One Last Shot
This post was originally supposed to be titled, "The Running Streak - 5 Years In," but after Tuesday's race, I had to get something else off my chest first.
For those that know me and my running career, they know I have had a bit of mental block with the marathon. I seemed to have figured out how to train and execute everything from 1 mile to 62 miles (the jury is still out on the 100 as I have only run one) with the exception of the marathon.
My break through marathon came back in November of 2014 on a cold blistery day in Manchester, NH. This race was the pinnacle of my 2014 season, my 11th PR, of the 11 race distances I tracked at the time (1 mile - 50 mile). I am not sure what it was about this attempt as the conditions were a bit adverse (30's, windy and gusty, and a course with a decent amount of hills), but it ended with a performance I was proud of, 3:00:45, and a coveted BQ (yet so painfully close to the sub 3 hour mark).
Since that date I have run 4 more marathons where 3 (the exception being Boston 2017 where I just enjoyed myself) have gone sideways:
As I look forward in my running career, I plan to largely focus on ultra marathons. In the last two years alone I have run over 8 events of ultra distance ranging from 30 to 100 miles with stops at 40, 46, 50, 66 miles in between.
In August, I ran my age, 38 miles, at 8:40 pace and then in September knocked out 40 at Coast to Cure NF at 8:06 pace. Why is it that I can comfortable run 40 miles at 8:06 pace, but still struggle so much to run 26 at 6:50 pace? How is it that I can push with everything that I have to finish a technical 46 mile race (Transvulcania) with 15k' climbing, but have no will power when I hit mile 18 in a marathon?
A few weeks ago I began reading the book "Endure" by Alex Hutchinson and have become convinced my battle with the marathon is entirely psychological. Yes, I am aware that the Boston 2016 race was overly hot and Myles Standish and Marshfield were challenging courses, but that still doesn't explain my ability to persevere at other distances. In "Endure,"Alex explores the deep intertwining between physiological and psychological aspects of racing. The body will only give you what the mind is prepared to allow.
At Manchester City in 2014, I simply wanted it. At Pineland Farms 50 miler earlier that year, I remember telling my self at mile 36, you are flying and you better make this count. At the Hennepin 100 in October 2017, I remember how much I talked up the race and how many people supported me and my cause and I used it to push through.
After my long battles with the marathon I have decided that I am going to take one last shot at running a sub 3 hour marathon and then retire from the marathon. With a full year+ of ultras already planned (yes I have not shared my extensive plans yet), I simply want to prove to myself I am capable of running a sub 3 hour marathon.
On March 3rd I will take on my last marathon at the Ocean's Run Marathon in Westerly, RI. It's flat, its supposed to be fast, and hopefully it is cold. This gives me 8 weeks to train. It is time to re-incorporate stretching, strength training, and see what I am really made of.
Wish me luck!
Scot
For those that know me and my running career, they know I have had a bit of mental block with the marathon. I seemed to have figured out how to train and execute everything from 1 mile to 62 miles (the jury is still out on the 100 as I have only run one) with the exception of the marathon.
Since that date I have run 4 more marathons where 3 (the exception being Boston 2017 where I just enjoyed myself) have gone sideways:
- Boston 2016 (3:18:30) where it was 82 degrees at the start
- Myles Standish 2016 (3:15:19) where I detonated at mile 16 (under estimating the hills).
- Marshfield 2019 (3:12:39) where I really had to push on the back half (under estimating the hills).
As I look forward in my running career, I plan to largely focus on ultra marathons. In the last two years alone I have run over 8 events of ultra distance ranging from 30 to 100 miles with stops at 40, 46, 50, 66 miles in between.
In August, I ran my age, 38 miles, at 8:40 pace and then in September knocked out 40 at Coast to Cure NF at 8:06 pace. Why is it that I can comfortable run 40 miles at 8:06 pace, but still struggle so much to run 26 at 6:50 pace? How is it that I can push with everything that I have to finish a technical 46 mile race (Transvulcania) with 15k' climbing, but have no will power when I hit mile 18 in a marathon?
A few weeks ago I began reading the book "Endure" by Alex Hutchinson and have become convinced my battle with the marathon is entirely psychological. Yes, I am aware that the Boston 2016 race was overly hot and Myles Standish and Marshfield were challenging courses, but that still doesn't explain my ability to persevere at other distances. In "Endure,"Alex explores the deep intertwining between physiological and psychological aspects of racing. The body will only give you what the mind is prepared to allow.
At Manchester City in 2014, I simply wanted it. At Pineland Farms 50 miler earlier that year, I remember telling my self at mile 36, you are flying and you better make this count. At the Hennepin 100 in October 2017, I remember how much I talked up the race and how many people supported me and my cause and I used it to push through.After my long battles with the marathon I have decided that I am going to take one last shot at running a sub 3 hour marathon and then retire from the marathon. With a full year+ of ultras already planned (yes I have not shared my extensive plans yet), I simply want to prove to myself I am capable of running a sub 3 hour marathon.
On March 3rd I will take on my last marathon at the Ocean's Run Marathon in Westerly, RI. It's flat, its supposed to be fast, and hopefully it is cold. This gives me 8 weeks to train. It is time to re-incorporate stretching, strength training, and see what I am really made of.
Wish me luck!
Scot
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