Tag Archives: races

Chapter 1

So why is this guy, of reasonably good health, well into his middle age, training for his first marathon? Is he playing with a full deck?

Five weeks ago, I began training for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC, which is this coming October 27. This, despite swearing up and down for years that I was satisfied with the handful of half-marathons I’ve been running, and denying I had any interest in putting myself through the ordeal.

So what happened? All I can give you are the facts.

In January of this year, I got an email from the New York Road Runners, inviting me to put my name in for the lottery for their marathon in Nov. 2019. So I did, fully expecting I wouldn’t get in. The chances of successfully entering via the straight lottery for NY are about 1 in 12 – in other words, harder than getting admitted to all but the most elite colleges in the country. As Laureen, a friend of mine who also runs said, it must have been right after a good run. She was right.

The law of averages being what they are, of course I didn’t get in – and to my shock, I was sorely disappointed! I got a nice note – digital pat on the back, and that was it.

Right? No.

I realized that I had started thinking of myself as a marathon runner. The mind plays funny tricks, right? Especially on mine.

I started asking around – what race should I enter? My friends, mostly through Facebook, said:

• Boston! (yeah, right. Even the people who meet the brutal time qualifying time aren’t guaranteed an entry.)
• New York! (they weren’t paying attention)
• Chicago! (OK, maybe … )
• Berlin! (because it’s fast – nope, too far)
• One of the Rock ‘n Roll marathons (Nah – I’ve heard mixed reviews)
• Baltimore! (Seriously, Charm City! I ran the half marathon in 2018 and it was a great time. So maybe…)
• Disney! (too flat, and it’s so early in the day there are few spectators on the course)
• Marine Corps Marathon in Washington! (Getting warmer … )

The Marine Corps Marathon is just a few miles from my home in Northern Virginia. I had heard great things about its spirit, its energy, the course, the inspirational finish line at the Iwo Jima Memorial … AND I would get to sleep in my own bed the night before.

There was only one catch – another lottery! But the odds weren’t so difficult. So I entered my name, paid the provisional entry fee … and I got in.

Great – now I really have to do this! I bought a subscription to the New York Road Runner online training program, which I had used for my half marathons, and hasn’t steer me wrong once. My plan would start in early July.

So for four months, I thought about it, not actively training for it, aside from keeping up my general running fitness, running about every other day for 4-5 miles. For a while, I would say I’m “entered” in the MCM.

Note the subtle back door I was giving myself. Not actually “running” in it, just “entered” in it. Finally, as July approached, I had to choose – close the back door and go all in, or remain a weasel and leave it open. I shut that sucker dead tight.

All in, baby! So on July 8, the day after returning from a vacation, at 5:45 am, I set out for my first training run – an easy 4-miler.

So now I’m really all in. I want to record what happens to me, at least for my own sake. This is going to be an interesting ride – ups and downs, and sideways journeys too. What will the next two and half months bring? What will follow is my journal of what I’m doing, thinking and feeling.

I know, I know, what’s the deal starting a running diary so late in the game? Really, I was thinking about this all during June, and didn’t commit. So maybe you can see what I’m working on – following through on my plans. No more bullshit. Ideas are cheap; the gold is in the doing.

And, I want to share with it you all. Perhaps you’ll enjoy it, too! Hop on board – the next one’s coming in a day or two.