Detroit Freep Marathon. The plan.

My body is recovering from my 50m just fine. Good enough that I can move my mind and body into preparing for Detroit Freepress Marathon in 2 weeks.

I will have 5 weeks between races.

While that might not seem like enough, many coaches would suggest you wait at least 4 weeks between a marathon or half marathon.

• The more miles that you run the more fit that you are. The more quickly you will recover from the damage you have applied to your body.
• Another factor that is important when racing back to back is the effort level that you raced at and the effort that you plan to hit your next race at.

I have done this the wrong way, not knowing the importance of taking adequate time off. After running Chicago in 10/10/10, I was also signed up to race the Detroit Freep half marathon. At mile 3, my body started whining, at mile 8 my legs where screaming. It was no longer a fun run, I was hurtin for certain!

I am excited to run Detroit this year for a few reasons:

1. I got a hotel room at the Marriott like we do every year but THIS year, the girls are all going to stay with me! Mary Ann, Claudia, Erin, Jama and I!
2. I am not racing it. I am gonna have fun with the girls.

I am not a racing snob. I don't change my name to protect my racing times. I do not enter races to run blazing fast. I am not chasing my next PR. I do not introduce myself as "Anita The Runner".
Not every race has to be a BQ-er for me, I try really hard to REMEMBER why I RUN.
Some of my most sentimental runs are actually with someone else who meets their goals.
Yes, I love to race fast, hard and strong. But it takes a toll on you both physically and emotionally.
Not having the pressure that racing brings is a good break for me. I am really excited to be running with these ladies!
I get to do my favorite things, run and have the energy to be a cheerleader! For Claudia, this will be her 1st MARATHON!
I am stoked to be part of her story!

RUNDOWN:
I HATE BEING COLD. I always struggle in the fall trying to figure out what to wear. Sure enough by my 3rd hill sprint I was stripping clothes off. I had a pile of clothes in the bushes on Rood rd.
For months training for WOODSTOCK I trained walking hills. Now it was time to start getting my strength and speed back.
At the base of the hill, I would pick out a tree or a mailbox and lunge forward after it. About midway through the hill it feels like I have a rubber band around my waist pulling me backwards.
I found myself barking commands at myself. My teeth were grinding as I dug my shoes deeper into the gravel.
"FEEL the Burn, GO, GO, Bring your knees up and GOO."
"Come on baby make it hurt so GOOD." I could almost hear John Cougar Mellencamp personally singing sweet nothings to me.
I wanted to cheat but then remembered I am only cheating myself. I wanted to quit but quitters never win. I wanted to whine but no one likes whiners.
After 4 miles of hill repeats, I headed home. I have one more nasty hill on my final strip towards the Harless Abode.
I not only knocked it out, my body without asking me, turned AROUND to do it again! I actually started laughing at myself halfway down the hill. "What just happened? When did I give my legs permission to turn around?"
I looked at the top of the hill. A bright yellow arrow pointed in the direction of the curve on the road and home.
UP! Pumping my arms, lifting my knees and focusing my eyes on the arrow I took off.
"All the way home Anita, no break, no rest, keep running till you get home."
ONLY I forgot about the hill my street in nestled on.
I caught my breath, I was in a comfortable pace and place. I decided to tackle this last hill on the home front. Holding my shirt, with my jacket wrapped around me, my bare skin was clammy and hot.
I looked down at my Garmin for my pace and kicked it back into gear. As I was clearing the top, I saw Austin in Andys truck coming towards me. He passed our street and pulled up to me. Out of breath I went towards the car. Nick, his friend was looking at me like a lunatic. "WOW, you are going hard, why are you going so fast?"
I chuckled, threw my smelly shirt at them and headed into our street.
All giddy I was like "HA HA,they thought I looked fast!"

ANYONE there RUNNING DETROIT FREEP Marathon? What is your goal time? You might want to join our posse!

Anita