Marathon Curious
I recently completed my 5th half marathon, my first in about 10 years. I’d been slowed by a torn meniscus and a fractured foot that sidelined me for the better part of a year. After my foot surgeon told me to rub some dirt in it and start running again, I slowly increased my mileage in September. I felt really good and one day I had “that” run. You know the run. High skies, perfect temperature, your legs are turning over easily and you feel like you could keep going forever. I was the happiest I had been in months while running. Riding the runner’s high, I signed up for the OUC Half Marathon in December 2023.
I trained like it was my job. Hydration, sleep, running workouts all planned for the weeks ahead. I had a goal and a project. At first I wanted to train just to finish; eventually I added in a goal to run it in less than 2:30. I finished in 2:23; 30th in my age group of 90 women. More importantly I had so much fun. I really enjoyed being around others who are also just crazy enough to want to train and run 13.1 miles.
Fast forward to early February. The Olympic Marathon Trials were held in Orlando. This was the first time ever that the trials were held in Florida. Whit and I drove down to the course and found a place to cheer on the runners as they came through. They were running an 8 mile loop 3 times plus a little 2 mile out and back loop. We saw them come by 3 times. The whole event was amazing. The infrastructure and logistics needed to support these runners made me wish I had volunteered. The water tables were set up so that each runner had their own water bottle placed on a numbered table. The mens and women’s tables were separated and there were about 30 tables for each. The volunteers were at attention and ready to cheer and support where needed. And, the runners were inspiring to watch.
These were the best Americans running for a chance to represent the United States this summer in the Paris Olympics. The leaders for the men were running 5 minute miles and the winners finished in about 2:08. The women were running 5:10 miles and the winners finished about 2:20. There was a runner who qualified over a year ago and subsequently became pregnant; she was at five months and very much showing. She knew she wouldn’t place high enough to make the team, but ran it just because. She had a smile on her face every time she came by, and the crowds went nuts.
As I was watching the runners I started to wonder…could I run a marathon? How much time would I need to train? What was a realistic pace, training schedule, and finishing time? That little gerbil in my brain hopped on its wheel and started running. I came home and started researching different marathon training plans and found a few that had me marathon curious. Sober curious? Nope. Marathon curious? Maybeeee. I walked into the office and looked at Whit and said, “I think I want to train for a marathon.” He looked at me and said, “I know. I could tell you were chewing on it all morning.
I went for a run and kept thinking about it. I could do this. I want to do this. By the time I came back, Whit had found 2 marathons next winter. One in Jekyll Island, Georgia – a favorite beach vacation spot of ours – and one in Miami. I am going to aim for the Miami Marathon the first weekend of February 2025. There: I said it out loud. I am going to run the Miami Marathon in 11 months. 48 weeks to stay healthy and train.
If you are marathon curious like me, or just think I’m crazy and can’t look away from an accident, stay in touch. I will update my blog with a page on training plans, and posts about my training runs. I do my long runs on Saturdays. Wave if you see me on the roads in Winter Park!
