I am not a fast runner. It irks me so much because I consider myself a decent athlete and I should be able to run faster. But, to be honest, I am not skinny enough to be fast. Don't get me wrong...I am in good shape...but I am not a bean pole and it really pays to be super lean when you run a marathon.
For the first time in my life I broke the 4 hour barrier in a marathon! I ran the Portland Marathon with my best friend from college (see picture above...Kyla and me) and we both managed to hit 3:57. This is great considering it's 14 minutes faster than our previous best time! But I had the goal in mind of qualifying for the Boston Marathon, which is a 3:50. I know, I know...believe me, I relish the fact that I have the luxury to complain! I thank God that I had the opportunity to run at all...trust me when I say that surviving cancer is always in the back of my mind. And I thank God that I am still outrunning it!
This was the first time that I trained the proper way for a marathon. I put in the distance and included speed training and tempo runs. The only thing I fell short on was hill training. And perhaps that will take me to the Boston cut-off the next time I run 26.2. But life intervenes and caring for two kids and a busy household, plus a business, kind of got in the way sometimes!
I dedicated the Portland marathon to a good friend who is fighting colon cancer at the moment. I thought of her every step of the way. My job of running hard and hurting temporarily was easy compared to hers...which is fighting the good fight. I know this all too well as I also underwent chemo nearly 8 years ago now. I know she will prevail...and perhaps she will join me in a future marathon! Running a marathon is easy compared to fighting cancer and I want to be running until I am old and gray.
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