Since I don't want to dwell on the tantrums and fighting, I'll focus my blog today on marathon training. This next marathon is an important one for me. I hope to reach a major milestone: running a marathon in under 4 hours.
So why is this such a big deal? Well, an article I read recently put it pretty well. The author had done some research on what percentage of runners can complete a sub-4 marathon. The answer: between 20-25 percent. So in other words, if you can run a marathon in under 4 hours, you are in the top tier of runners nationwide. This is a pretty big deal, especially for someone like me who did not grow up being very athletic.
I told myself that I would train hard this summer to achieve this milestone, but between the heat and dealing with tantrums, I have had a hard time motivating myself to get up and run before the kids wake up. I guess you could say I have been in a bit of a depression. However, I have been running faster than ever lately, so I know I at least have a shot.
Getting this close to a milestone has given me an opportunity to reflect on where to go from here. Do I challenge myself to go faster or farther? If I decide my next goal is speed, the next milestone would be to continue to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I would need to run a 3:40 to qualify. If I want to go for distance, that means joining the world of ultra marathons. No, I'm not talking about one of those crazy 100 mile races...yet. I would start with a 50k to see how my body responds. I have actually looked into this, and there is a 50k on Antelope Island in October. I guess first things first, I need to work on that sub-4 marathon.
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