marathoner452 | Entries tagged with marathons

So I know a lot of you are runners. What do you think of this and my response to it?

I actually kinda agree with the author. I would never ever put down someone finishing their first marathon for charity and being proud of what I think is a slow time, because that's how I got started. But when back of the pack run-walkers equate their accomplishment with that of those who make marathon training a lifestyle, then that bothers me. Because a casual hobby and a passion are two different things. Because there is value in hard work over instant gratification.

Maybe that's why I don't run with TNT anymore. They seemed to be putting down those of us who walked that fine line between training hard and overtraining because we might get injured and we didn't have to do that to finish a marathon. Like we must be crazy for wanting to run farther than we had to.

Maybe I should just get out for a run and stop overanalyzing. Or bake some cookies for the half-marathon on Sunday.

~Bethany

EDIT: I would like to edit this to say that I value everyone's effort, and it is not my place to judge someone's effort on race day or otherwise. That's the cool thing about this sport-no matter how much we put into it, we all run the same course and cross the same finish line. Olympians and 6-hour marathoners and people like me in the middle of the pack.

But for the love of all that's good, if you're walking a half marathon that merges into a hilly marathon course at mile 16, please do not walk 5 people across and block the entire road. That is not what marathon runners want to deal with at that point in the race. We really need some education in race etiquette here, charity marathon groups (especially Team in Training, cool as they are).

Current Mood: curious

Am I absolutely crazy if I want to run a marathon this fall?

I haven't run more than 20-25 miles a week (with the exception of one crazy week in July) since before Christmas. I haven't run more than 10 miles at a shot since a 12 mile treadmill run during a blizzard in February. It would be absolutely crazy to think I can ramp up for a quality marathon in three months.

On the other hand, crazy might be just what I need.

That 4 hour marathon mark is still waiting to be broken, and if I don't do it now then I'll have to wait for next fall because this winter/spring is already given over to gutting houses in NOLA.

~Bethany

EDIT: I'm looking back over the comments on marathonguide.com for the race last year. This one particularly strikes me:

"Mile markers - For those who didn't mind this, then you must not be into running hard and had no interest in your time. Marathon running is about pacing and since the mile markers were off, you had to constantly do math out there to figure what was what. And, it stunk to hit mile 22 but really be at least 5 miles from the finish. In fact, some idiot volunteer said, "Only five miles to go," even before mile 19. On the surface, no big deal; in reality, your body and mind cannot handle the cruel fate when you learn it's not 5, but 7."

If you don't think I'm interested in my time, then you'd better watch out this year. And personally, I always enjoy engaging in a little mid-race math. Helps keep the mind off the insanity of running 26.2 miles.

If you really want to see an idiot volunteer, then take a look at the guy at Baltimore last year who though it would be encouraging to hold a sign at the half-marathon mark that said "now do it again". Or the guy at Marine Corps one year with the sign that said "only 7 more miles" at mile 19.

I'll be back. In under 4 hours this time.

EDIT PART 2: The weather will be perfect for a long run this weekend. Low of 55* Friday night, high of 78* Saturday. I wouldn't even have to get up all that early to get in 12 or so miles.

Okay, it's time for a rant. I just finished reading the comments people have posted about this year's NCR Trail Marathon, the one I just ran last Saturday. Everyone is whining and complaining about how they got a huge performance shirt instead of a fleece vest and about how their race was inexusably meddled with because we ran the course backwards. If they would spend half as much time running or sleeping as they have complaining, they'd be ready for their next marathon. Quite bluntly, get a life. The world does not revolve around you-sometimes mistakes happen and quite honestly, if you're prepared those things won't faze you.

Read the comments here: http://www.marathonguide.com/races/racedetails.cfm?MIDD=554051126 . My comments should be up in a few days. Hopefully they'll be a voice of reason in this disturbing example of our entitlement society. Sometimes mistakes just happen-it isn't the first time and it won't be the last and I'm sure you've done it yourself at some point. Hopefully it's just the marathon recovery going to their heads, because it's frankly embarrassing my fellow runners are acting like spoiled children.

