November 19, 2008

Marathon in Training: Week ????

October 19th was the date of the Nationwide Columbus Marathon. It was a perfect day for running! After months and months of training the day finally arrived with a lot of anticipation, anxiety, and excitement. Question after question kept popping in my mind…Did I eat the right food the few days prior? Am I well hydrated? Are my shoes too tight? Did I train right? Will I make it half way? Will I cramp up? Will I finish? Who will I see on the course? Overall, the 26.2 miles on the marathon route were nice without much elevation change. I situated myself with the 3:30 pace group and continued throughout the race to find my pace vary but stay consistent around that pace group. The entire race seemed to be a struggle. The last marathon I ran, the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C., I cramped up at mile 22 and had to hobble the last few miles…not fun! That thought kept creeping into my mind as I approached mile 18, mile 20, mile 22…As I approached mile 24 and still felt okay the adrenaline rush and sense of accomplishment started to take over. The last couple miles were extremely exciting, especially with the crowd as they gathered to cheer everyone to the finish. I finished the race in 3:28:10 which is my personal best and is 1:50 seconds faster than my goal!

I trained with the MIT (Marathon in Training) group here in Columbus for the session and thought it was very beneficial. They provide a good network of runners of all different pace groups and also provide instruction. It is always enjoyable to look forward to the Saturday morning long runs during training when you will see familiar faces. As well, MIT provides drink stops and bagels at the end of the run which is a nice added feature of the program. If you are interested in learning more contact ggiessler@camtaylor.com and check out www.premierraces.com