I’m training for a marathon again – my first since injuring my foot in 2019 – which means it’s time to make a plan. Marathons don’t happen by accident nor by chance. 26.2 is a deeply intentional distance, and preparing for the race requires a combination of science, superstition, logic, preference and luck. To date … Continue reading Exit Strategy
Tag: marathon
Next Steps
Yesterday I had a good run – a really good run. It was the kind of run where mind, body and weather all cooperate. The kind of run where you dressed exactly right for the temperature. The kind of run where the only other people out are friendly or have cute dogs (or both). The … Continue reading Next Steps
In It For the Long Run
We all love a good underdog story. We love to watch the weak or underestimated rise up victoriously as David slays Goliath or Rudy sacks the quarterback in the final play of the game. We see ourselves in these underdogs, and we want to believe that we, too, could rise victoriously against all odds. Two … Continue reading In It For the Long Run
The Pains of Taper Madness
Two weeks ago I ran a mess of a 20-miler. I was exhausted, feeling low, and stuck in the mud. I questioned why I keep putting myself through the struggles of marathon training. Running hurts. It takes up all my time. I’m constantly tired and hungry (a combination that never ends well). Then last weekend … Continue reading The Pains of Taper Madness
No Mud, No Lotus
The path to success is usually by way of repetition. Musicians practice scales. Basketball players drill free throws. Students learn vocabulary words with flash cards. As we all learned in elementary school, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. We drill good behavior until it becomes second nature so that we can perform … Continue reading No Mud, No Lotus
Unprofessional
A friend and I had an argument recently. I had set an early curfew for myself to be rested for my run the next morning, but when I started to leave my friend said, "You're not a professional, you know. You don't need to be this strict about everything. It's not like you're gunning for … Continue reading Unprofessional
The Optimist
I don't consider myself an optimist. Chipper affirmations are usually met with a wince and a heavy amount of side-eye. What may be intended as positivity is received as trite, simplistic, and belittling. Oh you have a problem? Chin up, sunshine. Everything happens for a reason. Life doesn't just work out because we smile and … Continue reading The Optimist
Best Laid Plans
Plan A is lovely. Plan A is preferred. Plan A is the best intentions of our best prepared best self. There's a reason it's at the top of the list. There's also a reason why we usually end up on plan B (or C or D...). Life is too messy for Plan A. The A … Continue reading Best Laid Plans
No Alarms. No Surprises.
No. I'll pass. Thanks, but no thanks. If you were planning on inviting me to try that new restaurant, or join you at a new weightlifting class, or taste this delicious new recipe you invented, the answer is no. The marathon is next weekend, and I'm taking no risks. I'm as boring and predictable as … Continue reading No Alarms. No Surprises.
Mixing It Up
Racing is made up of lines -- starting lines, finish lines, point-to-point courses. But training for a marathon is anything but linear. Four weeks ago I completed a half marathon. Logically speaking, this means I'm halfway there for marathon training, right? Wrong. While it may have been tempting to use the 13.1 mile race as a launchpad … Continue reading Mixing It Up
Racing the Hare 