Friday, March 31, 2017

Tomorrow is our longest run with the Dave's Marathon in Training Group. Glass City is in 4 weeks! *Cue butterflies*

As many know, Jim's first 1/2 marathon will be at Glass City (Owen's Corning 1/2 Marathon). I had signed up for the full marathon, initially... but when he decided to run the 1/2... the thought of being on the course and MISSING his first major race -especially after his sickness- left me torn! I found the Canton race, the following weekend after Glass City. I decided to run the 1/2 with Jim (his pace/ his race) and do Canton as my race the following weekend. I am concerned about the elevation in Canton. The distance of 26.2 is difficult enough without adding elevation (that we don't have here). While I am training with a 4:05 pace group, I will not be holding myself to a time goal in Canton-- because of the elevation. My goal is to have a strong race & finish ANYWHERE between 4:05 to 4:20. While Canton's elevation gain is less than many western trail races, it's still more elevation than we have in any Toledo road race.

That said: my marathon is really 5 weeks away. While the training group has a 22 mile run, tomorrow. I am wondering if I should do 19 (that I couldn't finish, last week) or try for the 22. The podiatrist performed a small surgery in my left foot, this week. There is a significant "chunk" out of the bottom of my foot where he "removed a foreign object" that I explained I thought was a sliver of mulch from last summer. I had performed my own (numerous) surgeries then had my local doctor also try to remove it. He finally took care of it & left me QUITE tender footed! I have been putting double Band-Aids on it for training runs, this week. A long run may require a bit more padding. The podiatrist also removed a toenail from my right foot. It was bruised & very tender. I was waiting for it to grow out so I could clip it shorter.  Before removing my socks, I apologized in advance for my "runner feet." While my feet aren't super gnarly, they aren't pedicured, either. There are super short toenails, no polish & nothing girly. The doctor probed with questions about my training, my mileage, what race I was preparing for, etc.

I came to find out, my new podiatrist is a marathon runner! He has run several until he was recently diagnosed with MS. My heart sank when he told me this. He told me about running the New York marathon this past Fall. "I wanted to try on more with MS..." He explained how difficult is was, now, & how the wheels started coming off at mile 8.  My heart was empathetic. It is the news that no runner ever wants to get & the diagnosis that every one of us would keep trying to defy.

While I was empathetic to his condition, he was also empathetic to mine. He didn't want to 'disrupt my training too much by being too aggressive with his treatment.' That said: He shaved the callous off the bottom of my foot to remove the pressure from my left foot & proceeded to clip, clip, clip my tender right toe nail. I explained my sore feet were part of the reason I couldn't finish my 19 miler the previous Saturday. I almost started crying in the chair as I questioned the rest of my training getting side railed because of a stupid sore spot on each foot. He reassured me, took care of business & distracted me with training questions as I tried not to watch the scalpel approaching the bottom of my foot. Before I knew it, he was finished & commented on how tight my feet and calves were. We discussed stretching, yoga & training. He told me how to proceed until I came back to see him in 10 days.

UNTIL those 10 days, I have two long runs scheduled. I am THINKING that I may try for a 19 miler this weekend & a 22 miler the following weekend. This will peak my mileage & follow the training plan a bit closer to my actual (personal) race after Glass City. I will SLOWLY do mileage this weekend & see where the cards land (& how my feet hold out). 19 miles is the goal with anything more as icing on the cake.

I have a plan... I'm wiser to gear & pace. I'm nervous & excited to try, this weekend. I can't say that I will qualify for Boston, this year. I CAN see me qualifying for Boston, eventually. Running with the training group has held me accountable. It has taught me about speed work and given me a mental toughness I never had before. I still doubt myself; but I am realizing that I am a LOT stronger than I was a season ago! I also have the advantage of another runner in the family, now. WHAT A BOOST this has been to my own training! Having Jim along for some of my miles has been a real relief. I've been doing this running stuff solo for so long. It was great at the beginning. I needed the alone time when our kids were small. Now, I need the time with my husband & there is nothing better than confiding in your spouse, that also happens to be your running partner, on a run. Eyes ahead... planning your future... planning a race... grateful for every anxious, hilly, sweaty mile...

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