REFUSAL

Ah, 12 solid weeks of training and it all comes down to one key question… What will the weather be like on race day?

Well, I refuse to make that the sole focus of this weekend. In fact, I refuse to even think about it until race morning – and only then will it be to finalize my race plan. I mean the object is still the same, no matter what the weather is – to place as high as possible. It is a race after all. And if I think about it from that aspect, I’m almost better off if it is warm. Not that I’m a great warm weather runner – I hate it like most other people. But I think I’m, dare I say, smarter than most runners. I’m not talking about book smarts, I’m talking about streets smarts. You know, the kind that only comes from having gone out too fast on a warm day myself. I think it helps that I don’t have a set time goal that I have to achieve. Sure I’d like to run sub-3, but I’ve done it before, so it’s not as big of a deal. There’s no BQ that I’m chasing and I’m not in PR shape. So if I wake up Saturday morning and the best course of action is 3:15 pace, then so be it. I’ll just enjoy passing all the people that didn’t adjust their goals.

One of the reasons I bring this up is because I haven’t looked at a single weather report, yet I’m still bombarded with updates. The funny thing is that they’re all different. This morning, a running co-worker of mine, who’s not even running the marathon, told me the conditions look favorable. At lunchtime I went to TCRC to get some gels and Kurt told me conditions don’t look very good. So I have no idea what to think. Therefore, I’ll worry about the things I can control and take what Mother Nature gives me on Saturday.

Now that doesn’t mean I’ll be back to Grandma’s next year if it’s hot again. At some point "recent history" trumps the “perfect running conditions” that the marathon uses in their marketing materials. For many, that’s already occurred, especially when you factor in the cost of lodging as well as all the new spring marathon options that have surfaced this year. It has occurred for me yet, but another warm day on the North Shore could seal the deal for me.

Quote of the Day;

“Taking a well-trained body through a grueling 26.2 mile race does immeasurably more for the self concept and self-esteem than years with the best psychiatrist.” – Dr. George Sheehan