I Might Be Crazy

Call it a post-race high . . . or just insanity. But yesterday afternoon I registered (again) for the Wineglass FULL Marathon that's being held on October 5th this year in Corning, NY. I'm sure many of you remember how both of us registered last year for this race after writing a long, rambling post about if that 26.2 sticker ever expires.

Then we eventually switched over to the half. Then life got crazy and we skipped the race altogether.

// WHY?!?!?!

I don't know why I feel compelled to do another marathon. I have this love-hate relationship with the distance. Well, minus the love. I think a lot of my fascination has to do with my last attempt, where I earned my first DNF at a race ever. It was a horrible experience, and I suppose I've been waiting all these years for my redemption run.

What's different about my commitment this year is that Stephen has graciously offered not to race that weekend -- at all, which is rare. We do mostly the same races, and in the past I've worried that marathon training would push our family over the edge. I know lots of couples with kids who can train for mega-distance, but the whole idea puts my world order out of whack. Gives me anxiety and is, thus, counterproductive to my training. So, I am thankful we won't be juggling 20-milers while passing our toddler (preschooler?) back and forth between us.

And on race today, Ada will be with Stephen . . . so I don't need a second worry there either.

I also know for certain that after the race is crossed off my list, we'd like to go for baby number 2. So, this is a last hoorah race of sorts. I know myself, and I know after we have another baby, doing a full marathon won't be comfortable until another almost 3 years later. (If ever, honestly.) Half marathons aren't too much to muster with sleepless nights and breastfeeding and other mishaps, etc.

But fulls? Yikes. No thank you.


// GOALS

As for goals, I've made grand declarations in the past of busting through the 4-hour mark. (My PR is 4:10:40, and I've trained for three races, but only laced up to two and completed 1 due to injury.) A crazy calculator armed with my three latest race times said I could finish in 3:28, to which I nearly fell off my seat laughing.

Obviously I'd love to run a strong time, but I think this marathon business is more about the training and the process versus the race itself. This is something huge I'm doing just for me before my body and mind are again shared for months/years. It feels selfish knowing I'll need so many hours to train, but now's the time to do it.

// TRAINING

That being said, I want to train properly. I will likely follow some hybrid of Hal Higdon's Intermediate I plan with possibly a day of cross-training in place of one of the easy runs. The main mission is to avoid injury, and I'm already in better shape this year versus last in that regard. (At last year's half marathon race, I felt like my IT-band was going to snap at the finish line. This year? No pain.)

Last year I had tossed around the idea of trying one of those 3-day plans, but I'm no so sure about that. I'd love to hear more experiences with those programs, which are intended to lessen risk of injury and use lots of cross-trianing to keep up cardiovascular endurance.

Whatever I do, I'm running another MARATHON . . . and this time I have no excuse but to finish the darn thing. I woke up today feeling slightly insane and a lot unsure of myself. Oh, and $100 poorer. But I'm hoping to share bits and pieces along the way and hopefully gain some friends and build confidence through chatting with those of you in the same boat!

Anyone else registered for a fall full? Even Wineglass? Training begins in like a month!

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