quote:<HR>Originally posted by jroden:
Thor--you must have connective tissue like steel cables by now--how many years have you been running on an almost daily basis? I think the fact that you race within yourself, but still at a fast pace might be what helps enable you to run so well year in year out. I used to run marathons in Nike American Eagles, then Spirndon Golds, both of which were 5K and down shoes, you'd feel the stripe in the road through those things. My body would feel uttrely destroyed after trying to race a marathon, many times I blew at mile 20 or so and brought it in on fumes. I think that sort of running really beats your body. Even after a 10 year "break" my body is too creaky to run a 75 second quarter, I think the marathons were a contributing factor for me because of my size and biomechanics.<HR>
You're absolutely right. Racing marathons really beats up your mind and body. That is, honestly, the very reason I race very few and have gone on to run more within myself. The marathon a month was about running easy and, if the opportunity was there and the road just to enticing and flat, pick it up. Doing that, I've ripped off a few very good marathons -- good for me, at least -- but to race a marathon, that beats you up. One of my favorite things to do is to spending a morning among friends on a long run. And running a marathon is, to me, an amazing yet challenging way to spend a morning. But to do more than two or three per year, it's very, very hard to race many of those. I purposely shut that notion out of my mind so that I could focus on triathlon, the number one goal, but in doing so and in still continuing the run marathons, although the chances of me PR'ing are very slim, I've found that the all-around strength building of triathlons has transfered into my running. I kid you not when I say that I can
feel the strength in my legs gained by the bike while I am out there on mile 22 and a little riser pops in front of me. I get that circular motion going, pretend I'm on a bike, and increase cadance while shortening stride, and hold it right up and over the hill. The bike has taught me that I will recover on top of the hill. And it applies to running as well.
But consistency and running within yourself is key. I use a term, "Let the race come to you." That is my way of saying that I will run within myself and slowly approach the blow up line, that very edge of redlining it, so that I can feel it within more control. To do so too quickly is all about racing, with more chance of crossing into that territory and never coming back with a nasty crash.
Truth is, over the years, although some of my most memorable marathons are the ones I raced balls to the wall from the gun, the truth is the body and mind cannot take many of those, and each needs a long time to recover and heal, often more the mind than body. And that's just it. To race a marathon or do a few of them, your time is limited. Look at the Pro's. Not only do their careers span a few short years (for the most part), but many of those, once their shot in the spotlight is done and the sun has set, you never see them running that distance again, and if they do, most are nowhere near capacity of what once was. And it's because it kills your mind. To lessen that, especially for someone who will never win anything but a once shiny medal with a few finger smudges on it, to be in it for life, or at least a much longer period than a few short years, the prize is to run within yourself.
