An Incondite Adventure: February 2022

COVID has been awful - full stop. From a running standpoint, I have little to show for it. After my full run of the White Pine Trail in spring 2020, things have taken a turn. I managed the GZ marathon in December 2020 after almost 3 weeks of no running due to quarantine in moving to China. After taking most of the sweltering summer off running, I ran and won the Homeless Love marathon after a week off touring Tibet in Oct 2021. Now, all other races in China are canceled for the foreseeable future, meaning no return to the Great Wall Marathon for me.

With the move to Europe nearing, I will have new opportunities. No more pitiful void of routes and events. No longer will humidity stifle my drive. An abundance of races will be in my neighborhood, and a plethora of beautiful cities will host more races than needed. It's time to rediscover my purpose.

2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. My best training buddies from South Africa were there that day and they plan to return a decade later. I went a year after the bombing in an attempt to ensure my freedoms cannot be taken away. But in order to join my comrades for this anniversary, I would have to re-qualify - something that poses a significant challenge when the last two years have been pure junk running. In fact, I have not posted a BMQ (Boston qualifying time) in 8 years, at that very aforementioned Boston. At 41, this becomes one of my more difficult endeavors. In order to do this, I am going to have to do something I haven't done much of in the past decade - train.

Normally, I just run. Whatever miles I bank training with an XC team or getting out there most days is ok with me. I typically average around 30 miles a week. But that will not be significant enough to work this time. Other times, I race into shape, running races and finding fitness in the moment. But there are no races this year - I'll go from October to June without the chance to run one. I need a sub-3 hours, 10 mins just to register. That time alone will likely not be enough to get me in. Due to field size, faster times get priority. It could take a time 3-6 min faster to get in, which will not be known until long in the future. Due to a lack of races, I have determined my best chance of doing so is at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN, on June 18th, just 6 days after landing back in the USA after nearly two years away.

I am largely following this plan, but improvising the month of May with other workouts I love. I had an extra 4 weeks from when I started the plan to the taper, and I am unsure how I will handle the heat and humidity of May. It is amazing what a little consistency can do for a guy. After just 4-weeks of 40 miles per week, I am strong and fresh. Due to the pace required, I have had to add two days a week of workouts in order to ensure that I have a threshold that will allow me to push the pace come race day. Holding on and surviving won't get me qualified. Additionally, I am using the long runs as a third workout, splicing in segments of marathon pace and faster to prepare for the race ahead. My workouts have been spectacular so far as I am punching out all of my goal times with relatively little effort. My recovery is solid. I am cautiously proceeding as to not push the pace or miles beyond the plan and risk overtraining and/or injury. If I do that, I only have myself to blame. At least this way, I have a plan to follow and then can offload some of that blame on the plan ;) The plan peaks at around 60 miles per week, and I feel that is sufficient for the work. I will emphasize pace over high mileage.

My biggest fears are twofold: heat and safety. The humidity will be a problem. I have never run well in it, but the silver lining here is that I will be 1) in better shape going into the harshest months and 2) I will gradually ease into the hotter and wetter conditions rather than just starting right into the storm. I can only hope it is enough. Speaking of hope, I have another issue. Flights are banned to/from the USA and China. We aren't 100% sure if we can get back in time. Once there, I don't have a vaccination (the China one is insufficient for US standards). So, I have to get vaccinated immediately and hope that I do not experience side effects in the days prior to the race. We all will have to isolate somewhat as Omicron rages on because getting sick in the days prior to my one shot at this time will be the worst-case scenario.

A new addition to the plan will be the experimentation with some of these high-tech shoes. I have the Nike Vaporfly Next %2 - a significant investment in my goal as they run about $225. I'll try them out for portions of the workouts/long runs closer to the race to get the legs used to the formation. I can't say I love the idea of the "cheat shoes" but they give a significant advantage and I could use the help. If they are legal, I am open to the idea.