The Santa Barbara International Marathon

My big race that I will be training for this fall is The Santa Barbara International Marathon on December 6, 2009. 

The last marathon I ran was 9 years ago.  They are still 26.2 miles right?  Point 2, point 2…..I ran my first marathon at the age of 16 in Houston, Texas.  I absolutely loved the experience.  I wanted to run them over and over.  Three days after the race I found my left knee a ball of grinding pain and I did not run again for close to a year.  Maybe a marathon is too far?  Nah!  Maybe 16 is too young?  Perhaps.

I did several more marathons in my early twenties.  I trained casually with friends and set what I thought were realistic goals.  I never came close to achieving them because I classically fell apart at mile 22 to mile 24.  Everytime.  Why?  Why?  Why me?  Um, because I did not use proper nutrition, I probably ran too many miles (is there such a thing), I never ran at speed, and I heavily relied upon criss crossed fingers and lucky socks.  The luck of the socks classically collapsed when the glucose dropped sub-zero and my dreaming pace dwindled to a nightmare.  I finished races exhausted and extinguished and sometimes in medical tents with IV’s in my arm.  What a fun hobby!

Now I’m older and I’ve got someone wiser helping me out.  Rusty Snow has coached many runners to impressive marathon PR’s and I am excited to see what I can do.  I have never run under 3:20 minutes.  Ah-ha let the games begin!

Count Down to Race Day

2 Weeks: Time to taper, but not without some speed work mixed in the modified miles.  Still waiting for the return of “spring”.  Step-one-two, I am looking for you!  Come on Dr. Feel Good!

3 Weeks:  Made it through the heavy-heavy weeks!  On tired-tired legs, I can run 12 plus miles at and below pace, back it off a bit and then run mile 20-22 at speed.  OK.  So now it is time to have faith in the training and slowly begins the taper.  Bring on the taperrrrrrrrrrr!

4 Weeks: Mental Toughness Certification re-newed.  Bonking done for the year.  Now let’s race this right!  Grrrrrr

5 Weeks:  Back is improving.  Tempo times are back down.  I can breathe!  Bring it!

6 Weeks:  Still suffering from post-pooch-collision back pain.  OUCH!  It has not slowed the legs, but it is sure messing with the mind.  I worried about everything, but an over friendly golden retriever.  Ha, ha, see nothing is ever worth worrying about.

7 Weeks: Gravity is a real brat and she is not color blind.  Clearly she can see pink.  Dang it, I’ve been spotted.

8 Weeks:  Descending mile splits on seven miles and the clock could have been in reach of a 10K PR.  Legs feeling the miles and definitely feel tired, but the workouts still fly by with success.  26 miles still sounds FAR!

9 weeks:  You don’t see anything down here Running Gods.  Look away.  No one is doing anything well

10 Weeks:  After this week, I will be in single digit week count down.  Good thing this baby can’t come two weeks early!

11 Weeks: There will be a huge hill at mile 23.  Suddenly that doesn’t seem like all that bad of an idea.  On that note, back to my 85 mile week.  Yikes!

12 Weeks: Ouh-ouh-uh, 12 weeks not very much time.  Good thing I squirreled away all this motivation.  You need some?

13 Weeks:  Time for the nitty gritty.  Focus more on wholesome nutrition, hydration, recovery, and sleep!  The time will go fast.

15 Weeks: Mentally was feeling “zapped.”  Amazing what a few seconds off a 5K will do for the neurons.  Grrrrrrrrrr.

16 Weeks: Still feeling good.  Higher mileage.  A 10K is not a Marathon.  Training has already shifted.  Eye on the prize.

17 Weeks: Feeling good.  Track paces flew by with ease.  Yes, that is flew not flu.

18 Weeks:  The flu.  Argh!

19 Weeks:  The last time I looked this far in advance at anything I was pregnant.  This week was the first time Rusty dropped the phrase “marathon type workout”.  Um, say Tim, did we just almost 10K PR on a Tuesday morning?  Yowza!  Hopefully this means I am off to a good start.

20 Weeks until Race Day:  You know 26.2 miles is a really long way.  Good grief.