Eat Drink Run Woman

This week’s Take it and Run Thursday aims to answer the question, “What is it that attracts us to the marathon?”  Well, I’m going to take it one step further and attempt to explain my obsession with multiple marathons.  (Quite frankly, it’s a daunting task.  My therapist has been trying to get to the root of this for years).

I’ve been meaning to write this post for some time as I know you, my dear readers, are dying to know what makes me tick.  I’ve been inundated with your emails and comments:

How do you keep from getting injured or just plain burned out?
Aren’t you tired and starving all the time?
How do you find time to work?
Want to pleasure your girlfriend with a super-sized penis?

So it’s time to share my secret:

Run. Recover. Repeat.

There you have it!  Hope this was helpful.  Oh, what’s that?  You’d like more detail?  Fine.  (After all, the above describes HOW I do it, not WHY).  I’m warning you though — I can be quite the Chatty Kathy.  Or perhaps Blathering Betsy.

Growing up, I wasn’t into sports.  Since I walked everywhere (we lived in a small town) I stayed skinny, but I wouldn’t call myself particularly fit.  I also was rather shy (really!), and therefore never wanted to do anything that called attention to myself (I swear I’m not making that up).  I was afraid of looking foolish, so I had no desire to challenge myself with a sport.  While my shyness has faded, I still don’t feel I’m suited to team sports.  That’s why I love running so much — it’s a solo endeavor.

During my first running phase in the early to mid 90s, I never considered trying to go fast or far.  I was perfectly content to keep my runs to under six miles (although I did run my first half marathon in 1993).  Even when my second running phase started in 2005 I didn’t anticipate catching the bug as much as I have; I just wanted to lose weight and get fit again.

My darling, aka Mr. “if a little is good, a lot is better,” had other ideas.

After a year of running, I suggested to my darling we enter a half marathon race.  His response? “Why not a full?”  Rational minds prevailed, and we ran the Seafair half marathon in July 2006.  However, as we were recuperating on our deck after the race, talk soon turned again to the marathon.  I had already read about the Marathon du Medoc, and after a few beers — and encouragement from our neighbor — we decided we’d sign up for the race in 2007.  I figured we’d run one and be done, but even before we ran that race I had signed us up for our second — the Goofy Challenge at Walt Disney World.

During our trip to Medoc I was introduced to the world of multiple marathons.  Several people in our group had run 20, 30, 40+ marathons.  But the person who most amazed me was the 60+ year old who was running her 105th marathon.  I didn’t think it was possible!  Because my experience at Medoc was so enjoyable, I decided I’d make it my goal to run 15 marathons by the time I was 50 (I even compiled a list of potential marathons to reach that goal).  I figured it would be a bit of a challenge — I was 44 at the time and it would require I run at 2-3 marathons a year — but it was certainly doable.  Of course, I laugh now considering I just turned 45 and already have 11 marathons under my feet (I’ll run my 15th in May).

Even when I signed up for my third marathon in June 2008 I still figured I’d stick to 2-3 marathons a year.  But by then my darling also caught the bug and we soon were signing up for a few more (Light at the End of the Tunnel, Skagit Flats, Royal Victoria).  Skagit Flats earned us Maniac status, and that’s when our obsession became fully realized.  Those Maniacs are a bunch of enablers!

In case you’re not familiar with the Marathon Maniacs, you earn levels of membership based upon certain criteria.  The lowest tier is Bronze; to earn that you either 1) run three marathons in 90 days (that’s what we did); 2) run back-to-back marathons (two marathons in consecutive weekends); or 3) two marathons in a 16-day time frame.  There are nine placement levels — Bronze, Silver, Gold, Iridium, Ruthenium, Osmium, Palladium, Platinum and Titanium — with increasingly difficult criteria.  (To earn Titanium you must run 1) 52 marathons or more in one calendar year, 2) 30 marathons in 30 US states, countries, or Canadian provinces (any combination) in 1 calendar year, or 3) 20 countries in one calendar year).  And yes, several members are at Titanium level.

However, it’s not the name of the placement level that motivates you — it’s the spinning stars.  Each Maniac is listed in the Insane Asylum along with his or her marathon streak, marked by a spinning star.  If you’re Bronze level you have one star, Silver is two, etc. (for some reason they skip nine stars; Titanium earns you 10).  Once you’ve earned initial membership you need not run another marathon; as long as you pay your yearly dues you remain a member.  But once you start looking all the spinning stars listed under each Maniac’s name, you start to think, “Hmmm… I need me another one of those.”  We’ve only been members since September and already we’re at three stars; we’re planning on picking up our 4th — and possibly 5th — star this summer.

However, this still doesn’t answer the question, “Why?”

For me, it’s about finding something that I’m relatively good at.  I’m not talking about speed; even though I’ve qualified for Boston I don’t consider myself a fast runner.  In fact, I may never beat my marathon best of 3:54:34.  But during all my marathon training I’ve found I tend to recover rather quickly, which allows me to run another marathon in short order.  Mind you, I have had to work at it.

After Medoc I started experiencing some hip pain so I went back to my physical therapist (I had gone to her several months earlier to help me with runner’s knee).  She admonished me for not doing the exercises she had initially prescribed (my hip issue was related to the runner’s knee), but I promised her I’d be a good girl this time.  After all, I had a marathon and a half to run in a couple of months.  Seeing how the PT exercises not only alleviated my knee/hip issues, but also improved my overall form, I was hooked.  I now try to get in 3-5 days/week of core work (ab exercises, planks, lunges, balance squats, yoga, etc.)

Aside from feeling I’m good at marathoning, I absolutely LOVE it.  I love the camaraderie among runners, I love the physical and mental challenge of completing the marathon, I love wearing my bling after a race and I LOVE LOVE LOVE having a legitimate excuse to lay on the couch and drink a beer (or three).  Sure, there are times during the race when I want it to be over — NOW — but once I cross the finish line I’m pining for my next race.

Who knows, perhaps this is merely another running phase, but I seriously doubt it.  My body may not be able to continue at its current pace, but I’m doing all I can to ensure it holds up.  And in case you’re wondering, my NEW goal is to run 50 marathons by the time I’m 50.  (I’m sure I’ll be readjusting that goal in a couple of years).