After the Hamptons Marathon, lots of folks suggested I quickly line up a Plan B, to capitalize on my training and not have to wait and start from scratch again next season. What I've neglected to mention to this point is that I've been registered for another fall marathon for several months. And it is next weekend.
But hold your horses: I'm not going for 3:20 next weekend for a number of reasons. Wineglass didn't end up on my race calendar as a secret plan B, stowed away in my back pocket for just such a circumstance as I find myself in today. Believe me, there was no plan B; I've been visualizing a sub 3:20 at the Hampton since approximately August 1, and I fully expected to be spending the week between Hamptons and Wineglass celebrating my 3:20 badassedry. Ouch. But anyway, Wineglass found its way into my life again this season because a 26.2 mile jaunt with a friend sounded like a lovely Sunday to me, so I agreed to run it, but not race, at a pace around my long run pace. This was, of course, before I raced in the Hamptons, where my finish time was still around long run pace, but my post-race legs most assuredly felt like they'd worked much harder than that.
Thus, I am spending this week in extreme recovery mode, all the while trying not to let last weekend's demons trick me into thinking I can't hang for 26.2 conversational miles. Because I can, and I have, and I will. Plus, Wineglass was my first BQ, and I am confident that magic will work wonders on my psyche in ways listening to Avicii on repeat before last weekend's race failed to do. In hindsight, perhaps a song whose lyrics are "wake me up when it's all over" didn't really set the tone for race day domination...
So that's the immediate plan for the future. Beyond that, though, I have no intention of going for 3:20 again this season. I travel so much as it is that I sometimes forget where I keep the pint glasses in my apartment. After Wineglass, I'm home for a week and then traveling for weddings and work much of the rest of October. I don't have any interest in adding another weekend away to my agenda. And I noticed as I looked up the race results from last weekend (where I found myself 56th and 8th AG, which is definitely not the AG winner spot I envisioned when I woke up Saturday morning), 3 of the top 5 females at Hamptons were 33. I'm 29. One of the great things about the marathon is that my best performances are still ahead of me. I've got years before I peak, and I don't need to rush to get there. I mean, at least let me clear up my adult acne first, Jesus.
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I know it may be lIke passing along a brain worm song, but I recently rediscovered one of my old running favorites; the GoGo's Head Over Heels. Right I know the title sounds like bad implications for the starting line or going down hillls, but it's a great tune for getting pumped up and on pace. Finally, yes I'm sure the best is yet to come.
ReplyDeleteI'm very familiar with the idea that you can quickly jump into another marathon and get it right after crapping it up at a goal race. I'm pretty sure it's a myth. I've tried it, know a bunch of others who have too, and have never heard of it going well. Never ever ever ever.
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