The Road to Success

...is paved with practice.

The marathon training kick-off was not as big of a deal as I was making it. There are several clubs in the system and they all converged at the Bloomington club for the inauguration. Dan, the national running club director introduced the coaches. As he was talking about how satisfying coaching is, he talked about a woman named Anne who, back in the late 90s, ran a two-mile race just ahead of the "golf cart." Anne had been in a car accident about 25 years ago and lost a leg, so she ran that 2-miler with a prosthesis. (My eyes got moist.) After that race, she went up to Dan and said, "OK, coach, I'm ready to run a marathon." (I started choking back the tears.) Then he tells us that Anne finished her first marathon in something like 5:10; I don't remember the exact time. By this point I'm bawling. Finally, he introduced Anne as the coach for the Maple Grove club.

We met with our respective club coach, then we sorted by pace. I was in the 11:00+ group. To some people it's all slow, but there's a big difference between a sub-five hour marathoner and an "Oh, God, I just want to get across the finish line before the six hour cut off " marathoner.

I wanted to run 8 miles today, to start building some distance, but the run was scheduled for 3-6 miles. A couple of women said they were going to run six and I could run with them, but I warned them that I was very slow. They said that was OK, and as I started running with them, I fell further and further behind and was being passed by EVERYONE. I ran alone for a little while, then Dan and Jim caught up with me. Jim is the co-coach for the Maple Grove club (and Anne's husband) and has run something like 26 marathons! Jim told Dan he'd run with me, so Dan took off. Jim said that the 11 minute pacers went out too fast and would regret it, and that I was smart to hold back. As if I could do anything else! I can pick up the pace, but I need a warm-up first.

At the half-way point, we stopped to do flip-flops: 3 sets each of sit-ups, then push ups. On the ground. In 12 degree weather. Actually, I had on so many layers I couldn't feel the cold. Anne and Mary caught up to us and the four of us did the exercises together. When we started running again, Jim and Mary went ahead and I stayed back with Anne. She wasn't having a good day, so we took it easy. I gave her a gel, which seemed to help her. She said she never eats before a run whereas I always eat before a run, although I try to leave at least an hour to digest. If I don't eat first, my performance suffers. I am all about not hurting myself during marathon training, and I watch my electrolytes and carbohydrate intake so that I take care of my muscles. But it's not for everyone.

So I ended up with about 3 miles, EDI. Less than I planned, but I'll cross train tomorrow. I think there's a two-hour spinning class in the morning, or else I can just do the elliptical.

Afterwards, I went to get gas at a place which is near where my old running club meets. I went to the coffee shop, hoping to see some of my old running buddies, but they weren't there. The fast runners were there, but I didn't talk to them. I feel like a traitor, so not wanting to bring any attention to myself, I skulked away.