Big Things

As I mentioned before, fall weather is perfect for running. Which, of course, makes me think more about running and racing in general. On my ‘long’ run with my sister-in-law Meri last weekend, we discussed – and were somewhat amazed – that we used to manage 8-10 mile long runs. Our ‘long’ runs of late have dwindled to barely 6 miles…which, really, is not a long run at all.


I miss the feeling of accomplishment of an actual long run. I miss how miles 4-8 feel easy once you have pushed past the 9 mile mark. I miss preparing for a big race.

So here I am making the announcement that I will be facing my nemesis again this year – The Foxborough Old Fashioned 10-Miler. As I mentioned before, I came in last the first time I ran this race. I ran it again the next year and my nerves totally got the best of me, my stomach cramped up around mile 6 knowing the hellish hill at mile 7 was coming up … leading me to essentially stumble through the remaining 4 miles (though I did not come in last). The next year I went back to face the race again, lost my nerve and ran the 5K instead…which is really a cowardly move, though I have to say that if you are looking for a flat, easy 5K, this one is great. It is particularly easy if you have trained to run a 10-Miler.

As of October 25, 2010, I will begin to train for battle once again, with my trusty running partners Meri and Chrissy by my side.* If you think I am being overly dramatic…well, I am. Except that I’m not. I know how tough this race is and how much it scares me. I know that more than being physically tough it requires me to be mentally tough.

I also know that my training schedule is going to throw a serious wrench in my life. I just drafted it up and put it in my calendar/blackberry. I sent a copy to Meri and Chrissy. And it is a toughie which will require me to fit in 8 -10 mile runs on weekdays. If you have been following along, you will know that: A) I am not a fast runner; and B) I run on my lunch break at work. Basic lazy runner math will tell you that there is no way I can complete a 6 miler at lunch never mind an 8 miler. My choices then are to either run before or after work. Neither of these are appealing…I can never drag myself out of bed early and I will have to sacrifice yoga classes to do the night runs. The first time I trained for this race I would run 8 miles on the treadmill at 7pm after work. It was as awful as it sounds. This time around I am going to attempt to run 8 miles on the treadmill at 6am instead…which will require me to leave my house by 5:30am.   Why the treadmill? I find it dangerous to run in the dark in the morning or at night on icy sidewalks…and that’s that. I can just see Bill shaking his head right now because he has both seen the disaster that is me trying to run on snow and ice in the dark AND he knows that it will be a total miracle if I even pull myself out of bed on a dark, cold morning to go running.

But miracles can happen. Right?


*Tammy – Meri knows that you girls may not be able to actually run the 10 Miler but she is going to train anyway with an eye toward a March or April half marathon. NOT New Bedford.*