Hit the Ground Running

One of the difficult things about winter for myself it’s finding the motivation to do speed work when it’s dark and cold outside. I imagine that this is a problem that faces most runners who are training for something during this time of year on the coast or an area of the world where winter is really a thing. In some ways I suppose I could overcome the cold and just really suck it up and warm up better but part of it too is the darkness where you can’t be totally securing your foot falls. There is something really unnerving about trying to go as close to all out on something when you are in 100% sure if what you’re stepping on is going to be slippery or not. So like many other people and runners once daylight savings hits and I get my evenings back there is a sense of relief that comes with it. And a sense of wanting to do more. Once you decide that you want to do more which for me means trying to do speed work there is that hesitation of “how will it go?” There are very few things as telling us how good and shape you are as a speed workout. It’s something that you can push yourself through but because you are literally watching a Clock the whole time you entirely understand the splits that you are missing as it’s happening. It also is one of the hardest things to try and correct midway through. All that being said I decided I would get back on a track and try my yasso work out that I had been avoiding for a pretty long time. Turns out I still have it in me. Not to be entirely cliché but I do think that OT has had something to do with the fact that when I did my yasso my splits were as good if not better than the last time I did them this summer. Some of it may have to do with the fact that I’m not as burnt out when I’m trying them at that time. Either way it was an accomplishment for me and made me feel a little bit more confident going into this Marathon. I’m still not sure what to expect from it nor what I want to try to set my expectations at but I feel like maybe there is a chance that I can have a race that I’m proud of. Not sure if there’s any chance of having it being a Boston qualifier but I think that there is a part of my body and mind that feels I could push if I felt good that day for that goal.

I Ain’t No Superman

I had a fun, new adventure yesterday for long run: running part of the marathon course. 

First off, let me say that it was a great weather running day weather wise. It was sunny, with no wind, but you still wanted gloves and a hat. 

Second, the Boston Marathon route is simply flooded with runners. 

I guess I never understood how many people were out on these days preparing for the race. It was a bit overwhelming and sort of made it feel like a race, but also made it pretty cool in that regard. 

Third, I had a good running buddy with me who actually kept me moving faster than I wanted, or maybe I did with him, but either way it was the longest I’ve ever run with someone who is kind of cool. 

Overall, the run went well. 

I’m still not totally sure what to expect from Providence and there’s this part of me whispering “you can still try to qualify” but there’s a part of me that is a bit louder saying “don’t push it and enjoy this for what it is”. We shall see which wins out come May 5th, but I am working towards having a good race even if not my best race. 

I also had a lot of different thoughts while doing this run about what it means to do Boston. 

For me, I’ve always thought (when I’ve thought about running Boston) that I want to qualify to run it and that it mattered how I got there. It still matters to me and I doubt I’ll run Boston without qualifying (unless I find a charity that I love and support) but looking at all the runners and the variety of, shall we say, talent out there on the course made me realize that maybe only a few of us view Boston with such respect. Now, don’t get me wrong that charity runners do great things, but that’s on the financial side of things. On the running side: meh. 

One thing I’ve learned about a marathon is anyone can do it, but not everyone can do it well. Most people who run Boston, who go to work the next day or a few days later saying “they ran Boston” don’t really do that. The finish it. They are there. But they don’t run it. I’ve always wanted to to run it and, to run it, I need to qualify. 

I think that charity runners are wonderful but, as I said to my friend, maybe there’s a part of me that enjoys the work that comes with a marathon that no one cares about, that is running and racing for me and not for the Monday in April. But, as I also said, maybe that’s also coming from he bitter place of someone who hasn’t qualified and is refusing to get the starting line by another mean right now.