I registered for the Rock n Roll Savannah Marathon because it was National Running Day, and I got $10 off of the entry fee. Yes, that's it. It was literally like window shopping in New York, walking by a boutique with a big sign that said "SALE", and proceeding to make frivolous and obnoxious purchases.
Lucky for me, running was the most accessible form of training to me over the summer, so I've been running relatively consistently over the past 3 months or so. As I look at the date: September 9, 2013, I realize that my bargain is now just 2 months away. Whelp, I guess I better start training for this thing. I find myself struggling with my approach to this race. To me, marathon training is serious stuff: you have to train with a plan, have a goal time, take extra care with nutrition and sleep, and be mentally prepared for 20 awesome miles followed by 6.2 miles in which you question your very existence, wondering how it's even possible to feel such a level of pain. It's hard to line up an air of intensity with such a whimsical decision.
Another factor that can't be overlooked here is that I'm three weeks into my last semester of undergraduate classes. Needless to say, I have laundry list of things that I want and need to do. Throwing this marathon into the mix is somewhat of a tight squeeze. It reminds me of when I was on the subway in Boston and had a 6' 4" guy leaning up against me as if I were a pole on the train, not a human being. I, like many city residents and endurance athletes, think that there is always room for one more thing. Even if the situation is akin to fitting an elephant into the passenger seat of a car to take him to the circus, we believe that we can do it. We stretch our realm of ability as if it cannot, and will not, break.
There are many practical, intelligent solutions to this problem. I could not run the race (it was cheap in the first place, right?). I could run, but not consider finishing time a factor. I could switch to the half, since it's a R n' R race and offers both distances. Of course, none of those solutions appeal to me. There something in my hard-wiring that will just not allow me to do so. My rationality and common sense wires don't always, or rather rarely, connect. It's funny, sometimes I think that those connections are there...but when I check the wires, it appears as if a rat has chewed straight through them. Yet another attempt at being smart and grounded has been foiled, once again.
So, of course I have a goal in mind. It's the same one I've had in marathon's past, and the same one that I've come up short (i.e., slow) on twice. Even though it's not right for me to chase after this right now, I'm going to. It's in my nature to chase; it's not like I'm unfamiliar to the view of something's rear end. In all reality, there's nothing wrong with chasing. Sure, the one in front gets the medal and the glory; but their suitor has something that they don't: resilience. Parading around in victory is easy, not giving up after falling short is hard.
I'll be the first to admit (and have admitted several times over the previous paragraphs) that this marathon is quite extraneous in the scheme of my life right now. I'd even argue to say that training for anything competitive should be on the periphery. I know and believe this to be true, but I still can't put it down; I can't let go. I may complain about having to put in the runs and about even having to race in general, but I really couldn't have it any other way.
I know what I'll be doing November 9th. I'll be racing.
One of my favorite marathon memes...
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