Finding a good place to StartI won't mention the name of the race, nor where it took place; but I was running as a bandit in this particular Marathon. Bandits are runners who train hard year round but for one reason or another are not able to enter the race.
The start of the race at mile 1 was off limits because there were too many cops and race officials on guard. Instead, in order for me to get a good starting place, I had to run for 8 miles on a back road until mile marker 3 of the Marathon.
The first 8 miles were really rough for me. I felt weak and nauseous. It could have been something I ate or maybe just my nerves. Perhaps I just needed to warm up and get into my flow. I had moments where I really wanted to quit. I just kept thinking how silly this was of me to run as a bandit. If I were to get caught I would be banned from doing this race officially for a very long time.
Bandit History
The first 8 miles were really rough for me. I felt weak and nauseous. It could have been something I ate or maybe just my nerves. Perhaps I just needed to warm up and get into my flow. I had moments where I really wanted to quit. I just kept thinking how silly this was of me to run as a bandit. If I were to get caught I would be banned from doing this race officially for a very long time.
Bandit History
A little bit of marathon history. One of the original marathon bandits was Katherine Switzer. She actually had an official race entry, but not long before that women were not allowed to run in long distance races. During the Boston Marathon some men saw her and decided to push her off the race course. Instead of being discouraged and allowing herself to be a victim, she chose to challenge the system. Katherine went on to ignite the Women's Running Movement.
Keep Going
My emotional urge to do this marathon was greater than the discomfort I was feeling within the first 8 miles. The fear of being caught was also a big worry of mine. I trained so hard for this marathon to be asked to leave would be so disheartening. Also, I couldn't help but think about my girl who supported and believed in me so much. There was no way I could quit. She had worked late the night before so she couldn't be with me. Although I told her to stay in and rest, I really wished she was there with me.
Getting Settled
Once I got to mile 3 in the marathon I was feeling better. My legs started to fire and I was feeling good. It looked like the best place to run was in the center of the road and in the middle of the pack. Once I found a good spot it was easier for me to keep my focus.
Kona Shuffle
Now that I was focused, the first thing I did was check my stride pattern to make sure it was short, quick and efficient. In this type of race your stride should not be long or fluid. In triathlon this is know as the Kona shuffle. This is a style of running used in a marathon after riding a 112 mile bike ride because your legs are spent. There are various styles of running depending on distance and race conditions. Much like different styles of dance for different types of music. For example running into the wind you want to run with a high chest. If you are running up hill, the angle of your hips should adjust to the terrain; much like a 4 wheel drive vehicle.
Breathing
Next, I turned my attention to my breathe. I tried to maintain a relaxed and steady pattern, making sure my inhalations were even with my exhalations. Everything was good. My mind was calm and I was settling in to my body. I had to resign myself to the fact that instead of running 26.2 miles, I will be running 31; a distance I didn't train for. This was an unfamiliar feeling, much like earlier that year when I was challenged do a triathlon soon after breaking my collar bone (Broken Collar Bone II). That experience made this time a bit easier and kept me believing. This was another opportunity to explore my limits.
Keep Going
My emotional urge to do this marathon was greater than the discomfort I was feeling within the first 8 miles. The fear of being caught was also a big worry of mine. I trained so hard for this marathon to be asked to leave would be so disheartening. Also, I couldn't help but think about my girl who supported and believed in me so much. There was no way I could quit. She had worked late the night before so she couldn't be with me. Although I told her to stay in and rest, I really wished she was there with me.
Getting Settled
Once I got to mile 3 in the marathon I was feeling better. My legs started to fire and I was feeling good. It looked like the best place to run was in the center of the road and in the middle of the pack. Once I found a good spot it was easier for me to keep my focus.
Kona Shuffle
Now that I was focused, the first thing I did was check my stride pattern to make sure it was short, quick and efficient. In this type of race your stride should not be long or fluid. In triathlon this is know as the Kona shuffle. This is a style of running used in a marathon after riding a 112 mile bike ride because your legs are spent. There are various styles of running depending on distance and race conditions. Much like different styles of dance for different types of music. For example running into the wind you want to run with a high chest. If you are running up hill, the angle of your hips should adjust to the terrain; much like a 4 wheel drive vehicle.
