A Look Into the Mind of a Marathon Runner

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For today's post, I offer a glimpse into the (insane) workings of the mindset of marathon runners. 

My training partner (TP) for Myrtle Beach is coming off running back-to-back marathons. Before we ran Myrtle, our conversations went like this:

TP: "Regardless of how I do, I'm done with marathons after this race. I need a break."

Me: "Me too. This is going to be the only marathon I run this year."

TP: "Agreed."

Immediately following our run at Myrtle Beach, our conversations sounded like this:

 

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7 Pounds

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Seven pounds gone. That's the goal I set for myself after finishing the Myrtle Beach Marathon. Why 7 pounds? Why not five or twelve or eight? I don't know. I just know I want to lose some weight and the number seven popped into my head as a reasonable goal. 

I didn't even know my weight when I decided to lose the seven. We don't keep a scale in the house and I'd been avoiding the scale at my trainer's. (Irony: I only weigh myself when I'm pretty sure I'm thin.) When I got on the scale last Monday for the first official weigh in, I was a pound or two lighter than I expected. No matter. I still want seven gone. 

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Post-Race Recovery

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Before The Marathon

17 mile training run at almost race pace.

Self-talk: You got this. Push through the pain. No stopping. You're strong! Keep going. Good job.

After The Marathon

3 mile easy run, 30 seconds slower than race pace. 

Self-talk: Oh my God... gasp... pant... I'm dying. No, seriously, I think I am. Okay, I've got to be close to--Whew! This is HARD--okay, close to 3 miles now. I'll look at--huff-huff-pant--my watch. Hmm... 1.3 miles. Damn, when did this Garmin break?!

The recovery continues...

Race Calendar for 2011

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Blair asked me what my plans were after Myrtle Beach and I realized I didn't have any. Dena without a plan? What gives? 

I immediately sat down and pulled together a tentative race schedule for 2011. Whether I actually compete in all of these races is irrelevant. What matters is that now there's a list and a plan. Whew! That was a close one. 

Racing Schedule for 2011 

  • 2/19 - Myrtle Beach Marathon
  • 3/19 - Beer Run, 5 miles
  • 4/30 - Owl's Roost Rumble, trail 1/2 marathon
  • 5/14 - PTI Runway 5K (would like to try for a PR here)
  • 6/11 - Mud Run
  • 7/4  - Kernersville 5K
  • 9/4 - VA Beach Rock-N-Roll Half Marathon
  • 9/24 - Salem Lake 30K (must make up for last year's horrendous run)
  • 10/8 - Cannonball Half-Marathon
  • 11/19 - North Carolina Full or Half Marathon 

 The only thing that's missing is a 10K. I've only ever run two 10k's in my life, both in July in full NC heat on a hilly course. I'm desperate to get a good 10K race on the books. My current official 10K pace is the same as my marathon pace, if that tells you anything. 

I'm also not quite ready to commit to the full NC marathon in November. I'm eager to redeem myself from the terrible run I had back on '09, but we'll see how I'm feeling closer to the date. If all goes according to plan and I re-qualify for Boston at Myrtle, there's no need to kill myself with training in November. 

Famous last words.