The last miles have been run, I am pretty much carbo loaded (Final weight is 217#) and only a few hours from jumping in the car to head north. My thoughts this week?
I love the marathon distance! - In shape or out of shape, good weather or bad, it does not matter. It is the perfect mix of cerebral and physical.
In the beginning you get to constantly feel out where your red line is, but the reality is you will not know if you crossed it until late into the race ... as you start to crash.
In the last 6-8 miles it becomes more physical, but still your mind has to be mentally tough to continue to push through. Your mind has to become the master and your body the willing slave.
I found out in Houston 2006 that if I can make it to mile 20, I can force the pace home. Although my body screams stop, if I can take 1 more step, I can take 10, 100, 1 mile ... Sometimes the world is seen through a tunnel as your oxygen starved brain gets dizzy. My mantra at times like this is "You can back down when you pass out". I have no idea how close I have come to passing out in the past, but it has never happened ... yet.
Of course there are those special races - Rare and precious - Where you burn red hot the whole race, but the pain never appears. When you ask your body for more, it does not object. It is almost like you are outside yourself - I have had 2 such marathons out of 20+.
I have stated my goal of a sub 3 hour marathon for Grandmas, but my real goal is to cross the finish line knowing I have given everything I had to give.
Good running to all!
No comments:
Post a Comment