An hour away from the start of the longest run ever attempted by…me. I have done plenty of 26.2's, and they all hurt, regardless of elevation gain, or lack thereof. So adding 7 measly miles to the marathon sum should be somewhat the same as adding a little insult to injury. It is gonna get interesting, but hopefully not until mile 20 or so, when the intent has been solidified, the resolve firm and the goal a touch closer. The light at the end of the tunnel thing. So why do this, you ask?
Because two days ago I celebrated (more like witnessed) another birthday. And this aging thing keeps me continually motivated to keep pushing the physical fitness agenda. There is still the possibility that with a modicum, OK, with a boatload, of focused work, I could actually get faster. Faster than I was ten years ago? Dunno, but I am going to try. And getting outside the box, shaking up the training routine remains one of the best ways to do it. You can go harder, add intensity and shorten the distance as we have been testing in spin class. Intensive bursts of explosive power. I DO like the sound of that. And my body likes the feel. Or you can add speed. Cover more ground quicker. We saw the benefits of that approach last night in the park. For the first time ever I had to WORK to keep up with my partner. Nothin like a snappy up-tempo four miles at sunset. And in the case of today's epic jaunt, we will add distance. I will be slow today. It may be the IM death march. There are a lot of hills along the 33 mile route. But I will make it. I will slug it out. I will do something I have never done before. I like the sound of THAT, too.
To celebrate my hanging around another year. I will see how I respond. I will listen to my body, try to relax and enjoy the ride. I will be happy and grateful that I can still do this, and without an artificial hip or a cane. There will be plenty of opportunities to unleash the creative. That is one of my favorite parts of running. Free flow thought. There is not a lot of science here, but museums full of color, texture, shapes and composition. No iPod either, I hear plenty.
Maybe it is crazy. I don't know, and I don't care.
It is there and I am here. And it is time to run.
News at 11.
4 comments:
Way to go Coach! because it is there.
Thought about you while I was weeding...a great day to try something you've never done. I like that! You rock!
May I remind you that those 7 measly miles are exponentially harder than the first 26? But you already knew that. Waiting for the news at 11.
11 o'clock news early tonight. Let's just say that there will be another attempt at this some day. Today was not to be. Vicki and Steph V were life savers with a spare hummus wrap and poor Tom even launched a SAR. If I can walk tomorrow I will consider it a minor miracle.
RCVman out, humbled again, but not defeated.
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