David Wade On Marathon Training: I Must Have Fallen And Hit My Head
Somewhere along the line, I must have fallen and hit my head. I don't mean now, on one of the thousands of ice and danger encrusted New England sidewalks. No, this mind altering bump to my cerebellum must have happened sometime in July. I have no bumps or bruises, but I clearly remember suddenly, and without merit, deciding I was a runner.
Before this summer, I had never run more than five miles. I had never run in any road race. But, my wife will tell you, I always have to have an activity to obsess over: Scuba Diving, Squash, Photography, Jeeps, Flag Football, Shoulder Dislocations, Tough Mudder, Torn Pecs, etc. Well, suddenly I was obsessed with running. Now, because I tend to let these obsessions flame out, I needed a set-in-stone goal. I signed up for the B.A.A Half Marathon.
In October, after I finished the B.A.A. Half, I told my wife Francy, "Don't ever let me run a full marathon." I had heard that a full marathon was twice as long as a half marathon and that math didn't seem to be in my favor. Well, about a month later, with my running shoes now hanging next to my moldy Scuba gear, the WBZ Sports Executive Producer asked me if I'd like to run as part of our station team—basically assembled as a way to help personalize our extensive, full-day coverage of the Boston Marathon. Surely, my wife would save me and tell me not to do it. Instead, she encouraged me. She told me it was a once in a lifetime event. She failed me. I was in.
Training of course has been really hard with this weather. The roads are slop. The sidewalks are like running on oatmeal that has been sitting in the freezer. The miles are long and chilled, but I'm having a really good time. This past week was my hardest yet. I ran 16 miles. I ran eight miles from my house to the top of Heartbreak Hill and then back. My training partner was home with the flu and I had just kicked a 48 hour fever and was running on fumes and Amoxicillin. Oh, and it was about 17 degrees when I started. But I made it through.
This week I will have to run 18. My latest obsession just might kill me!
This weekly blog will keep track of where I am in my training. If you are running yourself, maybe also as a rookie, it may even make you feel better about your own training. Feel free to share all your stories with me and say 'hi' when you see me on the side of the road like a broken down 1991 Toyota Tercel!
Oh and one last note- thank you to my wonderful wife for pushing me to do this. We have three children, two under the age of two, and encouraging me to leave the house for three hours at a whack is an incredibly selfless act. Love you Francy!