It was last year at about this time when I ran 9 miles for a Special Olympics fundraiser. I had run this event three times before to do my small part in helping those less fortunate. The day after this run the realization that I had never reached my goal of running a marathon surfaced. Sure, I had thought about it over the years and even took to running quite steadily during the time when the girls were in diapers and we lived in Oregon City. Then, I ran along the evening street-lit neighborhoods. I enjoyed running at night as there was less traffic, noise and a recurring feeling of "play" that I experienced as a child.
Soon after the Special Olympics event I set my goal to run, at age 42, the 2009 Portland Marathon. I went a little crazy planning for my goal which included a spending spree for equipment. I purchased a new Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS running/training watch. I went to REI and Nike stores and purchased running shoes (Two pair actually - Asics 2140 GT's) and all the apparel needed to assist me with my goal - when, in reality, all one really needs to run is an old pair of shorts, shoes, and t-shirt. However, there is something to say about the motivation that is created by believing that these legitimate running items (and the cost commitment) were specifically made to help performance.
So, with my new equipment in hand and a marathon training schedule I received from a fellow-runner at work, I plotted my course to run the marathon. This "course plotting" was easy when I discovered a website called Buckeyeoutdoors.com and a podcast called "Phidipidations". Buckeyeoutdoors is a terrific website that is free and tracks/schedules/monitors your workouts and is has a social tool where you can join challenges and interact with other runners. This year I joined a challenge to run 1000 miles and I'd better get busy because of this date I've only 37 runs at 237.9 miles. The Garmin watch syncs with Buckeyeoutdoors which also provides some level of motivation and enjoyment of tracking progress and feeling like I'm doing my part keeping up with the digital revolution.
My marathon training plan came from Runner's World magazine and was a 16 week plan tailored for those runners who don't have the time to properly train for a marathon - Well, I had very little choice because I needed a plan that was 4 months in duration and I could only hope I had enough natural athletic ability to get me through the training, let alone the finish line in downtown Portland.
This plan called for increasingly longer runs on the weekends building up to a 22 mile "long run" a few weeks before the race. I created courses throughout my neighborhood and on the Springwater Trail. About half- way through the training I injured myself (sprained ankle) during a run at Ramona Falls trail. That injury sidelined me for almost two weeks. Once I could run again (albeit slower) I again experienced a much more serious injury. I had pinched a nerve in my back during a field mowing session on the ole John Deer tractor. I had run over a large mound while being relaxed in the seat. The pinched nerve didn't reveal itself until the next day and I could barely walk without pain. This injury sidelined me for about two weeks and prompted me to email the race organizers to ask for a refund - I was told no.
“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be”
~ Dr. George Sheehan
So, with almost a month cut from a four month training plan, I again set out to finish the training and run the race. I picked up the schedule where I "should have been" rather than where I currently was i.e. week 10 rather than week 6. This re-schedule was more cause to again get injured. Fortunately, the longer than expected runs only resulted in the loss of a couple toenails during cases of black toe.
My running of the Portland Marathon was a special experience that I'll never forget. The girls ran the kids-version of the marathon with J and high-5'd me near the finish line. My goals for the race were to finish without walking, finish, and run under 4 hours. I reached all three goals and lived to write about it.
After the marathon I maintained a sporadic running calendar. I wanted to maintain a good running base but really have only maintained some moderate base. However this base should help me as I prepare for my second running of the Portland Marathon on October 10, 2010 - Today (May 30, 2010) I begin by first trying to replenish some of my running base and then on June 20 I begin the 16 week program once more.
This time, I hope to train according to schedule and push the training runs so that I can set a PR. When I was contemplating this plan last week I got interested in the thought of trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon which is next April 18. To reduce my time by 35 minutes and about 1 minute, 30 seconds per mile is not realistic and would require not only advanced training (which I have little time) but a bit of luck in the injury department. At this point, I'm going to just see where my existing training plan will lead.
I'd be happy to once again finish the race.
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