Savannah Marathon: The (Meltdown?) Countdown Begins

/

It's a funny thing, training for a marathon. During the long summer months of intervals, tempo runs, and long runs, you kind of lose sight that at some point it's all going to culminate into you having to stand at a start line and face down 26.2 miles. You know in the back of your mind that, "Yeah, I'm doing this training run so someday I can run really fast and be in a lot of pain for a long time while I do it," but the reality of what you're attempting doesn't really sink in until about a week before your race.

It is a week before my race. 

Next Saturday I'll join 22,999 other runners at the start line for the Savannah Rock'N'Roll Marathon/Half-Marathon. As usual, I'm equal parts excited and freaked out. 

 

Read More

Did I Just Imagine that Knee Pain?

/

ASICS 2009 poster - Click to orderIt did happen, didn't it? Saturday? Where my right knee decided it was taking a vacation, checked out and went bye-bye? 

You'd never know it.  I got on the treadmill today and slammed out some speed work like it was going out of style. Not a bit of pain from the knee. Not even a twinge. 

So what happened? Here's my best guess: I psyched myself out. 

Early in Saturday's run, maybe around mile 7 or 8, my thoughts turned toward Boston. They weren't happy thoughts. I questioned whether I really wanted to run it. 26.2 miles is one thing when you're excited to make it happen. It's something else when you're dragging your butt to the start line. I looked at everyone around me and wished that I was almost done with my run, like they were. That I could join them for bagels and coffee instead of trudging through another 10 miles in the cold, alone. My legs were sore and I was tired. Boston did not sound fun. It sounded like something I wished I'd never signed up for. Stupid race.

Then mile 12 - knee blow out.

Well guess what? Guess who figured out that she really does want to run Boston? Guess who is ALL ABOUT kicking some Boston ass? Guess who has done a 180 degree mental flip and is ready to bring it? 

That's right, me, whiny knee girl. When it was actually put before me that gee, I might be injured and not be able to run, I freaked. I would be incredibly disappointed not to run Boston at this point. I've trained, I've made friends, and I only have 8 weeks left to go. All of a sudden I am ALL ABOUT BOSTON. Which is right where I need to be.

So maybe my knee pain, while quite real, was my body's way of telling my mind to put up or shut up. Message received. 

Let's hope that's all it was. Otherwise all you readers can look forward to months of moody posts about how I was soooooooo ready to nail Boston if only I hadn't been hurt. ;)