Sunday, Dad and I ran the Apple Harvest Festival 5 Mile Road Race. This race has special meaning to us because it is the first race we ran together when I was 9 years old. The course is the same as when I was 9 and I have run it hundreds of times because the starting line is a couple hundred yards from our front door. I know the course like the back of my hand and could probably run it with my eyes closed. I know the uphills, downhills and exactly where the mile-markers are.
Sunday was humid and overcast with a misty rain in the morning, but weather doesn't bother us- we've done a 20 mile run in a wind storm. Going into the race dad promised he'd let me set the pace, so I did. We ran our first mile in 7:57, and I had a feeling dad was not having a great day. He had run 41 miles last week, so naturally, he was tired and sub-8 minute miles was going to be tough, especially considering the hills on the route between miles 2 and 3. So, on we ran, completing mile 2 in 8:01. Then we get to the hills- that we trained on a few weeks ago doing repeats- and I knew what needed to be done. My plan was to leave people behind on those hills, and I did. My dad stayed a bit behind me and kept telling me to go, but I couldn't. If there was one person I wasn't leaving on the hills it was my dad. So, I eased up and we got through them to realize later that nobody passed us out there and we passed out a good amount of people- if you aren't read for them- they are killer. We were coming up on mile 3 and dad said, "Amy, go, you can finish this is under 39 minutes, I can't." I, of course, said "no!" He again said to go, but I refused and got a bit teary eyed because he wasn't getting it. He didn't realize that I'd rather finish a race with him than PR on a 5 miler. This can be compared to the fact that instead of trying to qualify for Boston this fall, Dad is running the Hartford Marathon with me- because he'd rather run with me than qualify for Boston.
So, on we went, 2 miles left and dad asked me to ease up- and I thought I did! We completed mile 4 in 7:46 and had one more killer hill in mile 5, but still ran mile 5 at a 7:28 pace. I didn't break 39 minutes, but I had a 10 second PR, which is fine with me! Yes, I flew down the last stretch and didn't even see AJ and Meg on the side cheering me on- I was in the zone. Dad ran after me to yells of "Don't let a girl beat you!" And when AJ and Meg told the person that I was his daughter- he said "all the more reason!" But, that didn't matter. What mattered was that we finished with each other and that is all I wanted. I made a choice and I know if I left my dad to get a PR, I would have regreted that choice. There will be plenty of races that I can get a PR in, but when given the choice- I'd rather finish with my Dad.
Until next time- Happy Running!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Hartford Marathon
Once again, it has been a while since I have been written, but the day has come that a constant stream of posts can again be expected. You see, last night on the news, they had a story about marathon diets and mentioned the Hartford Marathon is a mere 5 weeks away. Now, to most, 5 weeks seems like a long time. It is 35 days or a month and a week, hell it is 1176 hours (and if I did the math wrong, don't tell me- I'm no math teacher). And to most that just seems like a ton of time. . . but any marathoner would agree that 5 weeks is not much. That gives you time for one more long run, hopefully of 20 miles and then time to taper and get ready for the big day.
I was ok with the 5 weeks, honestly. Then, I opened up my inbox and had a registration confirmation saying I had been registered for the marathon. Now, most are probably thinking, "wait, didn't you register yourself so you know that was coming?" Good question, however, my dad being the awesome dad and coach he is, if we run a race together, he registers us. And he didn't mention it on our run today that he would be registering us. Then again, that would give me time to answer the "Are we running Hartford?" question with a simple, "I'd like to." However, he didn't give me that option- yet another reason why my father is such a great coach. He KNOWS I can do it, so it isn't even a question of "if" we are going to run it- it is just that we will and whatever happens happens.
So, here I am, 5 weeks before the Hartford Marathon. These blogs will be much different from the ones 5 weeks before the Disney Marathon because now, I know what is coming. I know that I will face 26.2 miles and I know what to expect. It was nice being a first time marathoner. People can tell you what to expect, but you don't understand it until you run it. Until you pound the pavement for 26.2 miles and until you cross that finish line. It isn't until your foot crosses and you have to think "stop running" to yourself that you can fully understand what a marathon is like. It is hell. It is torture. It is pain like no other. But despite all of that, it is one of the most rewarding things, if not the most, that I have ever done. There is nothing like crossing the line and having a medal put around your neck and saying "I did it." And maybe I still have a skewed vision of the marathon because despite how bad it was, I know I can do it again, but maybe that is better. There is a saying that says you cannot run another marathon until you forget how bad your last one felt. That is not to say that I have forgotten the pain, because I haven't, in fact when I think back on the pain, I distinctly remember a part in the marathon when all I wanted to do was sit down. It was after the out and back before heading into Hollywood studios. We were going up a ramp and there was a DJ playing "YMCA" and putting my hands over my head to do it was like lifting the Great Wall of China. But, I did it and I remember how I felt. But I will use that to get me through the next 26.2. My only goal here is to beat my last time. If the weather works in our favor, I think it can get done. But if it doesn't, then we make adjustments and hope for good weather in Disney.
I guess my biggest challenge is that I will run Hartford on October 11 and exactly three months later, I will run Disney. I think that is a challenge in itself. But all in all, despite everything, the real, and perhaps best reason I am doing it and looking forward to it is that I'll again be doing it with my dad at my side.
Happy Running!
I was ok with the 5 weeks, honestly. Then, I opened up my inbox and had a registration confirmation saying I had been registered for the marathon. Now, most are probably thinking, "wait, didn't you register yourself so you know that was coming?" Good question, however, my dad being the awesome dad and coach he is, if we run a race together, he registers us. And he didn't mention it on our run today that he would be registering us. Then again, that would give me time to answer the "Are we running Hartford?" question with a simple, "I'd like to." However, he didn't give me that option- yet another reason why my father is such a great coach. He KNOWS I can do it, so it isn't even a question of "if" we are going to run it- it is just that we will and whatever happens happens.
So, here I am, 5 weeks before the Hartford Marathon. These blogs will be much different from the ones 5 weeks before the Disney Marathon because now, I know what is coming. I know that I will face 26.2 miles and I know what to expect. It was nice being a first time marathoner. People can tell you what to expect, but you don't understand it until you run it. Until you pound the pavement for 26.2 miles and until you cross that finish line. It isn't until your foot crosses and you have to think "stop running" to yourself that you can fully understand what a marathon is like. It is hell. It is torture. It is pain like no other. But despite all of that, it is one of the most rewarding things, if not the most, that I have ever done. There is nothing like crossing the line and having a medal put around your neck and saying "I did it." And maybe I still have a skewed vision of the marathon because despite how bad it was, I know I can do it again, but maybe that is better. There is a saying that says you cannot run another marathon until you forget how bad your last one felt. That is not to say that I have forgotten the pain, because I haven't, in fact when I think back on the pain, I distinctly remember a part in the marathon when all I wanted to do was sit down. It was after the out and back before heading into Hollywood studios. We were going up a ramp and there was a DJ playing "YMCA" and putting my hands over my head to do it was like lifting the Great Wall of China. But, I did it and I remember how I felt. But I will use that to get me through the next 26.2. My only goal here is to beat my last time. If the weather works in our favor, I think it can get done. But if it doesn't, then we make adjustments and hope for good weather in Disney.
I guess my biggest challenge is that I will run Hartford on October 11 and exactly three months later, I will run Disney. I think that is a challenge in itself. But all in all, despite everything, the real, and perhaps best reason I am doing it and looking forward to it is that I'll again be doing it with my dad at my side.
Happy Running!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
