Fourth of July week truly kicks off summer. If I’m going to have any chance at meeting my 2024 Boston Marathon qualifying goal, I will need to put together a smart and consistent summer training cycle. That is something I’ve never done.
I had one shot at completing a long run last week, and it was on Thursday morning, the Fourth of July. I know that a weekly long run is my best training weapon. So when my alarm clock started ringing at 4:30 a.m., I reluctantly got out of bed and ready to spend the first four or so hours of my Independence Day on the Corvallis roads.
Like my first two weeks, the long run wasn’t kind to me. My legs felt heavy and tight. My pace started out much slower than I would like, and I couldn’t seem to find a rhythm.
Then around halfway to hitting my 23-mile goal, I saw it. A magnificent Hawk soaring above the grass fields in Willamette Park. And then I saw the other it. A mouse, or a rat, dangling from the hawk’s talon.
I spent the rest of my long run thinking about that image. The hawk gliding along with a powerful grace. A mouse just along for the ride, waiting for the journey to end.
In those Fourth of July miles, I was the mouse. My long run was the hawk, slowly squeezing the life out of me.
Instead of panicking, I decided to enjoy the views while waiting for the uncomfortable journey to end. I started to pick up my pace a bit. My legs found a tiny bit of rhythm. I remembered times in the past where I’ve felt more like that hawk, snatching the long run up and flying. In the final miles I felt a glimmer of hope.
It’s a long summer, and I have nine more weeks to transform. Hopefully from prey to predator. I would even settle for something comfortably in between.
My long run had to happen Thursday because I was set to travel all weekend. Saturday morning early, I flew from Eugene to San Diego (I visited a friend for his birthday and then drove my brother-in-law’s car back up to Oregon starting Sunday afternoon). I hammered out a tempo run in the heat of the day Saturday as soon as I got into town.
That workout wrapped up a third straight training week where I stuck to all of my planned workouts. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that consistency in my training.
We went to a Padres game for a birthday celebration night, and we stayed for Star Wars-themed fireworks afterward.
I felt deep gratitude as I watched the fireworks intercut with Darth Vader and Yoda quotes and video clips. I have great family and friends who care for me and care about my goals and what they mean to me. My training isn’t perfect, but I’m feeling improvement.
This mouse has a pretty great life.
Weekly log
Monday: 7 early miles easy to start the week; 6 stroller miles with some company with stops to pick wildflowers and play at the park.
Tuesday: 7.5 mile track workouts with 3 X 400m, 3 X 1,000m, 3 X 200m all on 200m recovery in the morning with the HOTV crew; 7.5 miles with the stroller.
Wednesday: 7 easy recovery miles.
Thursday: 23-mile long run where I realized I’m the prey right now; 3 miles easy with HOTV social run group (I was one of three people who showed up for this week).
Friday: 8 miles with the stroller and a stop at the outdoor pool; 3 miles easy in the late afternoon heat.
Saturday: 11-mile tempo workout from downtown San Diego to harbor island and back with 3 X 1.5 miles at between 5K and 10K pace.
Sunday: 5.5 miles easy around the San Diego embarcadero to close out the week.
Total miles: 90.
2024 Boston Beard week 3 highlights: wishing my friend a happy birthday in person and going to a Padres game, running with downtown San Diego views, actually making an early-morning track workout for the first time in months, sharing toasty miles with HOTV friends to cap off a brilliant Fourth of July.