Two weeks ago, I ran my 10th and slowest marathon to date.
I had a new running partner and friend by my side for the entire 20 weeks of training. Things didn’t go as well as either of us would have liked but, we stayed focused.
My goal going into this training cycle was to get close to my marathon personal record (PR) time or better yet, set a new PR.
I ran easy. I ran fast. I ran long.
I foam rolled. I strength trained. I stretched.
I went to physical therapy. I rested. I trained my brain.
I foam rolled some more.
On paper I did everything right during this training cycle.
My outlook on this race changed a week and a half before the race. After putting so much time, thought and heart into training, suddenly the Philly Marathon just didn’t seem so important. The week before the race, I adjusted my goal to something really simple – to run a negative split without any sort of time goal.
It’s possible things went south weeks before this though. After only missing two training runs in the first 17 weeks of training I had to take a dramatic taper. Instead of being confident in my abilities, I was just hoping to be able to make it to the start line without an injury. At this point I was struggling to get my mental act together.
After cheering on everyone who ran the New York City Marathon, I found peace with where I was and how I thought things would go down in Philly. I was excited to run. I was excited about my new goal.
Obviously, things did not go my way in Philly and I’m okay with it. I’m still processing the experience, but I know there are more lessons to be learned.
Running has already taught me that I can do hard things like run the last 12 miles of a marathon on a sprained ankle in order to qualify for the Boston Marathon (read that story here). When I was a kid it showed me that I could feel good about myself and brought me hope when I felt hopeless.
Why I run and what I get from running happens in the day to day. Occasionally that occurs on a single day – race day, but those single days of glory were the result of hundreds and thousands of runs added up over time.
Race day was not a good day, but all of a sudden I don’t care anymore. I’m grateful for the experiences that led me to that day and I’m grateful for the unpredictability of what life throws at me.
As someone once said, “The miles change you.”
I love this perspective! I spend a lot of time writing about the mindset behind running, as it is often so much more meaningful than one race or one physical goal. So much of my reasons for running are unrelated to my physical performance and more so about my love for the spot and continued pursuit of it. Not being tied to a single physical goal is so helpful in making the sport meaningful.
Diana
http://betterthanalive.com
Diana Fitts recently posted…The Best Cookbooks for Runners
Thank you and I agree!
It’s refreshing to read such a mature race recap! Loved your attitude about it!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing. I agree that miles change you. After 11 unsuccessful attempts to BQ, I went into the Philly Marathon with positive attitude. I was determined to try my best and be grateful for every mile. Much to my surprise, I finally BQd. It’s been a long road to achieve my goal and I’m grateful that I appreciated each mile it took to get me there. – @MalindaAnnHill
@TwinsRun recently posted…2016 Philadelphia Marathon, Half Marathon & Rothman 8K Race Recaps