Sometimes you got to stop and look back of where you came from !!
A week ago I ran my second half marathon. The 1st one was back on Labor Day 2013 this day it was like 80 plus degrees at race time and the humidity was insane I'm sure it was in the high 80's also . Now kept in mind I'm running this race a year and a half to the day that I started on my weightloss journey at 380 pounds and I was only running less than a year. Well I made every mistake possible in training and the weather that day didn't help. So what was going to be my day to celebrate me losing at this time 130 lbs turned into me sucking down water at every stop to just get through this thing. Well I must have walked more the last 5 miles then I ran but I got it done in a time of 2 hours and 53 minutes. Well everyone was so proud of me but to myself this race sucked and I was far from satisfied.
So I signed up for the Norfolk Harbor Lights Half Marathon and I put down a time of 2hrs 20 mins.. Leading up to this race I ran a 10k and finished with a 9:17 pace a month early . I also changed up training and started working in Leg workouts at the gym and riding the spin bike . These two things were helping to make me feel faster and stronger than I ever was before. I would go run 6 -7 miles and hold a under 10 min pace with no problem. Just months earlier I would struggle to hold a 10 min pace for 6 miles . 2 weeks before the race I went running with my No Meat Athlete running group the first 5 miles I did I ran like 9:20 pace with my friend Heidi than the second 5 miles we meet up with the rest of the group and I ran another 5 that day and finished with a 9:45 pace. A couple of more fast short 3-5 miles runs of 9:30 or better . And than its almost race day.
Like in every race the talk before is what you want to run … While I signed up to run a 2:20 race very doable. But based on my short runs I start thinking 2:05 sounds good . You know I can run 10 miles for a 9:45 my mind says . So with the excitement of the race 9:30 -9:45 pace won't be no problem I'm telling myself.
So the race starts and bam there I go first mile 8:46, mile 2 9:08, mile 3 9:12 mile 4 9:14.. While I kept it under 10 min pace till mile 10 then I went down hill fast mile 11 11:11,mile 12 11:14 miles (keep in mind the last marathon after mile 10 my times were all in the 12,13 and even 15 min pace) miles 10 and 11 I was like in my head Idiot why you run so fast in the beginning why didn't you stick to your game plan( not sure what that game plan even was lol). While I picked it up some at the end and hit a 11:03 mile 13 and finished up the last 4th of a mile guess I wasn't running in a straight line with a 10:41.
So I finished up with a race time of 2hrs and 14 mins and a watch time of 2hrs 11 mins . Not even close to my 2:05 ( even though I signed up for 2:20 time duh so i really finished 6 mins better than planned ). I was like ya I'm happy with it I take the 2:14 but I really wanted that 2:05.
We hung out for a while and even cheered on the runners coming in with times over 3hrs and 30 mins. By the way if you run a race go do this you will be so encouraged. Then we headed to the car and in my head everything is going what I did wrong. Oh and a few weeks earlier I decided to run a full marathon in March also so my head is now questioning can i do that.
Well we get in the car and my phone rings and It my friend Josh who like me lost tons of weight for him over 200lbs and he just finished the NYC Marathon. And he goes Dude a few years ago you were 380lbs and you just ran a 2:14 half marathon I'm so Proud of you !!!!!!!!!! Oh by the way when I loaded my watch data I had personal best in 10k,15k,10 miles,20k, and beat my previous best half time by more than 15 mins. Ya I had reason to whine right .
Well That woke me up! . How many people in that race where only running for less than 2 years were 46 years old and lost 150 lbs in the last 32 months. Who was I comparing myself to Josh who is 36. My friend Al who is 40 and running races way before I even lost 1 lb Or other in my age group or the people passing me towards the end that where half my age? Than I thought back to those people we watched at the end of the race walking in after 3 and a half hours I am sure there weren't saying I missed the time I wanted by 6 mins.
Its great to set goals but at the end of the day when we are done we need to look at where we came from and what we achieved. If 3 years ago you would have told me I was running a Half Marathon in 2:52 minutes I would have told you you were nuts. A 2:14 half marathon even more nuts . Now looking back I realize what a great race I ran.
So now I am in week 2 of Marathon training and my goal is to finish with the best time for me based on where I am at the time of the race. So what every the outcome of the Marathon I will remember every step of the way that 380 pound guy who just climbing 15 steps in the morning to get to the office or walking around the block and begin out of breath.
The old me would come up with some time based on what other people have done that I know but not this time !
Sounds good now right but check back with me come mid March :) .
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