i showed up with the other 40 or so runners, it was very low key, no bibs, no official times, no winners...
these are all runners. no one is there to run their first 5k or marathon. and a comfortable pace for them is way in front of me. i stayed with the second half of the pack for the first mile and then i watched them pull away from me. i slowed down, they didn't speed up. this was the point when i realized that at their pace i would be out of gas at about 3 miles and the last .87 would be difficult.
i putt putted along enjoying the beautiful evening, watching that last runner in the white tee shirt get further and further ahead and when i turned the last corner to head to the finish line i started to pick my pace back up. i was running to 1515 north rock road and when i got to 1945 north rock road i figured i could go pretty much all out for the last 4 blocks. i was making good time, feeling good and i see a greent tee shirt heading my way.
memorial man himself scott came out to run the last block with me. he is running the two races steve had to roll his registrationst to next year for, next weekend and three weeks later. i finished, we went to scott's house for dinner and to hang out with other runners for an hour.
awards were hilarious. finishers medals were donated from all the races in wichita previous that were left overs. i now have a 2008 marathon medal for a race i didn't run. they gave a canine award to rowdy the border collie, best jump award for one of the picture areas, and second place finish awards because no one wins first place.
i told steve on the way home last place isn't fun. it's kind of demoralizing. the finish chute i got to run through with everyone making a tunnel for me and cheering was cool, but it was for last place. but we talked about how if i stress out about getting faster and making it about beating the clock, beating my past times and beating others i will take the fun out of it. i'm working with marquis again, at least while his future is undecided. i want to be stronger and faster. but it's not going to consume me.
i will work to get stronger and faster, but will make sure i continue to enjoy the sport of running.
because it is fun. like this. kinesiology tape to match the running skirt.
i will ramp up training for my ultra over the next couple weeks. once i hit running 20 miles for my long runs, i run two weeks long with a third week fall back. i get up to two 28 mile training runs with 16 mile runs on the sunday following by the end of training.
i need the weights and the cross fit training to build strength as well.
i could also lose a few pounds to get to "racing weight" and that would help. we'll see how it goes. i'm nervous, excited, and a little tired thinking about it. first week back after the marathon and week off was rough. weights were hard, running was hard, cross fit with marquis was hard...
but if it was easy everyone would do it.
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