Friday, June 26, 2009

Lessons from Boston


Two months later, and I still don't feel that happy about my Boston experience. Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda is sort of where I am now. But here is what I have learned:
Top Ten Things I've Learned about Training/Running Boston:
#10 Be realistic about your expectations on race day
#9 Get to the buses earlier than 7 a.m.
#8 Cross Training does NOT equal running
#7 Treadmill Training will NOT prepare you for the hills
#6 Treadmill Training will NOT prepare you for the hills
#5 Stick with the training program that worked best
#4 Run Long Runs outside; see # 7 and # 6
#3 Don't expect much success on 30-40 mpw training
#2 Skiing for 7 days in a row two weeks before Boston is a B-A-D idea
#1 No matter what happened leading up to race day... just embrace and enjoy the race itself!
So, that in a nutshell is where I am right now with my Boston experience. I have come to realize that my sh*tband has dominated my running/training for a year now, and I am sick and tired of it. But, going back to #10 and #3, I have also realized that until I can train easily at 30 mpw, that I can NOT think about running another marathon.... and THAT IS OK.
My running social life centers mainly around the wonderful women in the BQ Thread at RWOL, and while the support is wonderful, training advice sound, and other snippets of everyone's life so interesting, I have to remember not to get caught up in other people's training. I can still have my friends and support even though I'm not training for a marathon... at least right now.
Being a 'marathon runner' has been a label I have enjoyed having the past 3 years... and in the early 90s, but fact is, I'm a RUNNER. I would run without races, and usually my run is one of the highlights of my day. So, if it means I race 10Ks and 1/2 marathons instead of 26.2 so be it.
at least for now.....

3 comments:

L.A. Runner said...

No advice, just hugs to you. A year is a long time to deal w/ ITBS. Have you considered the surgery? I know that sounds awful, but maybe it would be a permanant cure? Good luck w/ your SHORTER racs, Runner!

Black Bear! said...

What a great blog post!

#2 = The 7 day ski trip. I wondered if that trashed you out a bit. Maybe a bottle of wine the day before the race could have negated the effects of the skiing and lack of hill training. One glass got you a nice fat PR for Pitt. More = gooder, right?

:)

Black Bear! said...

I think I got the right, "effects" vs. "affects" there...

P.S. have you ever heard of a word oviashem, I may use that in a sentence tomorrow so people think I'm smart. (It's the Google word verification word I have to type in)