The primary query I’ve gotten over the previous 4 months of coaching for the marathon is, “do you could have a time objective?” For somebody who solely ever dreamed of operating this race, the query first appeared audacious to me. Definitely, for those who requested me on the time I first ever considered operating this race, all I might have mentioned is that I wish to end whereas they’re nonetheless giving out medals. Nonetheless, coaching for this race has modified me. It has ready me to get that medal and dared me to succeed in for extra.
Nevertheless it seems, “extra,” isn’t a time objective – it’s a sense. What I’ve come to seek out in my very own operating journey – which has been one which’s examined all of my limits and pushed me past something I’ve finished earlier than – is that, in the long run, it’s no completely different than another a part of my longer journey. It’s all about profitable the day! And for my New York Metropolis Marathon, right here’s what meaning . . .
I’ve now handed the height of coaching. I hope to submit as soon as extra earlier than the race and can conclude this marathon collection of weblog posts with my closing ideas after no matter occurs on November 2. However as I sit right here, the entire arduous work is completed. I ran the longest run of the plan on Saturday – 20 miles (which I’ll talk about in additional element beneath) – and I’m now within the tapering section. After all of the highs and lows of the previous 4 months, I do know what my physique is able to. I do know what time is feasible and what possible isn’t.
After I began coaching, I had a ending quantity in thoughts. It was one which I couldn’t have finished if I attempted to run 26.2 miles on the time, however one which I may practice for. It was a tempo that I may do on some lengthy runs throughout the early days of coaching to really feel the ache of pushing myself sooner, and hopefully, one which I may get used to operating for longer distances with out ache.
This is what I wrote within the first post of my marathon collection:
“[D]eep down, I additionally realized that I wish to end the race in the very best time I may obtain, and I dream of ending in lower than 5 hours. Would I really feel shattered if it takes me longer? Not an opportunity. I may cross the end line at the hours of darkness with the runners within the again and fulfill my greatest desires so long as somebody remains to be handing out medals after I get there. However . . . if I put completely every thing I’ve into this coaching, then regardless of the place I end, I’ll know that I not solely reached the dream of crossing the end line, however I additionally could have crossed it within the shortest period of time that I probably may – no matter that could be.”
Now 17 weeks later, that very same course of that has taught me to succeed in for the sky has additionally enlightened me about what precisely I’m striving for on marathon Sunday. It has taught me rather more about what it’ll imply to win the day than I may have recognized when this all began. All through my coaching program, I’ve skilled each the wrestle of pushing my physique past what I assumed it may do and the liberty of feeling like I may run endlessly. And right here’s what I’ve realized.
Whereas I really like seeing what my physique can obtain when pushing it to succeed in new heights, one of the best feeling I get from operating is when I’m on the market and don’t even notice I’m doing it. That occurred to me on Saturday’s run. Sarcastically, it occurred on a run the place I additionally had a time objective in thoughts. I needed to see if I may end the 20 miles in below 3:48:00. That would come with stopping to fill my water bottle (which I did twice) and going to the restroom (which I didn’t want). My Strava app all the time tells me my shifting tempo, however this time, I targeted on whether or not my total tempo, with stops, could possibly be lower than 11:25 per mile. In spite of everything, this could be my costume rehearsal for Marathon Sunday, and it was time to see if a sub-five-hour marathon was on the desk.
For the primary 10 miles of the run, I used to be simply forward of the tempo, however I fell behind it a bit after making my first cease for water. I then bumped into my buddy Sarah doing her future with the guides from Achilles, and that’s all the time a worthy second to decelerate and say hello. We ran collectively for a bit, as we informed the guides about our time collectively within the park – one thing I’ve posted about on my Instagram . . .
