Cruising at mile 10.
In sport, there are good days and there are bad days, but mostly there are in-between days. When you race you hope to catch a good day, but in all likelihood you’ll catch one of the in-between days. Since it’s a race and you’re tapered, fresh, and mentally ready it’s still possible to have a good performance on an in-between day. Catch a good day, and you’re set, but they don’t come around often. Waking up race morning every athlete wishes for a good day…A day when the legs feel fresh, the mind is naturally at ease, and the lungs feel like they belong to a jungle cat. Sometimes though, it’s just not in the cards.
I had my sights on the New Jersey Marathon since New Year’s. Unlike the rest of the United States, my infatuation with the Jersey Shore isn’t skin deep and a result of MTV, it’s where I’m from and I was really looking forward to racing there for the first time since high school. After my 1:22 half in March, I felt poised to run 2:50-ish at NJM. Sub-3 was the base goal, which would get me into the Elite Development Wave of the Chicago Marathon this October. I figured I had that easily.
As soon as the gun sounded things didn’t feel great. My legs felt heavy and my stride awkward. But, being a marathon I know that is apt to change and that I might not hit my groove until many miles into the race. I took lead of the women’s field right away – I wanted to control the race and try to distance myself from the rest of the field as quickly as possible — and tried to settle into 1:25 half-marathon pace. Long story short: I led through the ½ in 1:27 and then shuffled in to the finish in 3:14, stopping several times, including one rather lengthy debate with my brother if I should just stop and we could drive to the nearest pizza place.
It was disappointing and naturally I questioned my decision to finish the race for weeks after. That’s the worst thing about marathons, no matter what happens it takes forever to recover. Or, really about 4 weeks, but it feels like forever (There’s an old running recovery rule of the thumb that says 1 day per mile raced. I feel a few days need to be added on if there was legitimate shuffling involved to cross the line.). In the end, I’m happy that I finished as otherwise I would be wondering “What if my legs did come under me at mile 18?” I’m also happy to have stuck with my race plan and to have given everything I had that day. I turned over a new leaf that day, and if I can race like that more often, whether on in-between days or on good days, I think I will find success.
Over the past 4 weeks I’ve done a lot of sitting, thinking, a little biking, and even some swimming, but not a whole lot of running. Do I race again and try to qualify for the Elite Development Wave in Chicago? Run shorter races this summer? Attempt a return to triathlon? Become a very serious gardener/baker? Right now I’m leaning towards one of the latter two options. I’ve really been enjoying cycling again, and have my eye on some cycling races this summer. I also have a big trip to the gardening store and Home Depot planned, and several hours set aside to work in the garden this weekend. Only time will tell.
[Thanks to my parents, brother, nephew, and aunts for waking up early on a Sunday morning and fighting the traffic to cheer me on! Next year will be better : I’ll get the win and buy everyone a round at Squan Tavern. That’s a promise. Make that several rounds, and we’ll call a cab.]
