Yes, you read that correctly. Two marathons in seven days. I blame my running friends. They are a bad influence. "You'll already be trained" they said. "You'll be a Marathon Maniac-Double Agent Status!" they said. "O.K." I said, and signed up. We trained just like we should, starting with about a group of five. Don't let anyone tell you different. Training for such craziness should only be done with equally crazy friends, and as you can see from the arm twisting, I have them in spades. It ABSOLUTELY makes marathon training...o.k. Because, let's be honest, who really enjoys getting up early for weeks on end and running for hours in the cold, dark, sleet, rain and whatever else mother nature and fate can throw at you. My running friends are awesome. You really can't find better.
On one of our long runs it sleeted. Of course. The only thing missing was hills. Another long run, it was COLD-at least for Virginia. It's all relative, right?
The good news is it didn't look like this...
(This is my hometown BTW-Maine. As I said, its all relative.)
Most of our runs were good conversation and hashing out the nerves about running two marathons so close together. The pain train seemed to be hitting everyone. It was one of those training cycles. Disappointed, but good running friends that they are, they were still along for the ride, to offer wisdom and encouragement, and a little poop talk when needed.
The first marathon up would be Tobacco Road. I heard about hills and rail trails. It was going to be a lot like the West Virginia half I ran that I still HATE to this day. Doing double the time and double the distance on something I hated made be nervous. I promised myself I wouldn't judge, just run and try to enjoy it. The best part of this race would be that my BRF would be running the half and I would have the chance for some running travel with her again. The half and the whole would start together and then there would be a split a few miles in.
The hotel was fine, dinner was yummy, washed down with a little sangria, but no one seemed to sleep well. We were up, tired and I didn't have enough coffee. However, I did bring cheerios to try to get some breakfast in me. Always the hardest part of the run for me. My tummy and mornings just to mix well.
Before the sun was completely up, the gun went off and up we went. When is it a good idea to start a marathon on a hill?-NEVER. The good news was that it was a big up. Up we went and around a corner, then down. I love down hills. Its the only reason to run up them. Down you go, skipping a little and waving loose like a muppet. Total freedom. Kermit would be proud.
A while back I had decided to race the first marathon and just try to finish the second. Race it (for me) I did. Right up to about mile twenty. It was a pretty train on a soft old rail trail. Lots of gentle inclines that seems to go forever, but then you got to go down. You could tell by your own breathing just how steep each incline was and when it started to go down. Since none of them were steep, for the most part it didn't bother my pace. I was running a 2:1 interval and tried to just keep running on the down hills to make the most of it. My running partner and I were well ahead of the 5:30:00 pacer which was my ultimate goal. I kept pushing too afraid that 5:30:00 monster would catch me. I had to take at least 5 minutes off my best marathon time. When you are a slower runner, 5 minutes is huge.
We hit mile 18 and I started to get toe cramps. Like a Charlie horse but in your toe. Stops you in your tracks and I had to take my shoe off to work it out. Once better, I started up again at the same hard pace. I was determined not to let it stop me. At about mile 20 I had to tell my running partner to go ahead. At mile 22 I just needed to finish. If I didn't push, no toe cramps. If I pushed they cramped. The soft ground combined did me in. I watched the 5:30:00 guy catch then pass me. I wanted to cry, but couldn't get the cramping to stop unless I slowed it down. One of the girls from my running group was volunteering since she couldn't run having been taken out by an injury towards the end of the training cycle. I was never so glad to see anyone. She walked with me a bit, added some words of encouragement (I really do have awesome running friends) and sent me off to finish.
At the last couple of miles I ran into a girl we had met at the beginning. This was her first marathon and she looked done. We had been at a pace that was faster then she wanted to go at the beginning to we lost her, but here she was at the end. I caught up and told her she could do it. Told her 2 and 1's to the end. We had this. Up hill (remember we went down at the beginning, well now we had to go up that) little by little. We passed a few people because a lot were walking up the hill, but we kept up the chatter and the 2:1 and we finished. I was proud for her. Nothing beats your first marathon. Nothing. My amazing friends were there to cheer for me as I crossed the finish. I didn't beat the 5:30:00 monster but I finished. I blew my friends a kiss and walked it off until they met me.
Seven days later and I was ready for Shamrock. The second marathon in seven days. Crazy at its best. I admit, I love it. Hard, crazy and I have to try. Its like being told you can't do something so you have to go do it to prove them wrong. In sports, that's ok. Other things, not so much.
This was a race I just wanted to enjoy. I had run it before, it was close to home and I could sleep in my own bed the night before. I got there, parked and walk to the start. My friend was volunteering again so I went to find her so she would tell me being crazy was good. I had run all week. I intentionally didn't run...well, maybe a few miles. She told me I was indeed crazy and we chatted. It was just another race, right? Finally it was time to find my corral, which I did after running into some other friends at the potty like and on the way to the corral. I am part of an amazing group of women called Moms Run This Town. At any given local race, I run into some of them and they are all amazingly supportive of each other. 5k, 10k full marathon, doesn't matter, they always encourage. My running partner from last time came with the hubby this time so I didn't seen her until she showed up in the corral. We agreed we were just in it to finish and take it easy. Off we went and that's exactly what we did. Took it easy.
We stopped for beer, mimosas, extra walk breaks and amazingly, I felt good. I was truly just enjoying it. At about mile 18 another friend biked out to find us. She assured us we were actually hauling butt. That our chip times (she founds us from our splits) looked really good. Huh. There really is something to just relaxing while you run. Now how the heck do you make that happen every other run?
My "Where is that darn lighthouse?!" Selfie -haha!
Photo courtesy of Heidi S.
We finished up and my time for the second marathon, while not my best, was actually better then the first one seven days ago! (I will take my victory where I can.) TWO marathons in SEVEN days. I am one tough chick.
Just to make it crazier, in seven more days I had a half marathon on the calendar...say what?!
