Summer is my least favorite season for marathon training. Or running in general. The heat and humidity zaps all energy and forces paces to slow to the point where I question every goal I have set. So I’m only grinding out the summer miles for one reason: one last shot at hitting a 2025 Boston qualifying time. And I’ve been turning every direction possible looking for running inspiration.
I went to the Team USA track and field Olympic trials here in Oregon during the first week of my three-month buildup. I’ve been wearing every piece of Boston Marathon gear I have on a rotation. (Including running my long runs in my very first Tracksmith BQ singlet from 2017.) I’ve watched hours of the Paris Olympics coverage, including the marathons more than once. And while I normally listen to podcasts while running, lately I’ve been mixing in a lot of music to help my feet turn over.
Before I race on September 7, I might even pull out my favorite movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”
What have all of these strategies done for me? I will find out in less than three weeks when I line up.
So far, I’m feeling inspired … and also slower than I feel I should be with raceday sneaking up.
Multiple times I’ve felt like quitting a workout or long run. And each time, I’ve looked down at a Boston Marathon logo (or thought about my streak ending) and kept going. I’ve slowed down, and I’ve moved workouts to different days. But I haven’t cut anything short of what I planned.
Pushing through is important. Thankfully I like in a place where the summer weather isn’t as brutal. I felt like summer marathon training was impossible when I lived in Texas, Louisiana, and Nevada. And it was surprisingly difficult in Ohio. But here in Oregon, it’s just cool enough in the mornings for it to be survivable.
So I’m going to stay focused on my goal. It’s close, and I’ve put in a lot of work to be in striking distance.
Two more weeks of training and a taper week with race day at the end. That’s all I have left.
A BQ is out there. Time to keep plugging into running inspiration. Time for Olympic replays, motivational podcasts, and some positive self talk.
Weekly log
Monday: 8 miles easy; 7 miles doubling.
Tuesday: 8-mile track workout with 3 X (600m, 400m, 600m) + 200m on 200m rests after the first two repeats and 400m rests after each full set; 6 miles easy shakeout.
Wednesday: 5 miles easy to recover.
Thursday: 11-mile tempo with 2 X 3 miles at goal race effort; 6 miles easy with the HOTV social run crew.
Friday: 6 miles easy to get ready for my long run.
Saturday: 23-mile long run, my best of the buildup so far (but still slower paced than I would like).
Sunday: 10 miles shaking out.
Total miles: 91.
Boston Beard 2024 week 9 highlights: feeling slightly more confident in my long run (and breaking in my new racing shoes the NB SC Elite 4), watching the Olympic replays for the events I missed live, spending quality family time doing summer activities.