It hasn't.
For Christmas, Boyfriend got me the Dean Karnazes movie, "UltraMarathon Man," which chronicles Dean conquering 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. While I was watching the movie I became thoroughly intrigued at the idea of running multiple marathons very close together. He didn't seem to get tired. If anything, he got stronger (the 50th marathon he ran was his fastest). Now, I'm no Dean, but I think there is definitely something to be said for running long distances consistently.
There was a time in my life I actually wrote home to tell my parents I had run 10 WHOLE MILES! I couldn't believe it! I had trained for years, really, before I ever got up to that distance. It was long and hard but I had gotten through it and was so proud. Flash forward a few years and I can run 10 miles every single time I go out there and it just feels like another run day. Your body adapts to amazing things if you just stick with it and have the curiosity to try.
I won't be attempting 50 marathons in 50 days. I'm not that crazy. But I got to thinking it might be neat to try 12 marathons in a year. I sort of want to do Goofy in 2011 again and to assuage part of the guilt of returning to Orlando so soon I thought it might be fitting if Goofy 2011 was my 26th marathon. To do that, I'll need 14 more marathons in the next 12 months.
So my 2010 running goal runs the gamut of anywhere from 9-14 marathons in the next 12 months. My dad so kindly pointed out that if I count from Dec. '09 to Dec '10 I am already 3 marathons into my 12 in 12 challenge. That sort of feels like cheating, but I don't think it takes away from the accomplishment if I only eek out 9 more.
To do this without having to send Mario into Golden Gate Park to harvest his own hay, I need to do as many local marathons as I can. This way I don't have to take off from work and have minimal travel expenses. So there will be a few marathons on the list I didn't think I'd ever do (or do again) but I'll get over it. Because of the need to do these local races, I wasn't able to space these all out nicely. There are a couple of back-to-backs and even a possible 3 in 3 weeks (perhaps even 4 in 4 weeks) segment planned. I do have about 4 destination races I've penciled in that I'm really excited about, though.
So to start this off, I have already signed up for the Napa Valley Marathon on March 7th and the Oakland Marathon on March 28th. I am also tinkering with the idea of doing the LA Marathon on March 21st.
I may end up regretting this, but if so, I'll just stop! No worries!
13 comments:
Hey, why not! Go for it! You're young, you can handle it. :D
Go Roadbunner Go!!!
Meanwhile, I will sit here and not get myself talked into signing up for Goofy 2011.
Impressive! Sounds like it's going to be some year. Good luck!
Holy cow crazy woman!
So Justin really wants to do Goofy in 2011 and I know Kristen is going with her family. I just don't know that sounds crazy to me. I figure I don't have to do Goofy, I could just do the half right?
What a year you have planned for yourself. I'm excited to read all about it. There is another marathon in May up here, in Eugene, you could run that =). I'm all about getting you to my neck of the woods so I can cheer you on since you were such an awesome cheerleader for me. Portland is in October!
Wow, that sounds like one amazing challenge!! Awesome!
And I really like the sound of you doing Goofy 2011. Go for it! And I totally think you should persuade Audrey to join us too..!!
Goofy 2011!! I would love to have some others out there with me!
This sounds like an amazing goal - a little crazy yes, but I think you will be so happy you did it.
Good luck!
Hee, we must be long lost sistahs!!
I think it's a great idea as long as you are smart about running them and recovering (i.e., not every one can or should be a PR attempt) so you can stay injury-free.
I have run only 2 marathons in California (Nike 26.2 and Carlsbad Marathon) but if I were to do another, Bizz Johnson would be one I'd be interested in doing. Though it's an off-road race, everyone has said the trail is almost like running on a road but considerably softer. The weather is also usually COLD, which I know you like.
And by back-to-back, do you mean Saturday and Sunday marathons? That is something I've never tried (and don't really want to, to be honest). One week apart is as close as I'll go.
Best of luck!!!
And look how much faster too!
Local races always love the support.
Maybe it's time to join Marathon Maniacs!
My guess is, let's see, "Boston" will begin "calling" about next September! (Start saving your money!)
You can SOOOO do it! Just remember to listen to your body and take time to recover in between. (And don't forget to eat -- you gotta fuel the machine!)
I forget -- are you an official Maniac? If not, you should be!
hey...i don't get why starting your tally in december is "somehow cheating"? 12 months is 12 months, girl! (btw..that's how i tallied my 12/12 last year!). looking forward to following your goldfish-fueled training. see you in LA AND oakland...at least!
go for it!
i thought about doing la and even registered up until the end when i saw that it was $125. i dont know if i want to pay that much for a race im not totally stoked on...
Whoaaaaa, so many marathons! Good luck! I'm really, really impressed, and I can't wait to see how it goes for you.
Here in Texas, we have the Texas Marathon Challenge, where you do a set number of Texas marathons and get prizes of some sort. I looked into it once, but I'm a homebody and the idea of traipsing off to some other town every month didn't appeal.
You can certainly adapt to doing that much running, though. I've been running 15-20 miles every Saturday for years, and as you say, it's just another run day now.
Don't send Mario to forage for himself, though. Poor little guy!
Only 9?!? That's a worthy challenge in itself.
Let me know if you do LA it'd be nice to see you in person :)
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