Same thing with disasters. There's a reason we tell you to "Make a plan, Build a Kit." It's because that while disasters are scary, they do occasionally happen to you and what's even more scary is when you don't know if your family is safe or if you'll be able to survive on your own for the couple of days it'll take until authorities rescue you. Let Katrina be an example: rescue and relief agencies cannot reach everyone at once or move as quickly as we'd like. The point is not so much whether they should but what you can do to protect yourself.

In the end, it's about personal responsibility. Stop complaining and DO SOMETHING ALREADY. Go for a run or build your kit but don't just sit around blaming others for everything.

End rant.

~Bethany

Current Mood: frustrated

NCR Trail Marathon in 4:14:16!

results here---> http://www.brrc.com/nctm2005/NCTM-ALL.txt

That's a 15 minute PR over Baltimore 6 weeks ago, and nearly even splits. (For those of you non-runners, that means I ran the second-tougher-half almost as fast as the first.)

~Bethany

x-posted to runners and marathoners

Race weather for the NCR Trail Marathon:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/tenday/21074?from=36hr_fcst10DayLink_outdoors

Low of 19 on Friday night, high of 40 on Saturday. Partly cloudy. Max humidity of 50% and a breeze of 9 mph. Should be perfect weather, for us runners anyway.

~Bethany

Current Mood: relieved

Imagine that you had $100,000 to spend on anything you wanted. The only catch is that it needs to be spent, no investing or saving allowed. If the spending is something long term, like school, then the spending of this fictive cash has to start ASAP.

When you're done, post your responses as a comment and post this in your journal.

Now let's see, what would I do?

First and formost, I'd finance a master's program in history, specifically American and Caribbean slave history. Tuition: at least 11k, and that's in-state. Housing: 2 years, two-person apartment at $500 a month would be 12k. Books would be, oh say, one thousand and that has no basis in anything other than a wild estimate. Total: 23k. Remaining: 77k.

But to prepare for a program on comparative American and Caribbean slavery, I need to go to the source...Key West. My next big purchase would be a year's worth of living in Key West. Conservatively, that's 1k a month for my own, fully air conditioned apartment. Then let's figure in another 2k of startup expenses, though I'll certainly get a job while I'm there. That's the only way to learn what it's really like to live there, and to pay for all my seafood and key lime pie. Total: 14k. Remaining: 63k.

Next up: taking care of some unfinished business with running. I want to run the Athens Marathon with Apostolos Greek Tours. First class airfare, no holds barred vacation and marathon of a lifetime. Let's figure 3.5k for the travel package plus 2.5k for the first class airfare. Total: 6k. Yes, six thousand bucks for two weeks of vacation. I can dream, can't I? Remaining: 57k.

My dream Outward Bound course: 65 days of kayaking and sailing in the Caribbean. I'd be happy, even if my sunburnt skin wouldn't. Course tuition is 10k, plus airfare would be about 1k. Factor in supplies and stock in a sunscreen company and a visit to a dermatologist afterwards and I'd have to count on another 1k. If I want to hang around for a few days before and after to soak up the tropical drinks and food and atmosphere, that's another 1k. Total: 13k. Remaining: 44k.

Then after I recovered from that, I get to go to Boston and run the marathon. I'll qualify first, of course, either this fall or next spring. I'll splurge and stay at an $800 a night hotel for, oh say, 3 nights-one before and two after. Adding in entry fee, lots of food, a jacket and all kinds of race memorabilia, and supplies for two of my friends that'd be a lot of money but I'd get an in-house massage after running Heartbreak Hill. Total: 5k. Remaining: 39k.

For as long as I can remember, my family has wanted to take a cross-country trip via RV. My mom and I talked through this on a run a coupla weeks ago, and decided on a tentative cost including gas and airfare home from CA for 6 people. Total: 15k. Remaining: 24k.

A cute little car, specifically the Volkswagon Cambrio that I found at the used car dealership about a month ago. Used but in good condition it was 13k. Total: 13k. Remaining: 9k.

My friends and I, 10 people total, are going to go to dinner at Bahama Breeze. In Miami, preferably, but since I want to have some money left over for a shopping spree, we'll settle on Towson. All dinners and drinks will be included, and since I have the distinct feeling that most of us will not be able to drive home safely afterwards, we'll get hotel rooms, 4 total, and a taxi ride to the hotel. Let's figure $50 a person for dinner, then another $50 a person for the taxi and hotel. Total: 1k. Remaining: 8k.

