Comments on: What If…

By: Flo

Flo — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:27:55 +0000

Tobey, I remember seeing your schedule and was surprised you even had time to run, much less train for a marathon, so you have my total admiration no matter what time you come in at! Hope you’re right about getting what you put in (barring weather, GI issues, cramps, etc ).

By: Tobey

Tobey — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:56:25 +0000

Heh heh, she said nipple Seriously Flo, your training is going so well it makes me jealous. I think that you get on race day what you put into the training. I know that I train minimally, so I get a mediocre finish time, and I am okay with that until I have the time to put more effort into it. BQ is not my goal, I just enjoy being able to run again! It is just as fun for me to read of your exploits, and those of so many online friends as they accomplish their goals. If that is running vicariously, then so be it. And yes, I have fond memories of my first marathon, even if it was slightly over 5 hours long

By: Jim E

Jim E — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:18:02 +0000

Another thought – We tend to concentrate on numbers during training, and have a time goal for the race. But we walk away with much more than that. It does not matter how many marathons I may do in my lifetime, I shall always remember the adventure of this first one.

By: Flo

Flo — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:00:24 +0000

Kai, I know…I was going to write “put vegetable oil on the shaft”, but thought better of it.

Lisa, Ugh, I so did not want to hear that. I was just saying to my BQ ladies on the RW forum that at least it won’t be 80 degrees in October. I never realized it was the same weekend as the Chicago debacle. Oh well, what are the chances for two years in a row? (don’t answer that, global warming could make it completely possible).

Doing good on the hillwork, thanks. Long trail run last Sunday and been doing my mid-longs on my mile-long hill the last two weeks. I didn’t do it today, figured 15 was punishment enough, but will keep up with the hillwork till the end.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:46:07 +0000

Flo-my first marathon was also Steamtown-what I hadn’t prepared for mentally was that it would be 85 degrees and humid (same day as the Chicago ’07 disaster). It messed with me physically, as well as mentally. Also, please add hill work and lots of it-Steamtown has plenty of steep uphill climbs, especially at the end…just sayin’

By: Kai

Kai — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:29:53 +0000

Ok, first, I had to read that first paragraph over and over before I realized you were not talking about anything dirty.

Second, I think you’re being a smart pessimistic. What’s that saying? As a pessimist, you’re either right, or pleasantly surprised. Win-win! (Although I’m sure you will do great, especially with that race day adrenaline.)

By: Chef Betsy

Chef Betsy — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:12:55 +0000

A few more thoughts… (but first I have to point out that I DO know how to speak English; I just didn’t bother to edit my comment that well

At any rate, I think another reason common wisdom states you shouldn’t have a specific goal for your first marathon is the amount of training involved. If you’ve never put your body through that, to have the added pressure of a BQ could totally disillusion someone on the marathon, not to mention put them at greater risk for injury. However, you know yourself the best, and how you will respond to such stringent training (and from what I can tell, you’re doing great!)

So keep doing what you’re doing, and if for some reason the BQ doesn’t happen, there WILL be other opportunities. In fact, there’s a woman our age who frequently posts in the RW Women’s forum who came within just a couple minutes of a BQ during her first marathon (I think she was just 4 minutes off). She then BQ’d in both her second and third marathons. So obviously it CAN be done!