2007 Marine Corp Marathon Training has Begun!
As some of you may know from my Marathon Training Tips for Beginner Runners Series, my wife and I ran our first marathon EVER this past October.
A little back-story: I am not a runner. My wife was, but not for a few years. I’m 5’10” and hover between 220-230lbs (but “light on my feet”). My wife is 5’1″ and, well, tiny.
The Dudette (aka my wife) decided she wanted to run a marathon before she turned 30 (she hasn’t turned yet), so last May, she signed up for the 31st Marine Corp Marathon. She asked if I wanted to run it with her and I said “No, I don’t want to run”, but guess what…I knew she needed the support, and if I was going to run with her during training, dangit, I was gonna run that marathon too!
We started training in May using the MCM Training Program sponsored by Active.com (it was free for participants), and for the next 5 long months, we trained for a race without ever having run a race in our lives. It was hard, painful and sweaty, and it took all our resolve to keep running during the 100+ degree temps of last summer.
Race day came and we thought we were prepared. However, from mile 1, I had the worst running day of the entire training, while my wife had her best. We slogged through 26 miles of torture (for me), but we “Beat the Bridge” at the 20 mile mark. However, had we known what awaited us for the last 0.2 miles, we might have done a little more hill-training. That ending was a monster!
Why I want to run another Marine Corp Marathon and what will change?
I finished the marathon in about 6 hours. I was hoping for 5.5 hours. This year, I want to finish in 5 hours. As a side note, I was beaten by an 82 year old man (the older finisher) by 14 seconds. I chalk that up to his experience.
I want to prove to myself that I can do better. I’m not a competitive person by far, but I was disgusted with myself during and after the race. I tried as hard as I could, but I could only push myself to finish in 6 hours. This year, I will use all that we’ve learned about training and the race to finish far ahead of my first marathon.
Anyone in the D.C. area want to join us?
I think you should be really proud of yourself for supporting your wife and for actually running all that distance HULoooOOOOoooo!!! You did great!!!The octegenarian has probabbly been running his whole life!
Wow.. The run is ‘freaky’ long, in my words. Personally, I have never run more than 5km in my entire life, I admire your stamina. Don’t be disheartened! You can strive to do better next time!
Just finishing a marathon is an accomplishment. You shouldn’t feel discouraged at all. I ran my 4th marathon last November weighing 200 pounds. My previous marathons I was about 10-15 pounds lighter. The extra weight definitely made this marathon much harder. The fact that I hadn’t run a marathon in the last 5 years probably didn’t help either.
I plan to run the Marine Corps marathon some day. I want to do the 50 states and D.C. thing. It is too early for me to plan for this year though.
No way. Heck, I won’t even wake up early to cheer you and Dudette by the side of the road. (Well I might if everyone else turns out.) Try the Army 10-Miler as a checkpoint for your training. I am thinking I might try that.
I just finished the ING GA Marathon — my first. Plan to do the MCM this fall. Loved reading your account — KEEP IT UP!
Congrats Patsy! Thanks for the kind words.
Maybe we’ll see you at the MCM!