Relentless Forward Progress

While I may seldom make it to midnight on New Year's Eve, there are two traditions that I faithfully observe before the ball drops: I go to Mass and thank God for the grace and goodness he has bestowed on my life in the past year, and I total my running mileage and set new goals for the coming year.  For a lot of people, that second tradition may seem pretty self absorbed, but both provide the self reflection and spirituality that is paramount in my life.  After all, so much of my running involves prayerful thought and reflection.  I am closer to God when I am out in the woods, with the raw, cold wind blowing on my face, and listening is easier when there is no sound but my footfalls.  There are so many questions that are asked and answered while I am running.

Last New Year's Eve, I was heavily into a training plan to get me to my first 100 mile race.  I was faster, stronger, and so optimistic.  Everything was falling into place, and then, well, it wasn't.  With only 5 weeks to go before the race, I injured my knee and it made running at all, much less 100 miles, an unattainable goal.  But that came and went, and new goals were set, new conversations started.  I wasn't mad, or bitter, just disappointed and resigned to the fact that this year, this race was not meant to be.  My time on the trails had taught me that you just have to keep moving forward - sometimes in a direction that you never intended to take.  So that is what I did - running other races and continuing my pursuit of the 100 (some day).  So far so good.  I am training again for Umstead, and trying to listen more and worry less.  Whatever the outcome, I know it will be the right outcome for me.  So goodbye to 2013 with goals unmet.  Thank you for teaching me perseverance and bravery.  Thank you for not allowing my failures to define me and giving me the opportunity and ability to try again.

Good Times at Rehoboth

Christmastime at the beach...what could be better??  How about 3 wonderful friends, a great suite of a room, and running a marathon just a mere 24 hours before a major snowstorm shuts down most of the east coast!

I wasn't sure how my legs would handle running a marathon just three weeks after the Stone Mill 50 miler.  My legs were crazy sore for 3 full days after that and my first "comfortable" run was on Thanksgiving, just a week before we left for the beach.  I remember the same feeling last year, after doing the same thing. (In case you are wondering, NO, I NEVER LEARN).  But I was excited for a mini weekend away, and knew that the course was flat and fast (its all relative, remember!)

 Surprisingly, flat marathons can really stink.  There were times when I looked longingly at the bridge or overpass in the distance and fantasized that we could go up or down, just to use some different muscles.  My legs were not very happy with me, and the chilly head wind seemed to mock the whole "flat and fast" description.  At one point, in Henilopen State Park, I think I squealed with delight when I realized that we were headed for an "overlook!"  That could only mean one thing...a big hill!!!  In this case though, it was a little hill, but it did lead to a gorgeous ocean view.  For the Rehoboth Beach Marathon, we actually saw very little of the ocean.  But as windy as the day was, it would have probably have been much worse running any closer to the shore than we did.  The roads were broken up by some trails through the parks and through neighborhoods decorated for the Holidays.  I lost Nanette, the other Evil Sister marathoner, somewhere around mile 6 or 7, and never caught her again.  She had a great race!  And Pam and Lucia killed it in the half, both getting 5th in their respective age  groups.  I was the last of us to finish, but not before two fighter jets screamed overhead at about mile 23.  Who knew I could jump that high after running for that long!  I think I started going faster then...

As I rounded the last corner, a kind police officer quipped, "What happened, did you run out of steam?" and I gave my best "Are you kidding me right now?" face, and just said "YUP!" and that was the truth.  After crossing the line and grabbing my embarrassingly large medal, the four of us headed to Starbucks for a quick change, then stopped to buy the most delicious salted caramel fudge and chocolate covered pretzels, (recovery food) and jumped in the car and headed home.

Somehow, my garmin, which I had stopped after finishing, was restarted in the jostle of bags in the back and had my recorded stats:
Total Miles:  167.18
Total Time:  8 hrs. 35 mins
Pace:  3:04/mile   19.5 mph

But, that isn't even the end....the next day my recovery included shoveling the surprise 7" of snow that fell early the next morning!  We couldn't have timed it better!