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| Sort of the schedule I will follow |
I've decided I am going to group lead for CARA marathon training. The only way to force myself to get up early enough in the summer to beat the heat and run double digit miles is to be tethered to an obligation like leading a pack of runners.
I emailed my friend who happens to be the a site coordinator at CARA, and she hooked me up with the group leadership gig, same as I did 2003-2008, and 2010. I'll help lead the 8:30 group out of Monroe Harbor probably doing the Novice Mileage.
I won't run a marathon this fall however. While I haven't officially retired, my marathon running days are probably over. I've run 21 marathons and while I'm certain with proper training I could finish #22, I doubt it would be with a finish time I'd be happy with. Just finishing your first or second marathon is accomplishment enough. When you do more than that, you're targeting a specific time, usually to Boston Qualify. Since that dream has pretty much been filed away with my childhood desire to be an astronaut, there's really no reason I can think of to run another marathon today.
The most I'll do is the Detroit half marathon in late October. I suppose if I have a phenomenal July and August of running I could change my tune. More realistic is that If I find that I cannot hold pace and run the required mileage, I'll politely resign and go back to sleeping in on Saturdays.
Even though I cannot feel any pain in my knee, the damage continued running that my doctor alluded to might become more severe forcing that retirement issue altogether.
You should just run marathons because you want to, not because someone (including your head) says you should do it in a certain time. I mean, hey, look at me! :D
ReplyDelete@Distance Drea -- That's probably good advice which works for many. However, there are very few marathons I want to "just run". The London Marathon is an example -- if I could get in that one, I'd run it regardless of how I do.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, If I'm going to go through the pain of running 26.2 miles, I think I want some higher reward like bragging rights of a new PR. I guess I'm just wired funny.
You've probably got it in you more than I.
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