RunningAHEAD - Topic: My predicament

evanflein

posted: 3/16/2008 at 7:52 PM

First of all.... it is so good to hear from you! As I was wrapping up mile 19 on my 20 mile run today, I thought of you and how you'd done that 28 mile run before breakfast and the look your kid gave you--priceless! As for your situation... Why are you still sick? Three weeks for a respiratory infection that's being treated seems a little long to me. I would normally say go for the race and enjoy it at a slower pace... but could you do that? I think I'm going to side with 'Ribs and Twocat and say skip it. Get better. But don't be a stranger! You've helped so many runners with your stories and experiences. The PBJ Special is legendary! And sometimes it helps to share the daily stuff of life with others.

JJJessee

GreenMan

posted: 3/16/2008 at 9:00 PM

Since I have ran a marathon, that of course gives me the authority to counsel a sub 3.... Big grin

You'll be healthy by race time, but not in top form. Maybe a risk of injury you get caught up in the race. If you would have a grand old time running it in 4+, get a Grimm Reaper costume and pace yourself to reap away. jjj

Iron Mt. Trail Runners blogsite .... JJJessee blogsite ....Spring is here. Go outside and play.

Cashmason

posted: 3/16/2008 at 9:04 PM

Good to hear from you PBJ! I say go with your heart on this race. Would you still enjoy the race, running it a lot slower than you are used to racing? Could you enjoy the crowds and the Wellsely girls, and just being part of it, or would it frustrate you?

hally

Head Procrastinator

posted: 3/16/2008 at 9:46 PM

Heya PBJ, good to see you back here and glad to hear you are working. If you want that foot to heal you gotta get off it!! Take up biking till it heals. First you just gotta outrun a cyclist to get his bike Big grin

Anyway, if you decide not to run but still come to spectate we'd love to see you and the PBJ'sters and long suffering at the 20 Mile water stop. Barb

~ My Profile~ The avatar is happy BOC wootcats

tetsujin209

MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

posted: 3/16/2008 at 10:09 PM
modified: 3/16/2008 at 10:11 PM

Maybe run it with a mid/forefoot strike (no heel-striking) way back with the back-of-the-packers for your PW and encourage 'em and regale with stories of what it's like to be way up front thereby making their Boston Marathon even more memorable for the rest of their lives. Otherwise, a good runner like you will only have regrets the rest of your life if you run it for yourself.

^{"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again."}^{100yo T. Igarashi}^{to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji}^(8/2/87)

breger1

posted: 3/17/2008 at 9:38 AM

Nice to hear from you PBJ. It's been too long ... Don't run Boston this year. Get yourself healed up (no pun intended ...). You have plenty of running talent and you can BQ whenever you want - assuming you're healthy. Rest up, heal up, BQ and run Boston some other year. Bill

"Some are the strong, silent type. You can't put your finger on exactly what it is they bring to the table until you run without them and then you realize that their steadiness fills a hole that leaks energy in their absence." - Kristin Armstrong

Spareribs

King of PhotoShop

posted: 3/17/2008 at 9:41 AM

Thank you breger! Spareribs

Ileneforward

#artbydmcbride

posted: 3/17/2008 at 12:09 PM

Heck PBJ (I'm back to irritate Spareribs if I can Wink

) you say you've gotten in three 20+ milers this training cycle? I envy you. I haven't even done one yet, and I am running Boston. (okay, maybe that doesn't count anyway) You can do it!

Runners run

lyndenrunner

posted: 3/17/2008 at 1:24 PM

PBJ-Welcome back,you've been missed!!! Since you've ran Boston before,I think you should give it a pass and come back stronger in the future... Hope you continue to post here... Gordon

Looking for a place to Happen, making stops along the way - The Hip

coastwalker

posted: 3/17/2008 at 1:43 PM

Hi PBJ, Sorry to learn about all the problems leading up to this race. Is it possible to get a pass till next year's BM? If so, you'll be better off doing that. It is awfully hard to run a race like Boston as a fun run, and the risks to your health could be significant if you try to go full tilt. Better to pass, get healthy, and do it again when you are strong and fit. Good luck! Jay

Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

LaVitaDolce

posted: 3/17/2008 at 9:53 PM

I'm just going to say what's on my mind: Do not plan to run Boston. If the weather is nice, plan on going out with the long suffering Mrs PBJ and the PBJsters to cheer others on. If you have a respiratory infection, don't run now. Rule of thumb, uh, or rule of neck? Anyway, if you're sick above the neck, you can probably run through it. If you are sick below the neck, rest. You can damage your lungs and set yourself back even further. The goal here is to get you running regular and painfree. If that means investing in some serious healing (heeling?) and resting, so be it. Catch up on your reading (I think your daughters told me they want to be authors, have them write something for you to read) Perhaps your heels talked to your lungs and said, "Man, this guy won't give us a rest, a little help here, please?" So your lungs said, "Okay, let's see if a hearty infection will keep this good man down for a while so's the heels can heal." When you do return to running... how about running some "unmiled time"? A dear man once told me that he thought that was a fine idea. I think it was when we were running a reverse stinky deer run? Near the CIA training field... If you set your sights on Boston, you are going to way overdo it. If you allow your lungs to recover... if you allow yourself to ease back into running without any "I should be at 60 miles this week"... if you allow yourself to be human... perhaps you will re-find the joy in simply "going out for a run" Perhaps you will be able to leave "...what I used to is...." and begin "I am doing this" Because we are in the here and now. If we long for times gone by, we might get melancholy... if we think too far ahead, we might miss today, this hour, this moment. That has been my mantra for Lent this year. Enjoy and live in this moment, allow joy in the simple here and now. Even if it is raining.

