Whew.
Tomorrow is the big day. The Team Ortho Marathon. Typing this stuff out seems, I dunno, kinda silly. I mean, people don't gaze in awe when you tell them I'm not "running a marathon". I'm "Running a HALF marathon".
So to recap.
A little over 3 months ago my S.O. informs me that she wants to train for a half-marathon. I tell her I'd do it with her. We train. We do a 10K as a test. We're here.
I won't lie, I've been a little hesitant. Even going so far as to ponder whether I was gonna race at all. Mostly because while I'm impressed and supportive of my friends who've completed marathons in the past- It's never been something that has interested me. At all. And I was quite content with my 2-3 mile jogs to keep aerobicized. And then I thought "Fuck it. If Moda is gonna do it, I'll show my support". Yeah. Sovereignty.
And after our initial training the 10K ended up being ridiculously harder than expected, effing up my lower back and her hip, and the cause of countless foam roller appearances. And I started thinking...You know? It's all good and well on a runners forum, or in a book, magazine, etc. Everyone has advice. But my stupid anti-establishment nature hate being told what the fuck to do, especially when I don't actively seek the advice. It becomes evident that everyone who has ran a marathon has an opinion (And they're like superstitious pitchers. "I always rub a teaspoon of cayenne pepper on my bellybutton before a run" or "Eat a half a cup of Doritos with a shot of espresso"...UGH! ADVICE) on what's best... and my biggest things are "Okay. I know" and..."This hasn't prevented me from discovering a lot about this kind of training at age 35". For example:
-Fuck all.. I'm fatter and more out of shape than I was hoping to be. I knew 2 years ago when I needed to start investing in husky boy jeans that age was not my friend. When I started training, I vainly hoped that it'd start returning me to a more svelte physique. If anything, it depressed the shit out of me. Carbs are our friend? Yeah. They're sitting like two pretty after burners on my side exhaust ports. That rest uncomfortably over my jeans.
-I fucking hurt. All the time. As soon as the mileage started adding up during training I was discovering new levels of discomfort. I was happy enough that it wasn't the knee's, ankles, or hips but when my back jacked I was pissed. I noticed the pretty fluidity that martial arts training and stretching gave way to a more practical tension, even one you kind of start to enjoy. (Insert goofy "coiled spring" analogy) In fact, I proved my own point when I douche-ily played softball a few weeks back.
We'd just finished our outdoor PR (3 of the Lake Chains) and I was doing a quick survey and thought "no shit. A month ago I wouldn't have been able to walk to the car. Yeah, I'm sore. Yeah, we stopped a few times to stretch. But we made it, and in a pretty GD decent time. Moreover I don't feel like I'm gonna fall over. We win."
Then my stupid ass plays softball/kickball and strains...maybe pulls both of my hamstrings. The next day I could barely stand at work and realized that (A) I'm old and (B) The static to motion running/sprinting was different than the timed pacing I'd adopted. That Monday, I was chagrined at my condition...and as the lowest of lows I was chagrined that I was gonna have to consider not running. After 2 days of rest, I tried for a light lope around the nabe and I didn't get more than two blocks when pain shot so far through my hip I almost had to sit down on someones retaining wall. I made it a mile and a half, took two ibuprofen, and flipped off my body.
And then...I won't lie, after two days of walking around like I had a load in my pants I ended up saying "eff it" (again) and trying to walk normally. During our taper week, I managed to go 6+ miles (after two stretches and a walk up the high hill) on what will be part of our course tomorrow. And felt fine afterwards. And so I've lifted, tapered (ending in a little under 5 miles the other day) and last night met run buddies at Buca to carb up.
Because...well eff it. I will finish the race.
I'm weird. I know. I don't need a memo. But for all my griping, I want to finish. I will finish. Even if it's crawling on my elbows and knees. And for the first time in the last 3 months of training I've had nothing in my brain but "I'm going to do this and I will not stop until I've crossed the finish line". Mind, it's only been within the last 24 hours I've thought this. But I'm lazy. My winning internal montage music doesn't start until the last minute anyway. Conservation of energy and all.
In closing...for those readers still involved in my musings, my last minute strategies:
I've lifted weights super heavy this week. Super heavy. Even for me. Upper body only. (The lower body had some foam rolling and rehab work on my flexors, quads, and hammies...but tapered by Wednesday) Why? Well if my upper body is sore...I won't give a shit about sore legs. Ha HA! (Awaits naysayers complaints)
I trimmed my mane. Nothing makes you more aerodynamic than a new haircut. Grooming is a MUST for any serious runner. And I mean that in all aspects. You know what I'm sayin?
Everything is layed out. Including the epsom salts my mom gave me last week at the cabin for post-run soakings.
Carbed up 2 days in advanced. Ideally, this will make for a proper glucose and a longer lasting "burn".
My magically enhanced bandana is being washed.
I'm running this one for dad again. The way I see it, life is fuck-all short. And this is an experience I want to have. Like trying squid or hang gliding. Never done it/tried it? Well why the hell not?
Lastly..and this is doofy, but at the gym today some kid was wearing a t-shirt that had a mantra I plan on stealing and keeping:
Losers Complain
Winners Train
Well hell's yes.
I'll see you at the finish line, friends. Do me a favor and if you're up (or not puking) at 7am cop a squat on the race route and cheer on the runners. The one thing I'd never thought of in a million years is how awesome (and it is SERIOUSLY AWESOME) it is to have random people screaming "good job". So big brother? Sorry about not attending more cross-country meets.
(Idiot Edit...I post so infrequently that I can't always remember when I sound like a broken record. If anyone wants to catch up on my "April Jittery Run Rant" it's right here. Dumb ass me...http://happychristmasbaby.blogspot.com/2010/04/and-i-was-running.html)
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