Know when to say when – a little about marathon training and a bit more about life
A year ago, I turned 50 and celebrated by, among other things, jumping out of a plane. At the time, I said it seemed like a good way to celebrate every decade and that I was good until 60. That feeling lasted about a week before I realized that once a year was a much better idea. So, the plan as I turned 51 this past week was to jump again. It was an ambitious plan, as I scheduled it for Saturday afternoon following my 12-mile marathon training run. It was made more ambitious by the fact that this past week was my most tiring work week in over a year with about five hours of sleep a night for five straight nights. My thought was simply that, if I was going to burn the candle at both ends to get this all in, I couldn’t wait until it was much later into my training when rest would be even more essential. And of course, it was my birthday! (In case you forgot.) Well, as I’ve written before . . . man plans, God laughs.
Marathon training at four weeks – Sacrifices and results!
One of the mental tactics I’ve used during workouts for some time is to break them down into percentages in the middle of the grind. For example, if I’m in a 45-minute Peloton class, then 15 minutes in, I tell myself that I’m one-third through it. I continue that at various intervals throughout the workout to make it feel shorter. One of the most important ways to use that is with running. A 10-mile run is easier when I think of it in segments. After five miles, all I have to do is do that same thing once more. When I have two miles left, having only 20 percent remaining makes it feel like I am already near the finish line. But this percentage thing can apply not only to a single workout, but also to a long-term training plan such as what I’m in the middle of right now in working towards the NYC Marathon.
Dare to Dream
Much of my fitness focus this past week has been shaped by one event . . . Rory McIlroy won the Masters! Congrats, Rory! It’s been a long time coming, and of course, it couldn’t come any other way than the most stressful golf I’ve ever watched. An appropriate ending for your dream of winning the career Grand Slam and achieving golf immortality. Reaching your dream – especially in the way you did it over these years, and over the Masters weekend – taught me, and so many of us to dare to dream!
My 2024 Running Journey - A shattered dream turned into a brewing reality
Dreams may feel shattered in the moment, but belief can make them happen in the long run.
Countdown to running the 2025 New York City Marathon
As of today, there are 361 days until the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon, and I have every intention of running in it next year. As I write those words, I can’t help but think about the fact that I’ve said that before – about nine years ago – but I failed to do it. So naturally, as I start the countdown to 2025, I say with some level of caution, “next year will be different.”