On the eve of the Cleveland Marathon, looking ahead, then far ahead

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In a couple of days I hopefully will have completed my sixth marathon. It will be marathon number two in 15 days.

For those who don’t read earlier posts, I ran the Flying Pig Marathon on  May 5, and set a PR on what was supposed to be a practice run for the Rite Aide Cleveland Marathon. This will also be two marathons in one month in one state. If I stick with my plans, it may mean three marathons in Ohio  in one year. I’m considering signing up for Columbus again in the fall. I’ll definitely have my Ohio “Cs” covered – Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus.

On the eve of my Cleveland race, I am nervous. I want to set a good time. I also want to stay injury free.

In between Cincinnati and Cleveland I ran three short road miles the Tuesday after the Pig, a 4.5 mile trail run the day after that, an hour sports massage on May 10, 10 miles of road run on Saturday, and another 4 miles this past Wednesday. I tried to keep them at an easy tempo, though I ran two of the runs with a friend whose idea of easy is 30 seconds faster than my goal pace.

I had no lingering pains after those outings, but I could feel the miles on my legs. This will be pushing myself further than I have ever been intensity-wise in a long while.

And, honestly, I am sort of looking forward to this marathon being over. I want to give my legs a couple of weeks break, at least, and then tinker with my workout routine. I want more trail runs, strength training at the gym, and maybe get my bike tuned up enough for some short 20 mile rides, or rides to work. The bike is a Specialized road/off-road hybrid, so I won’t be doing any racing with it, but I figure it will be a nice change of pace.

The Columbus Dispatch building in 2008, Capito...

The Columbus Dispatch building in 2008, Capitol Square (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Columbus will be a fun run for me, with no particular focus or group goal in the fall. I just need to make it there first.

At the Cleveland expo I hope to buy my first pair of trail shoes.

I’m considering these:

brooks-pure-grit-2_0They are the Brooks Pure Grit 2. The Runner’s World Shoe Finder matched me up with them. I generally feel safe with Brooks. The Ghost series always treated me fairly in the beginning. Of course, never being much of a trail runner, any shoe suggestion for a neutral runner is welcome in the comments.

And I am really looking forward to running more trails this summer. After three outings, I dig the different set of challenges offered by running through the woods. There is also the fact I was told early on that dirt running was easier on the bones.

So, there is that. And here is to a few restless nights of sleep as I prepare for spring marathon part 2.

Spring marathon recap: Part I – When Pigs Fly

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So, the last I wrote, I shared the ludicrous plan to run one marathon as training for another. I also was uneasy about a decision to wear a small camera in a harness strapped to my chest for work for that training marathon.

I am happy to report part one of my ludicrous spring marathon plan is in the bag, and it went better than I expected.

Here is  a picture of myself and my running friend on the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon course:

936854_10151409441253176_1097357836_nThe man next to me, the one in the bright yellow shirt, is the mastermind of most of this two spring marathon plan. And for those who are curious, that is what a GoPro harness looks like on an averaged-pace 37-year-old runner.

For the run itself, the weather was perfect from beginning to end. Temps started in the mid 50s with mostly overcast skies and ended about the same way temp wise with some misting rain to keep overheated bodies cool. I felt great throughout most of the race until I reached mile 21 when I started my run/walk routine, again. I wish I could just pass through the pain, or those last few miles did not have to hurt so bad, but I always seem to burn out a little at that magic distance.

I say all of this to build to this: I ran the “practice marathon” at goal race pace for the 21 miles and still managed to set an over-all personal best after having ran 4 marathons (my third time on the Pig course itself). From miles 21 through 24 I managed to walk 2 minutes and run 8 (losing approximately 20 seconds off of my average pace) before a pace group behind me caught up and welcomed me on as I caught their wind, and then I in turn raced against them for the last 1.5 miles.

If I had maintained my pace with my buddy from mile 21 forward I would have met my goal of running a full marathon under 4 hours. That though isn’t reality. It is also what the Cleveland marathon is for, to achieve an under 4 hour race on a much flatter, and some say faster course. Here is hoping.

And again, I really shouldn’t be too upset if I look at facts dispassionately. I am 2 years older than my first marathon, and 14 pound heavier, when I set my initial best Pig course time. I am also uninjured this time as well. During that first marathon I had no less than four stress fractures in my legs, that caused my right leg to swell and put me in an air cast. Also, with this go round I found the benefit of electrolyte tablets. I took two each hour on the course and never experienced the rippling cramps I have in the past three marathons I ran.

Again, the only thing injured is my ego and the wish of would-have-should-have-could-have.

So Marathon Part 2 is in less than two weeks and the epic hope that I am able to come in under 4 hours at a marathon continues.

Oh, and that GoPro video I was so worried about recording?  I think it turned out pretty spectacularly thanks in large part to the video editors and producers at the news organization I work for:

Flying Pig Marathon: GoPro or go home

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Flying pig hell freezing

Flying pig hell freezing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tomorrow (Sunday, May 5) I will run the first of two marathons in two weeks.

On the eve of my third Flying Pig Marathon all I keeping thinking is, what the hell am I doing?

Typically, I can hardly run one every six months to a year. The Pig is a challenging course. And I promised myself I would run Cleveland because it was flat and I might, might, actually hit my goal time of a sub-4 hour marathon that I set for my first race (and Pig) in 2011.

To pile onto my predicament, I agreed to wear a GoPro camera on a chest harness for work. Initially, I thought agreeing to do this (It was not my idea, I was asked) would make the race fun and maybe keep me going at a slower pace, so I would not have to time-lapse my humiliation in the form of a walk-run at the end. Now, I’m just like what was I thinking, as nerves jumble and doubt fills my head.

The reaction to the GoPro decision has definitely been one of, well, really? followed by a little snickering among runners. Did I tell you I am vain and insecure? I don’t dance or do anything that might draw negative attention to myself because I’ve always been worried about what others thought about me for as long as I can remember.

All I can hear is Adam Sandler, mockingly saying They’re all going to laugh at you, and having my own Carrie moment.
Gif Created on Make A Gif Gif Created on Make A Gif

I know, I’m not right.

Did I also mention, I’m turning 37 somewhere on the course of the Pig. Yeah.

How the hell did that happen?

Thirty-seven. It just doesn’t seem fair.

I thought as an adult some things should matter less and I should have everything figured out by now. Some adult along the way in my childhood lied to me.

Other than that, I just pray for a decent night sleep Saturday evening and an injury free race. This also involves not having embarrassing nightmares of myself in a GoPro harness of shame.