The closest thing I can liken this running season to is the athlete that misses nearly most of the season to injury and makes a cameo appearance in the last few and meaningless games, to see if he can make a go at a full-fledged return for next year. The Ashland half marathon was only one of two races I entered in 2010. The other race was the Lexington Blueberry 5k in late summer. Of the two races, the Blueberry was not only easier because it was shorter in length but it was mostly flat.
The true test for my 2 year long foot injury would definitely be a 13.1 mile trek through the streets of Ashland Ohio, with 3 significant hills anxiously waiting to put my foot through the harshest trials since I was sent to the sidelines. I completed the course at a very pedestrian time of 2:23. I was not the last runner in but I was in the running for the turtle award on this Saturday. I was trying to set a realistic goal of 2:10-2:15, which is about 25 minutes slower than my normal half marathon time. Even though I finished a minute per mile slower than I hoped, it felt good to cross the line and get my finisher's medal. It was a victory for me because my foot felt fine!
I had some trepidations about risking injury of pushing it in 23 degree weather up hills that I was told to avoid for a long period of my recovery. I did plenty of running in 2010 compared to 2009. Still I was far from being in peak form when I decided to enter the half just 7 days before the event. That's not the time such races should be circled on the running calendar. But I picked it not for competitive reasons, but instead for the sake of testing my will, desire and healed foot.
Finishing at the back of the pack was no surprise to me for many reasons. I decided to run a very conservative pace to begin with as I preached to myself to relax & run slow. I was entered into a race in a runners' town in December. Here were hardcore runners that I stood among at the starting line. The winning time was a staggering 1:10! I was obviously not well conditioned for the hills that were before me (especially at about 20 lbs above my ideal weight). I kept that all in my head when I headed onto the course and it kept my competitive juices at bay.
I'm writing this early on Monday, just two days removed from the event. I have racing bib #4980 and a finishers medal hanging in my office, along with some pictures and the course map with my splits written at each mile. But besides these things I have greater things to cherish. I have Kelly, who stood at the finish line in the cold empty stadium, patiently waiting to greet me with a hug, as she always has done at each race. I also have the satisfaction that I ran my greatest distance since 2008 and crossed the finish line of a half marathon once again.
I have plans to race the Chicago Marathon in 2011. I have a lot of work to do to get ready and this was a big step toward confidence that my first full marathon is not my last one.
