At the finish line, the day before the raceForget the 26.2. I approached this race as a 20-mile training run. I knew I could run 15 miles on pace. Then if I could just hold it together for 5 more miles, my race would be over. I had no strategy for the last 6.2 miles. To me, it's a crapshoot. You either have something left in the tank or you don't. Twenty miles was all I set out to do.
Enough chit-chat. Let's break down the day.
Outside the Boston Expo in my favorite "No Meat Athlete" t-shirtHello readers! Blair and I are back from Bawh-ston although I'm pretty sure I left my quads there. Can you say "OW" with me?
I'll post a full race report tomorrow but here are a few quick tidbits to tide you over:
THE STATS:
I've given up any pretense of even pretending to work today. It's not going to happen. Too much angst going on to think about silly things like work.
If I bottom out in the marathon, it's not going to be because I physically wasn't ready. It's going to be because I mentally psyched myself out. Way too much brain chatter going on about the race. I went out this morning for the last 3-mile run. One mile warm-up and 2 miles at race pace of 8:23/mile and I blathered on the entire way. I'm tired. The pace is too fast and it's only 3 miles. My God, I'm not ready. I should rethink my pace. Maybe run the 8:35 pace from Chicago so I feel better during the race. No, it's just the warm-up. I'm always tired the first few miles until I get a rhythm. No, it's a sign. I'm not ready. Stop the negative chatter! Think positive! Imagine yourself crossing the finish line at Boston. No, not limping across crying. Happy thoughts! Happy finish line!"
Before Chicago, I felt strong. Mentally and physically. I was pretty sure I was going to have the run of my life and I did. This time, the self-confidence is low. Very low. And I can't quite figure out why. But I BETTER figure out why before I get to the start or else the mental game will drag me under.
I'm reminding myself of what I felt when I signed up for Boston. It was a freebie. For fun. I knew most everything I like to control before a race (dinner, morning routine, etc. ) would be out the door and I was looking forward to that. I'd just go with the flow and see where I ended up. No pressure. No goals. Just run. Run run, keep running, run some more and boom! Finished.
That's what I need to hold on to. I think this mental chatter is me grappling with finding some measure of control over the race. I also think I'll be a lot happier and enjoy the experience when I just let go and say, "You know what? It is what it is. Let's do this and have fun."
Maybe that will be my new running mantra. "Unclench, Dena. Unclench." ;)
I've been visiting the blogs of runners who have run Boston. I thought I'd calm myself down, maybe discover some posts that talk about the "hills of Newton" being overhyped.
Not so much. Instead, I've discovered the vast majority of the course is rolling hills and the advice of every runner I read was "Do your hill work."
Just how many hills do you think I can run in the next 10 days?
Author. Humorist. Fitness fanatic. Control freak (working on it). Mentor. Klutz. All-around decent human being.
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