Marine Corp Marathon Training is Complete Yet Incomplete

When I began running and participating in races I was very diligent with my training. I would follow the training plan to the T. But lately I have been veering from that plan and cutting corners with my long runs especially. I consistently get in 3-5 runs per week, but I am not running a 23-26 mile run prior to the marathon as Jeff Galloway’s training plans suggest.

There are several reasons for that. One is because mentally I burn out when doing 23+ miles prior to my race. The second is because I am having issues with my right leg and I think it is my IT band acting up. Third I just haven’t had as much time. That never was an excuse I would never let get in my way before.

My last run was on Friday and my intent was to do 20 miles. I walked the first half mile to warm up my leg. Then I began my 30/30 intervals. I was doing ok until mile 3 when my Garmin watch lost power. Just before I left my house I grabbed my watch and it was almost dead. I charged what I could and brought the cord and a portable charger with me. I didn’t expect to need it that soon into the run. I plugged it in to charge and used runkeeper for a while. But I didn’t have intervals working. I ended up needing to download an interval app so that I had audible cues when to do my walk/runs.

At first it was frustrating not having my watch working. But then I wasn’t keeping track of the distance as much. So there was a little relief. I wasn’t constantly checking it and doing the math in my head to guess what time I would finish and how much more time did I have left to go. It was a freeing feeling not monitoring that information.

I mapped out a route before I left the house so I thought it would be doing somewhere between 11-13 before I looped back to my house and started the last half of the run. When I got home and refilled my water and ice I checked my map online and completed 13. That was a relief. I only had 7 miles left. Instead of the route I had planned out for the last section I decided to stick to my route closer to home. I didn’t want to go too far in case I started to have issues as I was getting towards the end of the run.

Strangely, my feet were hurting me the most. I was doing more walking than running at times so I don’t know if that was the cause. It was bothering me quite a bit. I hope that won’t be an issue on race day.

I ended up cutting the training run a mile short because I ran out of road and I also felt like I was out there the entire day!  I was out there from 10:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon.

After I finished I had my chocolate milk and showered and sat down to do some work for a little bit and to put my feet up. That felt good but I didn’t want to get stiff sitting around. Everything was ok and I wasn’t having many serious issues with my IT band.

The following days were good. I had some stiffness but it was the kind that feels good when you push yourself. I didn’t push myself in terms of speed but I was pushing myself to go farther than I have since January.

After I completed the run I was glad it was over but I still feel incomplete or unprepared for this race. This is the Marine Corp marathon. I feel like I am disrespecting the race. I have to Beat the Bridge so the roads can be reopened by 1:00 p.m.  So if I can do that I won’t be as scared. I am running it with friends who also have the same goal of surviving so I am hoping we can all cross the line together.

Depending on how things go with this race will determine what I decide to do next year. When I finish this race I need to maintain my mileage through November and December for the Dopey Challenge in January. That means 2 more 20 milers at least. Marine Corp Marathon was on my bucket list along with the Chicago marathon and NYC.  So I will leave it up to fate to determine if I will be training again next year for those races in addition to my Disney marathon in January.