LaVita

Aamos

posted: 3/17/2008 at 10:57 PM

I hurt myself horribly training for a fall marathon in 03. I couldn't run for months, but I'd registered for Boston and made reservations. I healed slowly, and trained for Boston on ellipticals (kid you not, ask me about how long it takes before your feet go numb and you have to take a break and walk around the gym so you can go back to your torture. I watched full length movies at the gym while on the ellipitical, blecch!) Went to Boston, ran the Freedom Run (3 miles) the day before the marathon, came back to motel and told DH--I am going to do this, but I may not get beyond Wellesley. Really, for true. No hyperbole. Told him--go have fun, I will meet you back at motel, do not expect me at any time at all. Recall 04 was very hot and advice was given at athlete's villiage to toss your time goals, just focus on finishing. This fit in fine with me and my situation! I went out slowly, stopped at every aid station, stopped to visit with people who had signs that meant something to me (I lived in Massachusetts for 30+ years--there were a lot of them!), just ran a mile at a time, grateful to be there--anyway, it was my worst Boston, and one of my worst marathons ever [I have run a Salida, Colorado marathon at 8000 altitude on trails in 06 and 07 that were my worst ever times]. I had a blast! I was so grateful just to be running, and to be in Boston, I was overjoyed! If you can be happy just to be part of the celebration of running that Boston is, then go for it! You might find a whole different layer of running happiness. Best, always, A

Masters 2000 miles

perchcreek

i'm lovin' it... MM#1949

posted: 3/19/2008 at 4:26 PM

Hi PBJ, you're special! It depends... if the foot is stable and chronic vs injured and prone to getting worse. Since you've run Boston, it's not a once n a lifetime opportunity. I bailed Boston last year dur to PF and no I feel great and strong after letting it heal properly and stratingback gradually (like March to July for the healing and start-up). If you don't intend to let it heal and it hasn't bothered you much on the training 20's then take Aamos' advice. If you don't run, enjoy it with the wonderfiul PBJ family! Good luck on your decision. What ever you do I'd ditch the Jester Suit this time Big grin

Perch's Profile "I don't know if running adds years to your life, but it definitely adds life to your years." - Jim Fixx "The secret is to make in your mind possible what was not possible before. The secret is to make easy what was difficult, instead to make difficult what really is easy." - Coach Renato Canova

Aija

posted: 3/19/2008 at 7:54 PM

Hey PBJ, Have wondered about you often. Simply stated, we runners are generally an overachieving bunch who pretty well know the score on any given day and push ourselves through injury, illness, tough training with great discipline, resourcefulness and place great demands on ourselves. More than we would ever ask of anyone else. We are hardest driving when pushing ourselves to our known and unknown limits. So if you are questioning whether to run is a good idea, then you already know the answer. Save it. If running a marathon was simply the tool you needed to bring you great joy and restore your motivation, that would be different. You have a long term injury going on, you are run down and stressed and have experienced large life upset. Save your energy and spend it getting better and shoring up your resources. Boston will be there in other years. Get healthy, happy and train right. And then, you can really savour it.

JimHowe

posted: 3/19/2008 at 10:15 PM

Welcome back, PBJ I think you have get honest with yourself and decide if you would be happy with a race that is not up to the standard that you have set for yourself. You also have to consider the risk you are taking with regard to your physical condition. Some people could enjoy themselves just to be part of the atmosphere and others wouldn't. I envy those upbeat types, but I know from personal experience that I would come away with an empty feeling if I didn't have a good race. If I were to get injured on top of that it could throw me into a major tailspin mentally. I've done it more than once and it wasn't much fun, even when there was no injury to factor in. I missed training from illness or other reasons, but entered a big race anyway in the hope something magical would happen. When it didn't I got bummed, wishing that I would have waited until I was ready. I think there is a lot more potential for pulling out of this funk in your daily rehab then there is from a screaming Boston crowd. Those little breakthroughs you are going to see if you have patience can be some great highs. Then to get on a consistent roll and start approaching your top form again is one of the best feelings there is. It can happen for you if you'll just give it time. I would urge you to pass on this one and wait until you are ready to run the way you know you can. I wish you the best, whatever course of action you decide on. Jim

Age 60 plus best times: 5k 19:00, 10k 38:35, 10m 1:05:30, HM 1:24:09, 30k 2:04:33

Masters Running

My predicament (Read 597 times)