One HoustonHopeful who I follow is in Sacramento. Not only does she do cool science, but she’s jumped out of airplanes. In the air. She has parachutist wings to prove it. She’s touched a nerve recently with a series on how she’s trying to get her head together, a struggle I am having. She’s fast, though, really fast, and it’s enlightening to see that she endures the same self-doubt and the same sagging confidence that haunt many of us now and then.
After a fair share of Sturm und Drang, though, she may have turned a corner with a recent workout, consisting of 5 sets of sub-MP 2-milers with 2 minutes between. As I commented there, it put me in mind of some of the workouts I did before my 2006 marathon and how that and similar workouts — which were hard but not brutal (unlike, say, 1200 intervals, and a training approach that distinguishes a marathon from more intense shorter races) — gave me a level of confidence that I was ready for the race. I learned lessons on raceday but for those few hours on raceday I was ready and afterward I would tell people that the race itself is the pay-off for all the work.
Of course my inexperience proves a blissful asset in that I’m not intimiately familiar with blowing up. Pete Larson just posted on that. Like Jaymee he’s aiming for a specific time, in his case a Boston Qualifier. Reading his post reminded me of a conversation I had with Herb yesterday, with whom I ran for about 3/4 of a mile as he was turning home from 10.8 miles into a run. He’s running Philly and just had a great Tune-Up. He, too, is nervous about the pace, but seems to be in a good spot, having a target time in his head yet thinking of letting the race come to him, i.e., to go out at what feels comfortable. He has so many miles in his legs (and I can attest that a lot of those miles are at a pace that leaves me gasping) that he can feel comfortable and run the last HM at a solid pace.
Putting Jaymee and Herb together, then, and with the caveat that I’ve finished all of two marathons, I do think the pay-off is the race and the work, physical and mental, comes from the training. A couple of folks have commented that when you’re not doing a marathon (and especially in these parts the New York Marathon), you can feel kind of left out. And it’s this time of year that the risk is greatest of being sucked back into it, and you tell yourself that those long runs in August wouldn’t have been so bad, etc. Next year.
Still, if you’re aiming for a specific time — for Jaymee a 2:46:01 might as well be a 3:46:01 — you have to take chances, to go all in. But even then you have to trust your training, run smart if on the edge.
MF recently retweeted “Does anyone else stand in front of the mirror naked everyday and ask if they are a good runner?” to which she responded “God no!!” When I speak of self-doubt, I’m not talking about such cry-for-help/cry-for-people-to-tell-me-I’m-a-”good runner” drivel. I know a lot of runners, of varying speeds, and I can’t think of a one that is not a “good runner.” I’m talking about wondering whether I have the physical and mental fortitude, but while past results are no guarantee of future performance seeing Jaymee and reminding myself that, yes, I have done it gets me a good way along the road to remembering that I can do it again.
A Good Run
I decided to do some reconnoitering at the Rockies in anticipation of Oct. 17. Is there a course that can be described with a minimal number of turns? I think I found one. And in the process I found a nice run for myself, seven miles, solid pace but, maybe it’s the low heat/humidity, not much of an effort, up and down, getting lost once.
A New 10K
What? Yet another 10K? Actually back in the early 80s they were everywhere. Now, this most-hated of race distances is a rarity. Perhaps because it is the most-hated of race distance. NYRR has a bunch — 3 club races for men, 4 for women are 10Ks — but they’ve largely vanished elsewhere. Perhaps as the Mamaroneck Turkey Trot five-miler has been downgraded (and I mean that in both senses) to a 5K so more people will do it.
At the Rockies, I found a flyer under my wiper for a new 10K in and around Sleepy Hollow being put on by the Rivertown Runners. This could be a very nice addition to the Westchester running season. It bears watching. Right now, I think the only race that qualifies as a key Westchester race is the Rye Derby, although the Taconic Road Runners do a great job with its races (and it also puts on Rye), but they are chiefly in the northern reaches of the County.
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September 26, 2010 at 7:25 pm
TK
Hello dear. October 17th cannot arrive soon enough, I say.
Yes, I suppose I feel a little left out of all the marathon training hoopla going on these days in Central Park, and on Twitter and on everyone’s darling blogs. But this year, I’m glad I have a conflict with the November 7th party. And mostly, I’m glad there is no pressure to run 20 miles on a Saturday and 50 for the week.
Mental fortitude. Even though I actually haven’t been sticking to my running schedule lately, I have no doubt I’ve got the mental fortitude. I’m just applying it elsewhere temporarily.
Hey–is there a brunch involved in this Rockies thingy?
September 27, 2010 at 12:36 pm
joegarland
Re post-run refreshment, during the run itself we’ll be pretty close to Stone Barns, a high-end place visited last week by the FLOTUS, which is on or abuts the Rockies. I don’t know how many folks we have, but instead of diner food we could go with coffee and pastries at the Blue Hill Cafe, a short drive away.
September 26, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Ewen
“Past results are no guarantee of future performance” is a quote that gathers no moss, just as we runners gather experience. Self-doubt is as stark as the high wheat plains of Kansas. (Yes, I’m reading In Cold Blood.) As my mate Bruce once said “you’ve got to find a reason to believe.”
