Today we ran our longest distance to date... 16 miles! I can't believe it. We started from our usual spot in Back Bay, and ran out and back on the last leg of the marathon course. We ran Heartbreak Hill, not once but twice. The Boston Marathon course is fairly flat until runners reach mile 19/20, where they hit the Newton Hills, also known as Heartbreak Hill. Comprised of three distinct slopes amidst rolling hills, what makes these hills particularly hard is their placement in the marathon. They come at the very end, when runners are running on empty and their legs feel like jello. But, it is also what makes the already prestigious Boston Marathon a notorious course to run. This is not amateur hour. The Newton Hills will eat you. Only the strong survive.
Speaking of survival, I sometimes think of marathon training as being on an episode of Survivor. After each week and Saturday run I make it through, I feel "safe" for another week. Not kicked off the island yet. The Marathon gods have not defeated me. I'm still in the game (take that, marathon gods).
Sometimes I feel like "The Marathon" is like a fictitious character, or monster is more like it, who is trying to defeat all who tackle it. As soon as you sign up, it tries to take you down at all angles. I recently watched the movie "Spirit of the Marathon" and one runner said "you need to respect the marathon", meaning you need to respect and train for 26.2, or else you will pay. There is no "winging" a marathon. The distance will laugh at you, and you will be defeated. I am doing my best to respect the marathon. It will have to find someone else to eat for breakfast.
Next Saturday is a 10 mile run to recover from the last three long ones, and then we climb in distance again. Never thought I'd say this, but 10 will seem short in comparison. But when did a 10 mile run become "not that long"? Must have been somewhere along Heartbreak Hill.
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| 16 ... and we lived to talk about it...! |
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