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...

2011 Myrtle Beach Marathon: The Recap

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Sole Sisters the day before the raceAnother marathon on the books.

Here's the short version: Hot. Flat. New PR!

Here's the long version: 

This was my first marathon without Blair. Instead, I traveled with my Sole Sisters--six "hot fast women" (painted on our car)---to Myrtle Beach. I was worried about not having Blair waiting for me at the finish line. I'm typically in intense pain for the first 40 minutes after a race and Blair all but carries me around. Surprisingly, I finished in good form. I kept moving after I crossed the finish line and while I was stiff, I was walking around after the race with little difficulty.

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