelujah Song" by Julianne Hough:
(Please excuse the terrible music video in light of the lyrics.)
"Look at me, can't believe I finally made it here!
Feeling like I'm where I belong, singing my hallelujah song
Hard to find, took some time, But I think that I might be hittin' on what's been missing all along
Singing my hallelujah song
It's a highway sliding through a Sunday afternoon. It's a snapshot smiling like we ain't got nothing to lose!
It's the peace in knowing that love is gonna be gone someday,but you only get more when you give it away. ...
It's a sweet prayer knowing someone's up there hearing it. Divine punch lines take a little time but I'm getting it!
Life is more than just how many breaths you take But the moments that take your breath away.
Baby, take my breath away
... Hard to find, took some time But I never was by myself. There were angels helping me all along
I related well to this part, "I enjoy the fact that every time I start running down my driveway toward the road, I'm convinced that this time I CAN'T run five miles ... but always do."
But not so much to the "I couldn't run outside last summer due to the sometimes 15 (!) cars of paparazzi that would, like a funeral procession, follow me wherever I went..." part.
Just for the record though, I was into running before I ever knew she ran too. No one is that lame.
