A running question in my mind: ‘Do I really want to do this?’

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July 28, 2010

THE VIEW FROM HERE

By JIM HARDIN CNHI The Zope Gazette Wed Jul 28, 2010, 07:27 AM CDT

Rockwall County — Now that I’ve stepped up my training because of some pretty serious running goals, I’m constantly asking myself questions.

When I’m putting on my running gear about 6:30 five mornings a week, I ask myself, “Do I really want to do this?”

When the heat and humidity smother me when I step outside for a morning run, I ask myself, “Do I really want to do this?”

When I feel the pain of my hip flexor strain when I start my 30-minute stretching and warm-up regimen, I ask myself, “Do I really want to do this?”

And during the first half-mile of my run, I ask myself a familiar question, “Do I really want to do this?”

If I’ve actually made it out onto the street and I’m running, I’ve got it made. The hardest part of a run for me is not the finish. It’s getting started. There have been times that I’ve stopped during that first half-mile, turned around and walked home.

Recently, I haven’t tried to talk myself out of running. Goals motivate me.

At the beginning of the spring, I set a goal to run a dozen 5k and/or 10k runs and two half marathons. Nope, you didn’t see a marathon among those spring and summer goals.

So far I’ve competed in six runs — 5k runs in Heath, Rockwall, Caddo Mills, Trenton, Arlington and Sulphur Springs. I’ll finish out the shorter runs, then I had planned to participate in half marathons in Dallas in November and December.

I’m so pleased with where I am right now that I’m beginning to have thoughts again of running my very first marathon. That’s 26.2 miles.

I said “again” because I’ve been here before. Last year, I had high hopes of running the White Rock Marathon in Dallas. How appropriate! The race was in December, on my 62nd birthday.

My 2009 dream of running my very first marathon disappeared at the finish line of the Dallas Running Club Half Marathon in November. The race was so hard on my body that I realized that a full marathon was out of the question. No way could I, no way would I finish a full marathon. So, I ran the half marathon instead at the 2009 White Rock event.

That was last year. This is a new year.

Here’s the deal. I’ve got to get on a good training program. Just running a jillion miles won’t get it. I’ve got to get on a good diet. I’ve got to do whatever it takes to prepare my body for a 26.2 mile run. To date in my life, I’ve run three half marathon distances of 13. 1 miles each.

I will have to run the White Rock Marathon in less than 6.5 hours. That’s when they close the course. That 6.5 hours is at a pace of 14.50 per mile. If I run the pace that I’ve run my half marathons, I would finish a full marathon in about 5.5 hours.

When I backed out last year on running a full marathon, most of my friends and relatives breathed a sigh of relief, followed by, “Praise the Lord.”

Some of my co-workers gave me a semi-rough time, however. One of them — don’t worry David Wilfong, I’m not going to call any names — had some fun with my change in plans. He often reminded me that an 80-something year old man was going to run the White Rock Marathon. He also got some enjoyment at my expense when he read about an 70-something year old nun from somewhere who was an “Iron Man Triathlete.”

It’s not a done deal that I’m going to run it. I may have to drop out because of an injury. My body may attack itself with an injury more serious than the one I already have.

But you know what? This just may be the year.

But I know that a serious question will come and I will have to give a truthful answer, “Do I really want to do this?”

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