There's a belief among some runners that if your last training run before your marathon sucks...it's a sign that you're going to have a good race on event day. Oh, please, running gods...make it true.I have had a crazy work schedule of late, making it hard for me to find the time to get my last long training run for the Santa Barbara International Marathon in. In a last ditch effort to accomplish same, this morning I headed out for a 14-miler. I did 3 miles yesterday on the dreadmill, and apparently that gym session left me with little reserves for the task at hand.
The weather was beautiful. Crisp and cool, not a cloud to be seen over San Francisco Bay.
Today's course was from my house, through Richmond to the Starbucks in Pt. Richmond, and back. I bundled up, with running beanie, windbreaker, gloves, and my armband radio, tuned to the Stephanie Miller Show.
It's not uncommon for my legs to not be into a run right off...or my mind to take some coaxing to really get on board. This morning both were betraying me. It took about 4 miles til my legs actually seemed to completely give in to my intention to run. They went along somewhat happily until I got to the Starbucks, where I decided to grab a quick coffee, hoping it would provide the boost I needed to get home. Once I hit the road again, the legs just never regained their momentum. It was like pushing cement pillars uphill. On top of that, my head could think of nothing but being finished.
Somehow, I ground it out. Seriously, I do not know how. At the end I could not believe that in just another week and a half I'm going to do what I did today AND another 12 miles. I could not imagine going another 12 feet today.
So, I have posted 17 miles in the last two days. It's my custom to put in a 20 miler two weeks before the marathon. I hope this week's efforts suffice for December 6th, when the 12 in 12 winds up.
Gotta run!
Gotta run!
6 comments:
Oh yeah, the suckier the training run the better you will do in the marathon. That's just how it works. I'm just impressed that despite how your legs felt, you kept going. I probably would have called someone from the Starbucks to come get me.
@shutup i thought about it...seriously! cheers.
Hey - looks like you live near Club Mallard....
My last long run before Fresno was horribly slow. No worries.
I am surre that the forklore will hold true & this means that you will have an awesome marathon run for your last of the 12 in 12. I love that picture by the way, you seem to have prettier running scenery than I do!
john...mallard's right up the street!
I'm appreciate your writing skill.Please keep on working hard.^^
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