I'm back
It's good to be back. I enjoyed the holidays with my cousins. Unfortunately, the food was very good, and I have no self control. Since there are another four days of holiday feasting coming up in the next few weeks, I really have to be better.
Running on their treadmill last night, I felt like I was carrying ten pounds of roast. (Which I kind of was.) I ran 9 miles, and it was pretty tough. I used to run a lot more on treadmills, but since my landlord doesn't let me use mine (he lives underneath me), I've really been outdoors for almost every run. I found the treadmill pretty boring. At least if they would have had cable, I could have watched hockey. Instead I watched the kids battling it out in baseball on the GameCube. At least I had my iPod...
One of things I managed to accomplish, was to confirm one of Steve Runner's observations. In this week's podcast he says how his non running friends seem impressed that he's run marathons, but don't really seem to grasp how far 26.2 miles really is. I generally find the same thing. Since I'm constantly talking about this marathon, it's interesting to see people's responses. My cousins appeared only mildly interested, and certainly not very impressed. (The younger ones thought they were making fun of me by saying I was going to "lose" in the marathon.) However, when I ran 9 miles on the treadmill, they kept coming in and asking "how long are you going to keep running for?" When I got off after an hour and a half, completely drenched, they all thought that I had set the world record for distance running right there. One of them even asked if I had just run the "26 miles". When I told them the marathon was three times as long as what I had just run, I think that's when it sunk in what a marathon is. Now they might even turn on the TV on marathon day...
Anyway... My left shin is bothering me a little more. I know it's from increasing mileage, but it's really not that bad. I'm hoping I could withstand another two weeks of high mileage before the taper. I'm going to continue to be really diligent with stretching and icing. I only plan to run three times a week. Long on Sunday, medium long on Wednesday, and medium short on Friday. (Part of this schedule is forced because of all the holidays coming up.) With this plan I have a few days of rest after the long run, and the shorter midweek run just before the long run. The "20" is a week from Sunday, and then I start the taper. I think I'm looking forward to that taper a little too much. ;-)
I have a lot of work to catch up on everyone else's blogs. I'm also looking forward to this weekend, when quite a few races are happening. In particular, Dianna and April Anne are running in the Hartford Marathon, while Wil, Susan, and many others are running in Chicago. I'm looking forward to reading the race reports.
Running on their treadmill last night, I felt like I was carrying ten pounds of roast. (Which I kind of was.) I ran 9 miles, and it was pretty tough. I used to run a lot more on treadmills, but since my landlord doesn't let me use mine (he lives underneath me), I've really been outdoors for almost every run. I found the treadmill pretty boring. At least if they would have had cable, I could have watched hockey. Instead I watched the kids battling it out in baseball on the GameCube. At least I had my iPod...
One of things I managed to accomplish, was to confirm one of Steve Runner's observations. In this week's podcast he says how his non running friends seem impressed that he's run marathons, but don't really seem to grasp how far 26.2 miles really is. I generally find the same thing. Since I'm constantly talking about this marathon, it's interesting to see people's responses. My cousins appeared only mildly interested, and certainly not very impressed. (The younger ones thought they were making fun of me by saying I was going to "lose" in the marathon.) However, when I ran 9 miles on the treadmill, they kept coming in and asking "how long are you going to keep running for?" When I got off after an hour and a half, completely drenched, they all thought that I had set the world record for distance running right there. One of them even asked if I had just run the "26 miles". When I told them the marathon was three times as long as what I had just run, I think that's when it sunk in what a marathon is. Now they might even turn on the TV on marathon day...
Anyway... My left shin is bothering me a little more. I know it's from increasing mileage, but it's really not that bad. I'm hoping I could withstand another two weeks of high mileage before the taper. I'm going to continue to be really diligent with stretching and icing. I only plan to run three times a week. Long on Sunday, medium long on Wednesday, and medium short on Friday. (Part of this schedule is forced because of all the holidays coming up.) With this plan I have a few days of rest after the long run, and the shorter midweek run just before the long run. The "20" is a week from Sunday, and then I start the taper. I think I'm looking forward to that taper a little too much. ;-)
I have a lot of work to catch up on everyone else's blogs. I'm also looking forward to this weekend, when quite a few races are happening. In particular, Dianna and April Anne are running in the Hartford Marathon, while Wil, Susan, and many others are running in Chicago. I'm looking forward to reading the race reports.
posted by Danny on Thursday, October 06, 2005
8 Comments:
Welcome back!
And I can completely relate to the whole non-runner/marathon thing.
My favorite question is: So how many miles is that?
I was a non-runner once and I'm sure I asked that same question. But now I really know the answer - even the ever-important POINT TWO part of the TWENTY SIX.
I try to put it in perspective for people - my nephew got all wide-eyed when I explained that the marathon was like running from my house to his house and then back again. 'Whoa!'
Heh, heh. Yeah, people have a better grasp of the time than distance. Come to think of it, I have a better grasp of the time too.
Watch that shin, man. They are sneaky.
I know!!! That .2 is really important. I am about to run my first marathon (Nike Women's) and for some reason that .2 seems like it's going to be the longest .2 of the entire run!!
heh, yeah i found the responses from non-runners about running a marathon to be fascinating too. some are disinterested, some don't grasp it, most think its crazy.
um...that's because we ARE crazy!!
Running chick beat me to this: the most popular question people ask me, "now how many miles is that marathon?" I explain every time that every marathon is the same distance: 26.2 miles. Somehow I don't think it clicks. I also doubt that most non-runner realize how much effort, training, blood, sweat, and tears go into the whole marathon training period.
Are you getting excited about your marathon yet? :)
So tru about the non-runner thing... I got that so often when I ran the Marine Corps Marathon several years ago.
That thing about "losing" the marathon is funny!
Here's a twist to the non-runner thing though...My sister was a runner in high school and even set some county records, but she knew nothing about triathlons... so I ran my last triathlon last weekend and she actually looked up the race and was like... Wow! I didn't know you ran a 10k at the end of it!
Welcome back, thanks for the shout out!
Post a Comment
<< Home