Tuesday, March 20, 2012

What Have I Gotten Into?

My legs have finally stopped screaming.

They started complaining loudly Sunday morning, in response to the 6.2 miles I did on Saturday, when we "ran" the Irish Sprint 10K, an event that is part of the Marine Corps Marathon series. (I say "ran" only because we actually traveled with both feet off the ground at any given time for perhaps a mile of the total.) What made the course more difficult was not only the hills, including one that was like climbing a ladder after the finish, but at least half if it was off-road.

The objective for this race was to finish in less than one hour and 50 minutes, that being the limit to get the "Golden Ticket" (think Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) required to enter the Marine Corps Marathon without having to attempt to enter the race on registration day…which filled up in about three hours.  We did it in about one hour and 37 minutes.
Irish Sprint 10K Warrior Chip

Yes, we entered the Marathon.  Call us crazy.

Actually, it's probably not as crazy as one might think, since the MCM website says that half of the 30,000-runner field comprises of first time marathoners (and with good reason - very few hills beyond the first mile or two, and you can't beat the views of lots of icons of American history).  Though it doesn't say anything about first time runners.

Since I have to start somewhere - Kim has a little bit of a head start on me, having done the Diva Half Marathon last October, as well as assorted smaller races - I also entered the Semper Fred 5K, which is run on the same day as the Historic Half, another in the MCM series.  Kim is entered in that one, too.

If there is anyone out there willing to impart some advice, I'm all ears.  I've already been in touch with my cousin Rose's husband Jay, who did the ING New York City Marathon for the first time (also as a first-time marathoner) last November to get his thoughts on the whole process.

What is just a little daunting, not being a runner, is the prospect of four hours of running.  Working for four hours can be a stretch, to say nothing of running the equivalent of the Garden State Parkway from Seaside to Red Bank.  So, just to be safe, I set my maximum time to seven hours.

 I hope I don't need the whole time.

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