If I weren't training for a marathon

I would probably be sleeping. I uttered this phrase “If I weren’t training for a marathon…” for the first time (of what I am guessing will be hundreds of times) on my third day of training. Yes, you read that right, the third day. Not month, not even week, the third day. I don’t know, but it seems that day three of five months is a bit on the early side for a person to start a run with these sentiments.

In my own defense, I had returned home from my second late night of work in a row at one a.m. Admittedly I went out for fried mushrooms for an hour after work but that’s neither here nor there. I had to be at work by 9 a.m. the next day (actually the same day, eight hours later!) and the only time to get my run in was 6 a.m. before work. The weather was predicted to be a balmy 20 degrees at that hour. Fabulous. Freezing cold, early, dark, no sleep. Great running conditions! So, after 5 hours of sleep and fried food, I woke up with the thought “If I weren’t training for a marathon, I would have skipped this workout.”

Yet, I still donned my winter running gear, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down for a quick check of the weather one last time before heading out the door. I retyped in the zip code when I saw the forecast. In five hours it changed from 20 degrees to 50! 50! In December in Ohio?! I took off my fleece and hat and went out the door. Sure enough, there was a gentle breeze, warm air and a blaze orange sun just starting to peek through the purple of night. I grabbed my ipod and headed out the door wondering if I was still dreaming, or actually awake.

I trotted up the hill and turned onto my usual course. My calves were tight, my footstrike heavy and my body was tired. But my mind was so bewildered at this freak great weather that I couldn’t help but just be thankful that the Marathon Calendar got me out the door that day to enjoy it (or at least experience it. I still don’t know if “enjoy” is the right word.) I had the same thought I woke up with: “If I weren’t training for a marathon…” but the conclusion changed to “I would have missed this gorgeous morning.” Sure enough, by the time I showered and left for work the temperature was already plummeting to the 30 degrees more characteristic for this time of year. I really would have missed the spring hour we had if I weren’t training for a marathon.

I suspect I will say “If I weren’t…” many more times throughout this. There will be many sacrifices and many lost hours of sleep. I also suspect that there will be many surprises, many lessons and many rewards—the kinds of rewards that can only come from choosing the uknown running adventure, over the known comfort of my bed. The kind of rewards that only come from making a commitment, sticking to it, and embracing the places it leads you.

Crazy Running People

Please don't take offense if you are a runner reading this. I count myself among the crazy running people I love. (Crazy Running People=CRPs—it does not escape me that this acronym is close to CPR.) It occurred to me today though, just how far from normal we all are.

Let's start at the beginning. I got up at 6:30 a.m. to get ready to meet a local running group for their Saturday morning run. It was snowing outside. After thinking about this for a day, I am see that this is actually where the craziness begins. I texted a friend to see if she would be joining me at this group and she passed to run inside on a treadmill, stating "I'm not that hardcore yet." A sensible decision indeed. Avoid the cold and slippery snow and run inside. Why did this never occur to me as an option? Oh right, I still hate the treadmill.

Crazy decision number one. Run outside today early in the a.m. (not to mention I got home late last night) which even seemed crazy to another runner. However, there were at least 50 people ready to run when I arrived at our meeting point. So I'm not the only one.

I've mentioned that lots of smart, wise people have questioned my decision to run a marathon. As I was introducing myself to these fellow "hardcore, outdoorsy" runners (this was my second time at the group, so I am still in the "meeting people" phase) many asked if I was training for something.

Me: "A marathon, in Oklahoma City, in April."
Me: Pause to brush snow out of my eyes
CRP: “is it your first one?"
Me: "yes"

WAIT. First one? As in ordinal number? Implying 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc? Who runs multiple marathons? Answer: Lots of these people. I have been called crazy (and thought myself crazy) for deciding to do one. And really, isn’t a marathon something you only do once? Like “Yes, I did a marathon.” The END! I’ve done it. Check. I am amazing! Why more than that? All of a sudden I am in a group of people who not only run in the snow early in the morning on a Saturday (when most people are sleeping, or at least Christmas shopping) but have decided to run 26.2 miles in a row, in a race, more than once.

I love running with a group. But I think I need my non-running friends (normal people) to tell me that one marathon is, indeed, crazy. And if I am seeking to be “hardcore,” running in the snow will probably suffice. There is a continuum here, and while I am not too worried about where I fall on it, I need the occasional reminder about what is and is not crazy to ensure I don’t fall right off the line!

Why a Marathon?

I have been asked this a lot. I don’t know what I was thinking when I paid $75 (an early bird special-what a deal!) to commit myself to five months of running, in the winter, in Ohio. Did I mention I hate the treadmill? What about the marathon is so intriguing that thousands, maybe millions of people run them each year? I am still working out all of the reasons I wanted to do this. I am not a person who has “always wanted to do a marathon.” Nope. Not me. That was before I was a runner though.

Since I started running a few years ago, I had a change of heart about the whole idea of a marathon. I guess I want to see if I can do this. I read about them in Runner’s World and it seems like people have such a good time in marathons. In fact, do people who are not marathon runners (besides me) read Runners World? It seems like every other ad is for a marathon of some sort.

But I digress. Back to the reasons for doing this (which might be an indication of how hard it is to come up with a reason!) The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon sounded meaningful. The date worked. My sister agreed to this insanity with me. I can fit the long runs into most of my weekends. I turned 30 this year. I loved running a half marathon, so why not double it? You get to eat A LOT of calories while training (this might be my sole motivation to be honest.) Someone told me “if you think you have it in you, you should do it.” I think I have it in me so I chose to listen to one person over almost everyone else. Read: everyone else=sensible people. People who say “that’s too far” or “too hard on the body” (I don’t think they know about the calories you get to eat!) or even just “why?” I don’t know. There isn’t usually a good reason for doing something as crazy as a marathon. I guess there are several reasons for each step. I’ll start with “I think I have it in me.” I hope I have it in me. Let’s get the training going and find out.

What's the Deal with the Title?

The only time I have ever heard of or seen anyone running with a headlamp is in Runner’s World. I run at night; I run in the early morning. I see other runners out with neon yellow jackets, reflectors and blinking lights. I have never seen anyone actually running with a headlamp.

I am a person who really likes the gear. I don’t want to admit it. I would rather be simplistic and rugged and all “all you need is a pair of shoes to run,” but the moisture wicking fabric in everything from underwear to jackets has changed my life. Runs, bike rides, yard work—its all more comfortable with the right gear. And there are so many cute running things! So one might think the headlamp would be right up my alley? No. No way. REALLY? It seems dorky. Even for me. And I know that I look dorky most of the time. I even succumbed to the water bottle belt that velcros tightly around my waist (right where I needed extra volume!) in the name of good hydration on long runs or hot days (or both, heaven forbid.) But a headlamp seems like something only for the pages of a magazine. I have reflectors. I have blinking lights. I know the importance of safety and being seen. A headlamp is over the top.

I was operating just fine under this philosophy of “I draw the line of gear with a headlamp” until a couple of weeks ago when I was out after dark on a favorite and familiar route. Sticking to the sidewalks this time, I was getting along just fine with my blinking lights and reflectors. Until the sidewalk ran out and I was stumbling over grass not two feet from stumbling right into a tree trunk. This was a familiar and favorite route, mind you. Not a brand new one. You would think I’d remember where the sidewalk stops and cross the street. But I couldn’t see! It turns out reflectors and blinking lights don’t so much light the way, as allow a person to be seen. I learned that winter evening, that seeing is just as important to my personal safety.

So here I am. It’s winter. And I need to run with a headlamp if it’s dark. I can admit it. I just have to bring myself to do it.