Running With Jack

On Saturday is my next marathon, in Mannheim, and I’m a bit nervous about it. Really, I should not be the least bit nervous as I have it scheduled as a training run and this will be my 15th marathon (or greater) race. However, memories of my first marathon, 3 years ago on this very same course, haunt me as the days count down. That first marathon turned into a humbling experience after I locked up with severe cramps around the 15 mile point and more or less crawled over the finish line after almost 5 hours and 11 minutes.

I have promised myself that I will be diligent about keeping the pace down and really use it as a training run, but I know how that goes – calm for the first couple miles till I fall into a groove, then next thing I know I’m running a PR pace until I blow my quads. I should know better by now…

Actually I really do need to keep the pace down, five weeks after the marathon is my 50-mile race in Karlsruhe-Ruppur, the Fidelitas Night Run. If I want to do well with that race I need 3-4 more weeks of hard training (50-60 miles/week). I am also trying to talk my wife into letting me run a tough 63 km (39 mile) trail run three weeks after that. In other words, I don’t have time for a long recovery after the marathon.

Last night I went for an easy 9 km (5.5 mile) run and will repeat this again on Thursday. I may also run the 11 km loop on Wednesday with my running club if my legs feel fresh. Otherwise I plan on chilling out until Saturday night, 6:15 pm when the marathon begins.