In 1985, I set a goal to run the Grandma’s Marathon and Twin Cities Marathon consecutively for 25 years. In my 13th year at the Twin Cities Marathon, my entry was lost by the postal service and returned to me several weeks after the race. Consequently, I was not entered and, to be honest, the cold weather and lack of understanding from the TCM staff deeply upset me. Even today, I consistently recommend that individuals consider participating in a more welcoming race. Nevertheless, last year, I completed 25 Grandma’s Marathons. (For reference, please visit the post.) I had no intention of participating in that race again.
With my knee surgery last July, bike accident last July, work stress, and another surgery in mid-May 2010, I never thought I’d run Grandma’s, and I definitely didn’t want to. But I’m a dad first, and I’d go to the ends of the earth for my son. He tried to run the race and asked me to join him. I resisted like crazy. He kept encouraging me to think about it. So, to sum it up, I signed up.
Before I started the report, seeing Wayne Nelson a few times on the course really lifted my spirits. It kept me going strong. After catching up with Lisa at Lake Street, I felt a surge of confidence. Thanks a bunch, you two! As I had promised, I started my 26th consecutive Grandma’s Marathon. Since last July, I’ve logged fewer than 20 running miles. I’ve covered over 1,200 miles on the bike and a lot of walking, but so little running. I had been telling myself all week that there was no way I could finish…
My son decided to join me for the first mile. It was a slow start, with a 12-minute mile and a heart rate of 130 beats per minute. But I was feeling good about how I was doing. Then, my son went off on his own and finished in 4:30. On the other hand, a good goal would be to finish the first 5 miles in 12:30 or less, the next 5 miles in 13 minutes or less, and then keep the same pace until the end. That went pretty well; for the first 16 miles, I started to feel blisters and cramps. I had been taking S-Caps and knew it was related to fatigue. So, I decided to walk. Walk fast!!!
To my surprise, I managed to complete 15-minute miles walking, but only muster over 14 minutes of mile running. This initial success was short-lived, as I gradually dropped 10-15 seconds with each mile. By mile 22, I had reached the 16-minute mile mark, but a finish was within reach. Despite my desire to jog, I recognized the superior effectiveness of walking. Consequently, I persisted in walking, completing each mile.
My son returned and met me at mile 24, which provided me with a significant boost of confidence. He remained with me until Lake Street, where I experienced a second wind. The final two miles were completed in the 13-14 range, and I successfully finished the 26th mile. Crossing the finish line, I was overcome with emotion. I shed tears because I had never envisioned surpassing the halfway mark. I was grateful for my son’s encouragement to undertake the seemingly insurmountable task. The accomplishment brought a profound sense of fulfillment.
The experience closely resembles my feelings after completing 77 miles of the ST 100 in 2007. My physical condition remains unchanged. I still bear a baseball-sized blister on my right foot and a smaller one on my left. However, if this is the price I must pay this evening, I am content. I have made my son proud less than five weeks after undergoing surgery that rendered me temporarily unemployed. Achieving a seemingly impossible goal provides an unparalleled sense of accomplishment.
Where does this take me? I don't know, as I will have to see what the next two days are like, but I have a big smile on my face tonight, even though my foot is pretty painful.
Carry on, my friends! Carry on!
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