Jumping In....With Eyes Wide Open

In January this year, I ran the 3M half marathon with the goal in mind to keep my Average pace right about an 8:15 min. mile in anticipation for the Austin Full marathon where my goal pace would be an average 8:30 min. mile. My running partner and I had a specific plan. Conserve for the first 7 miles and finish with a fast 10 K, for a negative split.

We are both strong finishers, but keeping an 8:15 mile for 13 miles is a bit difficult. To run a negative split, you have to conserve at the beginning and not go out too fast. Our goal was to hold an 8:50 for the first 3 miles, then an 8:45 for the next 4 miles then run it home. This was the dress rehearsal for the big marathon. We did great! Finished strong and with a lot left over. I ran a 1:46 and she ran a 1:49. Neither one of us were sore the next day and we knew we had ran pretty conservatively. So we were feeling pretty good about our changes at the Austin Marathon as we were well trained on the hills.

Two weeks before the marathon, after a week of the freezing temps, we set out for our last double digit run. It was a very cold morning and there was still snow/ice on the ground. About 4 miles into the run I felt it. My calf tightened up and I knew it was over for me. I hoped that I was wrong, and tried to "walk it out" but that didn't work. Gasping at straws and hoping for a miracle, I went for a massage, but that didn't help and deep in the back of my head, I knew for me this marathon wasn't happening. But my heart wasn't giving up hope, so I called my doctor and went in. Nope, not going to happen he said, and I cried. You need at least 4-8 weeks then you can look at another marathon.

The marathon came, and I volunteered at the results table, near to the finish line, so I could hobble over there and cheer on Donna as she ran her Boston Qualifying run. I was so excited to see her round the corner to the home stretch and knew she was going to blow her goal out of the water! She beat her time by 8 minutes running a 3:52. Pretty damn great for a 47 year young wonder woman who just started running 2 years ago. I was so happy for her!!

Donna's awesome achievement was a double edge sword for me. Now I knew I could do it too, but I knew I couldn't do it right now. Even though I have to run a 3:45, I'm a bit faster runner and her finishing time gave me a good projection of my finishing time. Close, but doable!

So I set my goal on the Big D Texas marathon on April 10th. To my dismay, I failed the first running test, and it was a BIG failure. Doctor said looking at another 4 weeks before we could test the leg again. We knew this was a possibility. The original time frame was 4 - 8 weeks and that isn't for someone who's ruptured this calf before. And I heard it, load and clear, the lesson God's been trying to teach me for my entire life...Patience.

I know that I'll run this race, but on God's time frame and not mine. After I accepted this, and lounged around for a week or so, I started searching for a race farther out. Late summer or early fall I thought...I'm just not ready to table this dream right now. I want to run Boston for my 40th birthday and I want to run it with Donna.

Then I found it, the San Francisco Marathon on July 31st. Maybe God has opened a window for me.  This would be a hometown marathon for me, and I already had a trip scheduled for that time frame.  Perfect!  Registered for the race, made my training plan, and one week into it, I was limping again!  My leg wasn’t ready. 

After a long summer off, very little cross training, and lots of wine, my leg appears to be on the mend.  Guess what that means….We’re going full circle and hoping for the Austin Marathon.

I've jumped in and I've got faith as my running partner. To quote a famous verse, I can do all things through Jesus Christ, who gives me strength. I will be joining the ranks of Team 413 and whether I have a BQ run or not, I know that I will run that marathon and I will be running it with the faith that God has a plan for me, that includes running, and hoping that my story will inspire someone.

I don't know if I'll make it to that finish line, but the possibility is all the hope I need. I've now successfully had 2 runs on the road at a 2:1 interval and the marathon is 17 weeks out. But I have faith that I'll cross that finish line, and if not, then I will patiently and diligently train for another.

Heatlhy Running!

Tracy