With the remaining cash, I'd go on a shopping spree. Clothes, music, new CD player, treadmill, books galore, you name it. That'd use up the rest of that money.

So, how about you?

~Bethany

Current Mood: contemplative

I'm going to run the Baltimore Marathon and the NCR Trail Marathon this fall. Yes, they're 6 weeks apart. Yes, Baltimore is hilly. Yes, I haven't run a marathon in 2 1/2 years. Yes, I'm graduating from college in 20 days and who knows where I'll be after that, and how easy it'll be to train at whatever job I find. I don't care about any of that. I'm going to do it. I'm mentoring with TNT this season so I'll have a group to do my long runs with. I have the advantage of knowing what I'm getting into hills-wise, having run the Baltimore 1/2 last year. I know the NCR Trail is pancake-flat and my best chance for a 4 hour marathon right now, and darn it, I want the red Under Armour Baltimore Marathon shirt. I want the stares of envy and the gasps of fear when people line up behind me in races.

And I'm going to train for my races using the Pfitz 18/55 training schedule. Yeah, that's a peak of 55 miles a week and the most I've ever done is 42.3 and that unintentionally. There's no time like right now to commit myself to the toughest training I've ever done and see what I'm made of. There'll be no "downgrading" from the full to the half like I did last year. I'm going to redeem myself. It's put up or shut up time.

~Bethany

Current Mood: determined
Current Music: Michael W. Smith-Healing Rain

I'm a crazy, crazy person. First off I'm planning on running not just one but two marathons this fall, so I can get my red Under Armour Baltimore Marathon shirt and my sub-4 hour finish at the NCR Trail Marathon. At least I'm crazy enough to know that Baltimore's hills are not a place to attempt fast times...or are they? I did set a PR of 4 minutes in the 1/2 marathon last year. Hmmm...

And just now I was looking at the Outward Bound website, scanning for courses that I might possibly by some stretch of the imagination be able to afford this summer. I need an Outward Bound course to mark the transition in my life from college student to employee. That might sound cheesy but it's true. Nothing like getting out in the wilderness and out of your comfort zone to help you figure out where your life is going. So anyway...I'm searching for courses, wondering how I can ever afford 2 or 3 weeks in the wilderness plus airfare and gear (bare minimum of $3000), when I stumble on this alumni service week, just like the Swap-Ya I did a couple years back. Basically, so long as you can get yourself out to Montana, you don't have to pay anything. And airfare is only $400-$500. So we'll see how this summer pans out job-wise and which Americorps positions I'm offered for the fall, but my heart says go for it!

http://www.outwardboundwilderness.org/course/northern_rockies_alumni_service_week_325.html

I ran a 5k on Saturday with my friend Kristi. We finished in 27:57, pretty darn good for her first race. She's already planning her summer racing schedule, and I'm hoping she'll run the Baltimore Women's Classic with me, one of my favorite races. All women, aerobics to I Will Survive to warm up, roses at the finish, and one of the nicest race shirts I own.

www.baltimorewomensclassic.com

43 pages of my SMP done. I'm almost a quarter of the way done with revising, too. This is exciting. Only 34 days left until graduation and I'm free! I'll miss the water, but darn it, I will NOT miss classes and papers and tests.

Wow, it's getting late. Goodnight.

~Bethany

Current Mood: excited

I am officially crazy. I want to run the Baltimore Marathon, then turn around and run the NCR Trail Marathon 6 weeks later. And I'm going to run a 4:22 (10 mm pace) at Baltimore and 3:59 at the NCR Trail Marathon.

Woo hoo! Now let's see what my legs think of all that training this summer. :p

~Bethany

Current Mood: crazy

Chris, you'll be happy to hear this-they're using Powerade at the Marine Corps Marathon now, instead of Ultima (evil stuff that the latter is). All the more reason to consider doing the MCM again, but I'm still happy with my choice to do the Baltimore Marathon this year.

http://www.marinemarathon.com/thecourse.php#WATER

(Quote from the runnersworld forum-"If Hitler had been a sports drink, his mother would have named him Ultima, not Adolf." Hee hee.)

~Bethany

Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: Eric playing Civilization 3 in the background