FAIL
So I announced a while back that I would be participating in the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon. I wrote about how I was motivated more by the fact that I look like an angry muffin when my gut spills out over the top of my jeans than any real desire to run. I confessed that I have been afraid to sign up for a marathon because I knew my fitness has gone downhill since my one and only marathon in 2004, where I was quite pleased with my performance. I didn’t want to run another one if I wasn’t going to beat my 2004 time because then I’d have to admit to myself that I’m officially lazy & out of shape.
Fears: REALIZED
I ran (half of) the Twin Cities Marathon today. I have posted a couple times previously about how my training has not gone very well. I went into the race knowing that I would only run half of it. I hadn’t completed anywhere near enough training to run a marathon – and really, where I’m at right now, a half-marathon was a pretty good accomplishment. So I went into the race planning to drop out at Lake Nokomis, which means I didn’t receive either the finishers medal OR the t-shirt! LAME.
I held my own for about the first 2 miles…. then peeps just started passing me like nobody’s business… and continued to pass me for the entire race. I was also extremely overdressed (tell-tale sign of unpreparedness), so I was sweating like it was going out of style.
After Mile #2:
Number of people passed: 0
Number of people who buzzed right past me: several thousand
I finished (half of) the Marathon in 1:40:36 (7:41 per mile). For comparison purposes, one year ago, I ran the Sour Grapes Half Marathon (a much more challenging off-road course) in 1:35:35 (7:18 per mile) & in 2004, I ran the first half of the SLC marathon in 1:28:54 (6:47 per mile). So clearly not a personal record, but a milestone nonetheless.
Race tunes: Secret Lives of the Freemasons, My Chemical Romance, Boys Like Girls
Pre-Race meals: nothing on race-day. Gallon of soda & bucket of popcorn at the movie the night before.
Pre-race weight: 149.2
Post-race weight: 145.0 (after eating an apple and drinking 12 oz. of soda)
You can do don't worry about time as much as finishing the race. Post the results
Ah, the regrets of the marathoner. I have run just three, never making my goal of under 4 hrs, though the last was my best, around 4-15. A bum knee may prevent future runs, but I always hope for the "miracle of the knee;" how does it go–bathing in the Jordan river 7 times? Will any river do? How about my back yard koi pond?