After my last Chicago Marathon in 2016, I was adamant that
there would be no more marathons. As
time went by though, I forgot about how boring the training was and how much I
really didn’t want to run another marathon.
So last year, right after the 2017 marathon (in which I watched my
friends suffer), my niece suggested we might run the 2018 marathon
together. RB is in her mid 20’s and
lives in Israel and would be in the states in late September and early
October. There was no guarantee we
would both get in through the lottery system but I figured if I got in and she
didn’t, I would run it with friends and if she got in, and I didn’t, I would
cheer her on. We both got in.
RB started to get worried about her training. I told her that we would be doing an easy
run/walk and given that she is less than half my age, she would finish it with
minimal training. I, on the other hand,
had to keep up a training schedule just to be sure I could complete it.
Training this summer has been miserable. The weather has been very hot and humid and
each long run has felt like a death march.
The only saving grace has been that my friend, Hilda, has been available
for a lot of my summer runs. It is nice
to have someone along when you’re out there for hours. Now, however, Hilda is back teaching and if I
want to run long during the week, I’ve got to go it alone.
About three weeks ago, RB called and said “I have good news
and bad news.” The good news is that she
got a job. A real, career oriented
position and something she definitely should do. The bad news is that she won’t be here to run
the marathon. With those few words, my
interest in marathon training went from moderate to none. Luckily, I had gotten to the 17 mile mark in
training before I got this news. I was
too close to just quit but I was still far enough away to make the rest of the
training miserable. If RB had gotten the
job a few weeks earlier, I probably would have just forfeited the $195 entry
fee.
Two weeks ago, on a Saturday, I decided if I was to do my
first 20 mile training run, doing it with friends was best. We all were doing different distances with
another local marathon’s preview group on the beautiful, Fox River Trail. I go up at 4:15 AM, left the house at 5:30
and was ready to run at 6:30 with a few buddies, including Hilda. I was less than a mile into the run when I
felt myself flying through the air and landing flat on my stomach/chest. Of course everyone stopped and made a fuss
and I decided right then and there, no 20 mile run that day for me. I was a little scraped up and bruised but no
long lasting injuries. I walked five
miles with my friend, Michelle and vowed to try again another day.
Sunday morning I set the alarm for 5:00 AM but didn’t get up
until 6:30 AM. By the time I had fed the
cats, fed myself, dressed, etc. it was almost 8:30 AM and temperatures and humidity
were already heading up. Yet, I
thought, I better try to do those 20 miles.
Off I went to a local trail and ran 12 very hot, very humid miles. Temperatures were stifling by the time I hit
10 miles and I knew I had better stop.
That 20 mile run was becoming awfully elusive.
 |
| After the 1st 10 miles |
Another week went by and I was going away for the weekend. 20 miles was not going to happen in
Pittsburgh. I didn’t have the time nor
was I up for a 20 mile hill run. Looking
at the upcoming weather, I targeted Wednesday (yesterday, 8/22) for my 20
miler. Yesterday’s weather was
glorious! Early morning temperatures
were in the upper 50’s and the humidity was low. For you weather geeks, the dewpoint was in
the 50’s all day. Just perfect. The best day in weeks for a long run.
Once again I set an early alarm, and this time I only slept
half an hour later than planned. After
the cats were fed, etc. off I went to McCullom Park in Downers Grove, IL. McCullom Park is a great place to do a long
run when you’re doing it alone. It’s a
mile and a quarter loop around beautiful playing fields, a small mini golf
course and a picnic pavilion. The path
winds through some trees, passes along the back yards of some nice houses and
runs parallel on one side to the local fire station. But more importantly, it runs close to the
parking lot where you can stash water and food in your car and there are two “real”
restrooms and one port-a-potty.
Everything to make a long run easy.
Yes, it gets a little boring doing the same loop 16 times but there are
lots of people out walking and it never quite feels like you’re alone.
I split my run up into 4 segments each of 4 loops. I stopped at the car and had water after each
mile and a quarter and had something to eat after every 5 miles (4 loops.) My first 10 miles was fairly easy and I had
no problems running for 2.5 min and then walking a min for the whole thing. During those first 10 miles the weather was
fabulous, it was almost like a fall morning.nd 10 miles was a
bit harder as it was getting warmer and I walked more than I did during the
first 10. But, I did finish.
I’m behind a little in my training at the moment. Since I’m using a Galloway run/walk/run
training program, I’m supposed to do a full 26.2 miles as my last training
run. Given how many weeks are left
before the marathon, I think I will do one more really long run but cap it at
24 miles. My goal is to just complete
this marathon; I think I will be able to do that.
My motivation is low.
I really don’t want to do another marathon but I love seeing Chicago on
foot. Marathon weekend is exciting and
this year, knowing it is my last, I’m going to try to enjoy every minute. Plus, I’m focused on getting through this
one, and knowing my long runs may never be more than 13 miles again. Running will be fun again.
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