Breathing
Next, I turned my attention to my breathe. I tried to maintain a relaxed and steady pattern, making sure my inhalations were even with my exhalations. Everything was good. My mind was calm and I was settling in to my body. I had to resign myself to the fact that instead of running 26.2 miles, I will be running 31; a distance I didn't train for. This was an unfamiliar feeling, much like earlier that year when I was challenged do a triathlon soon after breaking my collar bone (Broken Collar Bone II). That experience made this time a bit easier and kept me believing. This was another opportunity to explore my limits.
"Mind over Matter is, if you don't Mind it won't Matter"
The miles melted away, the cheering crowd and fellow runners were so uplifting. Everyone in this race had their own unique story of what got them to starting line and what will push them to finish.
The Crowd, Fellow runners, and my Motivation
The Crowd, Fellow runners, and my Motivation
There were so many amazing people running this race; young, old, fit, unfit and disabled. These runners were truly inspiring and having them so close motivated me at my moments of weakness or doubt. I really believe that it was the people who made this Marathon a such great experience for me. On a more personal note, my mind shifted to my lady. She was my personal inspiration on a daily basis. She would train with me and push me through intense workout sessions to keep me on point. Having her there in my training along with the emotional support she provided away from training, kept me positive even in the lack of her presence.
Break out the Coke
We planned to meet at mile 20 of the marathon; which for me was mile 25 . She was waiting there for me with a flat Coke full of extra sugar and salt. What happens is that just around mile
Break out the Coke
We planned to meet at mile 20 of the marathon; which for me was mile 25 . She was waiting there for me with a flat Coke full of extra sugar and salt. What happens is that just around mile
19 or 20 your body breaks down; therefore all of the sugar and fuel is depleted from your body. This actually has to do more with time, not so much distance. When I saw her, she gave me my drink and said "Keep your head in the game," which helped me to refocus. At that point the mind has a tendency wonder, so her words, along with the coke snapped me back
The caffeine and sugar was much needed at that point. Soon I was 1 mile away from a full marathon, mile 21; which was my unofficial Marathon. I had thoughts about stopping, even with the boost from the drink, but I knew my lady was waiting for me near the finish line. I didn't have a phone to call her to tell her I wasn't going to make it so I just kept going. I had another 5 miles to go before I can see my lady. Motivation!
Near the Finish
The last 5 miles ticked away and the finish was near. I didn't officially cross the finish line, I just ran nearby, along a less crowed street without the fan fare. There she was, waiting for me with warm cloths and a huge hug. We were happy with today's effort and felt all the hard work we did paid off. The extra 5 miles was a nice surprise; it added up to 31 miles total.
Day After
Early the next day after a huge effort it's important to do a 2-3 mile recovery run. If not, your body will tighten up and will not recover properly. Doing nothing the day after a marathon is the main reason for difficult recoveries and why some don't return to running. Then back to work which was very hectic, but I was just feeling sleepy; no sore muscles. Because of the extra miles I expected bone and joint pain, but it was manageable.
The caffeine and sugar was much needed at that point. Soon I was 1 mile away from a full marathon, mile 21; which was my unofficial Marathon. I had thoughts about stopping, even with the boost from the drink, but I knew my lady was waiting for me near the finish line. I didn't have a phone to call her to tell her I wasn't going to make it so I just kept going. I had another 5 miles to go before I can see my lady. Motivation!
Near the Finish
The last 5 miles ticked away and the finish was near. I didn't officially cross the finish line, I just ran nearby, along a less crowed street without the fan fare. There she was, waiting for me with warm cloths and a huge hug. We were happy with today's effort and felt all the hard work we did paid off. The extra 5 miles was a nice surprise; it added up to 31 miles total.
Day After
Early the next day after a huge effort it's important to do a 2-3 mile recovery run. If not, your body will tighten up and will not recover properly. Doing nothing the day after a marathon is the main reason for difficult recoveries and why some don't return to running. Then back to work which was very hectic, but I was just feeling sleepy; no sore muscles. Because of the extra miles I expected bone and joint pain, but it was manageable.
As much as I like to think this is my individual effort, but I didn't do this myself. It is because of the support from coaches/teachers, friends, family and loved ones that I achieved this amazing success
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