I Ran a Marathon

I ran a marathon.  Rather, it ran over me.  Why people volunteer for such torture, is difficult to explain.  I speak as one of the crazy people who did volunteer.  Though it produced some of the greatest physical discomfort I have ever endured, I would do it again.  I think I will do it again.  Maybe soon.  It hasn’t been that long (3 days) – I’m not ready to make any declarations.  I will do it again for many reasons.  It changed my life.  I will never again be a non-marathoner.  I will never wish I’d run a marathon.  I can stand in a group of skinny, tightly clothed people and nod knowingly.  I have a t-shirt.  Supposedly, we are the 1% (there were signs along the route that said “99% of the population can’t do this, you are the 1%).  I have my own stories of cramps, hills, other runners and murderous preparations.

Interestingly, and I heard this from runners around me on the course also, I don’t agree with the sign.

I think many more than 1% could run a marathon.  I believe it’s much less about ability than proclivity.  I am inclined to run, I like it.  It sets me free mentally, physically and emotionally.  Being a runner is a natural fit for me, but it is one I have discovered and continue to discover.  I didn’t wake up one day a runner any more than the guitar player (not counting August Rush) woke up playing guitar.  I wanted to.  I decided to.  I learned to.  I practiced.  It’s not that complicated, it’s just hard.

I don’t know what the percentage is - people who want to run (a marathon).  I bet it’s many times more than do.  While my hypothesis does not consider all perspectives, it is pressing.  Somewhere along the route, something has happened to us.  We have agreed that slow and incremental is untenable.  We need to accomplish things quickly and with a measure of ease comparable to microwave cooking and drive through car washes.  Quick and easy have become desirable, heavily marketed qualities.  It wasn’t too long ago, such questionable qualities would cause suspicion.  Wasn’t to long ago that we made them like we used to.  Now we don’t.  The result is that we, at least most of us, have unconsciously agreed that if an effort is going to use up a lot of time and energy that it may not be practical.  We can’t do that. 

I propose that we can do that. 

We can do what we want.  If it is a heart desire, then the time and energy is well spent.  But that brings up an interesting question.  How do we know what we want?

I don’t know really – I think it takes a long time to figure out.

I’m pretty sure that we are supposed to spend the time and figure out what we want.  I think it is designed into us so that we have solid clues about where we fit into God’s game plan.  But if we have bought into the hurry-up-and-get-stuff-done backassward version of productivity, we don’t have time to focus on what we want and who God made us to be.  I’ve found that figuring it out is something painful but magical I’ve been invited to.  It kills and releases simultaneously.  It takes a long time but it’s worth it. 

Knowing I wanted to run 26.2 miles and then checking and rechecking while I practiced built in a belief that I could.  I became someone else, someone a little more like what I hope I am.  I have done something that I could never have done without the pain and magic of practicing want. 

What do you want?

If you are a runner, or not and just like reading long blogs, the following are some of the things I did, learned, liked etc.  I'd love to hear about your discoveries, tools, rules, etc.

Miscellaneous Personal Experience Notes:

1.     It took a long time to run farther and faster.  I used a heart rate monitor and a plan that involved walking every time I hit a beats-per-minute threshold.  Every time I broke outside the limits (too far, too fast), I got injured.  There are rules to follow that keep us on the path to a powerful experience of glory.  Go off the path, get broken.  It took more discipline and practice to go slow than fast.  Eventually I could run far and fast and not break out of my bpm limits.  I was stronger for the waiting and slowness.

2.     I had to pay attention to and experiment with my equipment. 

a.     Socks = yes or no blisters

b.     Shoes = protection or cause of multiple injuries - and they wear out

c.      Shorts/pants = chafing or not

Bloody Nipples

d.     Shirt = bleeding nipples or not

e.     Amphipod Hydration belt = really didn’t like the hand held sweat generating, sloshing, weight unbalancing version.

3.     Nutrition and Hydration:

a.     Electrolytes and salt make the difference between stumbling in like a drunk or looking cool and strong when you cross the finish.  8oz per hour, more if hot.  HUGE

b.     Eating right balance of nutrients often enough the entire time I trained was a primary factor in how I felt on the road.  The difference between a run after a greasy pizza dinner and a quinoa salad with beans was palpable.  Literally and significantly altered the run experience.  I used gel when running every 60 minutes.

4.     Planning and Tracking

a.     I used a Garmin 305 on 95% of my runs.  Kept track of pace, heart rate, distance, calories burned, averages and pretty much anything else I wanted.  Could also be used for bicycling.  Sometimes I left it at home to feel the wind in my hair…

b.     Map My Run was great for figuring out runs that were the right length.  I’m a loop guy.  I hate out and back runs and I like to know where I’m going.  Also useful when you’re going to be gone for several hours pushing yourself beyond normal physical limits to have someone know what ditches to search. 

c.      I used Runner’s World Smart Coach Android app.  Told it my most recent race time, my weekly mileage, long run day and my experience level.  It gave me a pretty comprehensive plan that prepared me really well for race day.  I’ve used it twice and really liked it.

d.     I used Runners Logbook Android app to keep track of my runs.  I could look back and data, make comparisons, keep track of my shoes.  It was great to see improvement and look at performance variations.