September 27, 2010 at 1:12 am
cg9m
i guess, one q- what are your standards exactly for runners/racers at marathon distance or other? you’ve mentioned 40 mpw as being too little for marathon- and perhaps made pariahs out of some who train in that range as well. imo, there are many people out there for whom 40 mpw is ‘huge’ and may be the best they could ever hope to achieve. i know for myself, with my own physical challenges, that’s not ‘easy’ even tho i was able to achieve more for my particular event. but to me, a middle aged woman (for eg) w/3 kids-and-a-job who can manage that much in training is equal to a young guy who can fit in a 70 mile week w/fewer responsibilities or physical issues. and i don’t mean to provoke people on either end of that spectrum- it’s just that i have a strong opinion that someone who’s trained to run a marathon to the best of their ability under their circumstances should be able to do so without condemnation from the rest of the community. i’ve read your posts on slower marathoners, but i still don’t think you really get it. i found it so depressing to read all the negative comments re slower marathoners on your blog when i was training for mine- sorry(!)- but it was very un-motivating for someone like me. over the course of that time, i came to appreciate that you write for more serious folk. but i can’t relate. at. all. ok, whatever.
still, i’ve been honestly quite surprised that you’d consider me a ‘racer’ as i don’t think i train to your specifications for any race distance, from what you write. if i held myself to them, i’d never have the nerve to show up for any race. however, i do know that when you left ssrmc, all of us whom you trained on the track were very sad to see you go! you seemed more tolerant back then- but perhaps i never got to know you well. if there was one thing some people looked for, it was a more appropriate training plan for the less-talented. that’s why, after you left, when i wrote up the weekly sched’s- in addition to your suggestions for the more fit/marathoning folks- i also included workouts for intermediate or beginner runners. (and i wrote them with input from others). there was some criticism (sorry! and not from me!) that some folks weren’t able to complete your suggested workouts. but having some running background, i reassured them that i wouldn’t be able to complete them, either. they were great! just not appropriate for everyone. so, when you say that you don’t want to “dumb down” a marathon training plan for people, i get very nervous. for whom? i ask. for someone who’s already capable of running 50-60 mpw?? i went from 25 to 60 in 6 mo’s for mine. i’m a novice. next time around, maybe i can do more (i hope). but i know this time, i did the most my body would allow me to do! and i think there are many out there who’ve put in at least that much effort. i imagine someone like you would say then, don’t run a marathon if you can’t put in 60-70! but you can extend that to shorter races as well- don’t run a 5k if you can’t run 10-12 x 400 intervals! so to me, despite what you say about ‘respecting’ me, i can’t do either, so i shouldn’t bother racing. anything.
to the other stuff re why people run marathons- whether it’s a ‘bucket item’ or to ‘impress’ others- i don’t know or care. those weren’t my reasons to run one. i think you could say the same for shorter distance stuff as well, tho- there are people who will admire you for finishing a 5k, too, if that’s what motivates. and i’ve made my statements about triathlons.
September 27, 2010 at 8:28 am
Joe Garland
C, Lots of stuff there so give me a bit to get back. In the meantime, you might want to listen to this RRT show in which I acknowledge that I can be quite the snob.
September 27, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Rick Temerian
Joe- Last year when I got off the bus from the ferry I ran into Alan Ruben as he was walking to the start area. We started talking about marathons (this was to be his 50th) and he mentioned that he was nervous! I asked about what and he said he is always nervous at the start- will he finish? will he blow up? will he suffer?. This is after 50 marathons! He said he didn’t feel that great and was going to go out easy. I, on the other hand, was feeling very confident in my training and fitness and went out at what I thought was the correct pace. I was more than 2 minutes up on Alan at the half but he passed me at around 21 miles and ended up beating me by more than 4 minutes. So much for my pre-race confidence. PS- I had beaten Alan in every race previous to the marathon including Grete’s by more than 2 minutes. Afterward I picked Alan’s brain some more and realized I really wasn’t trained for the pace I had started at. He has so many more miles in his legs he can go in slightly undertrained and do well. I can’t. I also didn’t respect the race. This year I will.
September 28, 2010 at 7:47 pm
joegarland
That’s a useful perspective, particularly for someone like me (and I’m guessing you) who havn’t done that many marathons. The irony? The only race in which I’ve ever beaten Alan is the 2006 NYC Marathon; I passed him on Central Park South, even saying “Come on Alan” as I passed. He was not having a good day.
I hope I’ll see both you guys on Nov. 7, although I’m going to enjoy the ride. In 2011, though, neither you nor Alan will be in my age-group so I might have a chance.
September 28, 2010 at 11:12 am
jaymee
You’ve done it before. You can do it again.
October 10, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Major Inspired « RunWestchester
[...] and had some good suggestions about how to deal with them. Trying to get an OT-qualifier, I also observed that “for Jaymee a 2:46:01 might as well be a 3:46:01.” She’s been kind in [...]
October 23, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Fun and Challenging: A Race Report « RunWestchester
[...] (the car only has one) at Sleepy Hollow High School for the inaugural Sleepy Hollow 10K, and I mentioned it a few posts back. (The course is just to the other side of Broadway from the Rockies; Swan Lake is [...]
December 24, 2010 at 3:01 am
cg9m
oct 17 i turned 40 (old lady now). so, justified in speaking my ornery mind…you mentioned not being familiar w/’blowing up’ in a marathon…that was my experience my first time..and then, i was under-trained for anything but finishing. i guess you got a taste of what that might be like in your nyc marathon fiasco this year. it was galling to read that you ‘respected’ the other runners in the race. you’ve gone overboard to discredit them for their efforts over the past year in your posts. as you’ve done most of my comments.
December 24, 2010 at 9:54 am
JoeGarland
I don’t know why insist on characterizing my 2010 NYCM as a “fiasco.” It went badly, indeed, but I believe that was the result of a reaction to a cup of cold water being poured on my quads in the early going, which caused cramping. Since my goal was simply to cruise along at a reasonable pace until I ran out of gas, and I was not “racing” it, I took that setback as a life-lesson and as something to avoid next time, by not letting anyone cut in on me. I’m happy to pass a cup though.