When you wake up on any given day and lace up your running shoes, you never know what kind of day you’re going to be handed. Good runs come and go. So do bad ones. It’s the eb and flow of any runner’s life. You just hope and pray that the bad day doesn’t land on race day.
And when it happens on race day, after a nearly flawless training season disappointment is inevitable.
In retrospect the cards were stacked against me, but I couldn’t let go of what I had trained for. In the moment of running this race I was 100% okay with what was happening, but in the moments after the run I found myself wildly hearbroken.
I didn’t train for a marathon to run a marathon, I trained for a marathon to run a strong race and see what solid training would do for me.
I was completely prepared for New York and tried to be completely okay with an alternate race. My husband said I was being unrealistic after a week of being sick, a four week taper, eight hours in a car the day before the race, and very little sleep among other factors… but I never lost hope until I reached mile thirteen of this race and my legs still weren’t on board with my pace and my lungs were burning.
But the unexpected part of this entire process was this weekend. It was the perfect girls weekend as Team Richmond (a self named group of displaced would be New York City Marathoners) landed at Katherine’s home.
After the race Meggie, Gia, Katherine and I had a daytime slumber party with lots of story telling, pizza, and laughs. It was the perfect prescription for washing away the stress of the last few weeks.
Good race or bad race this year was one for the books and this training season is finally coming to an end.
I’ve always said that marathon training allows me to learn things about myself I wouldn’t have otherwise. This year, eight years after I completed my last marathon, was no exception.
Jess, I loved hanging out with you and the other girls this weekend…as I’ve said before, you guys made an otherwise bummer weekend (sad that I wasn’t going to be able to race the marathon) into an incredibly memorable weekend!
I am totally inspired by your resilience, having the guts to travel all the way to take a chance on a race. That’s all that matters, that you went for it and gave it an awesome effort. All your efforts of training for the season were not wasted– you are a super mentally and physically strong person and this is going to make for a very sweet next race 🙂
I really love this post. It is honest and it puts everything in perspective. I have no idea how this weekend will go after a 5 week taper and a weekend of pretty heavy drinking and dancing. All I can do is follow my training plan to the tee, eat really well, hydrate with tons of water, and get lots of sleep. Here’s to hoping itw orks but if it doesn’t hopefully I can have an outlook like yours!
Congrats Jess! Glad to see you focusing on the positive bc the circumstances were bananas and marathons, well, that’s why they’re such a huge challenge for runners because you just never know. Somehow I doubt this will be your last but all the training and the journey is really the prize. You should be endlessly proud.
the second to last sentence is why I may SOMEDAY run a full.
xoxoxo
Congrats on the marathon, Jess! Can’t wait to hear more about it! Given everything that’s happened during the past few weeks, I think you should definitely cut yourself some slack … although I *know* I would be feeling the same way. It might not have been an ideal or perfect race, but you ran and finished what you started.
Well said, Jess. Considering the hurdles you encountered over the last few weeks, I am absolutely amazed at the race you ran. Love that you are reflecting on the journey and the lessons learned over the last four months. I am so impressed with you!
Urgh- I’ve so been there & i’ll be there this weekend! I’d prepared all summer to run NYC & just had Philly as a fun after race. Now, it will be my main marathon & I feel all off kilter going into it- with such a crazy schedule this past few weeks & my 21 mile run 7 weeks ago! Oh well- I’m not going to be too hard on myself & just be happy to complete the race, hopefully still having fun & not dying around mile 24. Every marathon/race/run is always different & I’m always hoping that my “best” self shows up, ready to go 26.2 miles, but I’m just glad that even if my not best self shows up, I can hopefully still make to the finish line.
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend anyway!
Man, wasn’t that daytime slumber party awesome?!? Perfect post race activity.
Anyways, I agree. I like to always tell myself that a race is just a snapshot in time and it doesn’t always reflect you as a runner. I know you had a stronger marathon in you and, hey, you still finished a marathon despite many obstacles thrown your way in the final weeks! Don’t discount the sickness, too. Even though many of your symptoms were gone, your body remains in recovery mode for while.
Rest up and after breaks, let’s get our run on!
Cutest supporters AND cutest race outfits.
You busted your a** with training and I couldn’t be happier to hear you had a great race. Your determination through physical and weather-related issues was inspiring.
Congrats!!
Congrats on your marathon – even if it wasn’t the one you’d originally trained for, you were still able to run and have a great girls weekend to boot. I understand the frustration – this past weekend was my “comeback” half at Disney and my time tanked. It happens.
Thank you! Bad races happen, unfortunately!
No matter what, I’m always proud of you. Love you, sister!
Thanks, Sister!!