I have been thinking a lot about my goal time for this marathon. I ran my first marathon in 4 hours and 25 minutes. But I also committed the cardinal sin of running: Starting out too fast. Because of that, the last 13 miles were miserable and it slowed me down lots.
I think I'll do better with this marathon because I know better what to expect, and the importance of pacing. My best-case-scenario goal has always been to break 4 hours. And then I saw this quote by Michelangelo:
"The greatest dander for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."
That was all the incentive I needed to shoot far. But under four hours means 3 hours and something. And 3:Anything seems maybe too hopeful. I needed to make my brain able to visualize 3:something in a marathon. So I put a little visual reminder on my hand over the last few days which I will keep until the race:
I'd be lying if I said I was 100% positive that I'll reach that goal. Lots of factors come in to play. But I ultimately decided that I would feel better if I pushed myself and didn't hit that time, instead of holding back and being conservative because of insecurity. Besides, shooting for 3:57 gives me a little leeway. Even if I'm slower by a few minutes I'll still be okay.
Eleanor Roosevelt said "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
I'm ready to look fear in the face. My 3:57 Sharpie-tatoo is my way of giving fear a wedgie.
"Marathons are about tenacity as much as talent."
~ John "The Penguin" Bingham
No comments:
Post a Comment