Heather and Marianne, two long-distance BRFs, are going to document their #FindYourStrong Marathon training weekly on Tuesdays. This week, they were inspired by Flackback Friday’s post on setting a marathon goal and report how that topic is feeling three weeks in.
Heather
Sonnet XVII
My husband gave me a hand-written copy of this poem within two weeks of our first date. (Smooth, right?)
Less romantically, this quote also illustrates how I feel about running goals.
When I initially started thinking about this post, my first reaction was that I don’t have a lot of experience in goal-setting. I wasn’t an athlete growing up, and I don’t think I’ve set a weight loss goal in my life. But by Google’s definition, I’ve had many – big ones, too.
Get into the top vocal program in the country: check. Get a job in product marketing at Nike: check. Leave corporate and start a career in nonprofit: check.
When it comes to life, I’m a fairly confident person. In retrospect, it was pretty brash to only apply to one music school when I wanted to transfer. When I decided to leave corporate, I didn’t line up another job first, I just quit. I took a few months off to travel and felt certain that everything would work out. But for some reason, this confidence doesn’t translate to athletic goals.
I’ve been waffling on how to approach the Wineglass marathon from the time I signed up. My competitive nature and recent increase in speed is pushing me to set a time goal. But The Blerch in me whispers that it’s absurd to have a time goal for a first marathon and I should just be happy to finish. (This is the same Blerch that jeers “big deal – everybody runs marathons these days.” He sucks.)
If you have not explored Matthew Inman’s genius running comics, you’re missing out.
In theory, running goals should be easier to hit than life goals. Unlike potty training or job searching, there’s a clear plan to follow and supposedly, if you follow that plan, you’ll hit your goal. But one lousy run and my mind goes straight to that dark, doubtful place. This week I had two of them. Tuesday’s prescribed “easy” 4 miles weren’t awful, but I felt leaden the entire time. Saturday’s long run – 12 miles – was similarly mediocre; my legs started feeling tired around mile 4. The pouring rain that arrived at mile 8 actually helped in that I stopped caring about pace and just focused on getting it done.
My biggest struggle is trusting the training plan. I understand the principle behind slowing down for the long runs. I get that the idea is to prepare your body to move for a longer stretch of time than you’re actively practicing. But when I’m feeling tired on a long run at a slower-than-race pace, it’s really difficult to feel optimistic about an even longer run at an even faster pace.
Despite all these head games, I’m hitting my training paces on the nose. And my BFF thinks I’m being ridiculous:
The last sentence read “I am not being sarcastic.”
I guess it’s time to free my official goal from that secret space between the shadow and the soul. To decide that, like my life goals, I’m just going to make it happen. To trust the training plan and the smart woman that made it.
So without further ado, I’m putting it out there:
Sub-4:00:00.
Let’s do this.
Marianne
Here’s how I’m feeling about my only-want-to-finish goal at the moment.
I’ve just returned from the week 3 long run. I’m exploring some new roads and trusting that I can find my way home (and check google maps when I get nervous). I added a few park loops and got treated to some water.
You might not guess there is a busy road right behind me.
Even better, my steady pace felt like I was moving but not suffering. Yet it was almost as fast as my Wednesday tempo pace (10:30) that felt hard. I know, objectively, my legs were in different places. Today they were well rested having been stretched by gentle yoga Wednesday afternoon and then treated to an off day on Thursday. In contrast, Wednesday’s tempo followed a HIIT class I was still feeling days later (so. many. squats.) and then an easy 4 on Tuesday. It’s also possible that Strava gave me some bonus mileage so my average was more like an 11:00 instead of the 10:40 it claimed I managed.
No matter what was real, I certainly wasn’t running at the 11:27 that will be used by the 5 hour pacer. I was closer to that of the 4:40:00 (10:41). And I wasn’t racing, I was running.
I registered for Wineglass in December with the idea that finishing was fine enough. But the winter #NoLimits half training showed me I have a lot of room for growth. One appealing element of going for 4:40:00 is that my training runs will take less time. As it is, today’s run was a 3.5 hour affair. In addition to the 2:20:00 of running, I woke up 30 minutes early to have something to eat and get all my fuel and hydration ready. (Today was Espresso Love and Tri Berry GU plus one bottle of Nuun and two of water, should you be into such details.) Then I walked a bit to cool down at the end.
And then there’s the post run litany to keep my body happy. Last week’s trip to the (amazing, wonderful, genius) chiropractor, Dr. Courtney Centrelli, revealed that I was getting tight glutes and calves. So in addition to my usual plan of rolling, icing, foot drills, and stretching I have been adding in the step stretch and pigeon pose.
Pro Compression socks before it hits 86 outside.
I usually don’t mind this extensive regimen because I have eaten more race fees than I care to admit, often due to injury, but it does add significant post run time. So part of me says just finishing at all should be enough. But another part says if you’re going for it, why not really go for it?
And that part of my brain that is not so kind says “If you don’t push it, it doesn’t really count because it’s not hard enough.” You know, because running 26.2 miles isn’t enough to count as a worthy accomplishment. (Side note: this same voice says as such regarding being one and done with children, making decisions about work, quantity of volunteer commitments. quality of potluck contributions, etc.) Perhaps I should take a hint from the Runners World email I got today promising “Run Your First Marathon and Enjoy It” and let that be enough?
Readers, how do you decide when it is enough when it comes to goal setting?
I really believe a first marathon can have a time goal but it should not be your A or B goal. Your A goal is to finish. Your B goal is to have fun. Your C goal is your time goal.
Wineglass can be a challenge if you are used to a lot of spectators at your races. Be prepared for a cow to be the on’y spectator at some point. Also, be prepared for any type of weather. It could be in the upper 30s at the start or raining the whole race or in the 80s. You never know.
I think when time goals overshadow the ultimate goal (fun) it’s time to toss time out the window. My goal for my next race is to encourage others along the way rather than focusing on myself.
Nicki, will the cow have a sign at least? Good thoughts from you and Randi, thanks!
First thing first, I LOVE that quote….but it is not give it to me within a few weeks of dating material at all….I wonder what he was thinking. I love that you ladies have pretty different time goals, but are still sort of training together, if not side by side then virtually. I think you should have a rough time goal, but really the primary goal should be to finish that first marathon while enjoying it… going into it as prepared as possible and injury free, and then whatever happens happens… Enjoying following your journey.
I don’t know about knocking off 40 min from a projected first marathon time…I’m with the others in really just seeing how it plays out as you go. Have fun!