It had been about a month since my last long run, and it was only 16 miles. The glow of that glory had faded, like a former prom queen after one too many drinks and one too many kids. I was starting to panic. I only realized now, in this moment (part of the problem?), how important these long runs were. Besides physically getting me ready for the marathon, they would get me mentally prepared with that kind of distance. I wasn't in the kind of shape where I could just assume that the adrenaline of marathon day would push me through all 26.2 miles - I needed to know that I could go further than 16 miles. And I preferred to do that before the marathon, not on a gurney at the marathon.
I figured I'd head down to ol' trusty - Eisenhower Park to do a minimum of 18 miles. It had to be done, and excuses weren't quite on the table anymore. I went to sleep with a plan for the morning to replicate my race day routine down to underwear and outfit.
I was finally feeling better when I went to sleep. It had seemed like such a long time of lounging around and feeling like garbage that I wasn't quite sure if I believed that I was on the mend. I had been fooled before. Just a few days earlier, it was my grandmother's birthday and on my way to my parents, I stopped at the Gap to pick something up. I was feeling good the entire way there, until I walked in the store and broke out into a cold sweat and had to sturdy myself on a T-Rack of henleys. I apprently, wasn't doing as well outside the confines of my living room as I thought.
But this was slightly different - I think mind was triumphing over matter, and when I went to sleep I knew I would wake up to birds chirping, rested limbs and a spring in my infected step. As usual, I was wrong.
I woke up early, but my face had exploded in my sleep. I couldn't believe it - my allergies were ripping through my body again. I was more angry then anything else. "How could this be happening?" I wondered through sneezes and wheezes. I didn't care though. I had to run.
Not one to think under pressure, I still packed myself up and headed to the park, not thinking that, perhaps a tree lined forest was the best place for someone going through a debilitating allergy attack. But run, I did. I sneezed and sneezed and sneezed to the point that even through my iPod, intense concentration and watery eyes, I could see people grossed out by me.
I made it through 10 miles in 2 hours and 11 minutes (about 13 minutes per mile). I couldn't go anymore, and even if I could, I realized that I shouldn't. My phone was dead, I was miles from home and my parents were away. If I had an asthma attack it would be a bad scene and I could already feel myself wheezing. I went to the car, and alternated feelings of wanting to cry and smash a window. I was no longer amused by my machinations.
A few hours later, Heathaaaa, now joined with me in the spirit of marathon training, texted me about the run. I suddenly realized, how much was riding on me - Heathaaaa and I had about 90 people coming to cheer us on in red "Never Say Never - Run Eddie & Heather" t-shirts. We had plans to split the hotel room that she had earned for raising over $5,000 for Memorial Sloan-Kettering. We were going to be Starting Line buddies. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by the thought of not being able to do this - not being able to run the marathon. I texted her back saying that tomorrow I would try again.
Like what you are reading? Show me the love by donating to my Fred's Team NYC Marathon Page!
https://fredsteam.mskcc.org/fundraising/Controller?action=userHome&user_id=40160&event_id=128
No comments:
Post a Comment