Hello! Welcome to another gorgeous week in Oklahoma, the first FULL week of spring. Speaking of weeks, only five remain between now and the Memorial Marathon, so how about a quick update?
Overall I’m doing just fine. My mileage is up to date, albeit it in slightly different configurations than Hal Higdon has prescribed in his Novice 1 Training Program. Last week I visited my doctor for the first time in a thousand years and spoke with him at length about the marathon and other good stuff. He gave me some smart pointers (he’s a runner too, doing his first half this April at the Oklahoma Redbud Classic). He also checked my heart thoroughly and gave me the green light for 26.2. “If I were taking you to Vegas I’d bet the house on you!” he said confidently of my health. So, I guess there’s no getting out of it now. LOL Just kidding, I am really excited! Miles good, health great, attitude through the roof!
I have experienced one strange obstacle to logging those long runs, the ones greater than about 10 miles: It’s needing to tackle them somewhere other than the sandy back pasture of our farm. NOT finding a solution was beginning to feel like a reason to only run the half. And that would be a big disappointment for me, because I have been determined to run my first full marathon in my fortieth year. Personal goal.
So I’ve been looking for…
- a track longer than 1/4 mile.
- and if that track could please be paved, bonus points! Because the race will be on city streets.
- a running buddy for safety, but preferably someone close to my pace so neither of us is held back.
- Local running clubs are awesome! But so far my schedule has conflicted with every scheduled event.
Well, just yesterday Handsome found a park about fifteen minutes east of the farm that seems perfect. It is public but not too crowded; it is encircled by a paved one-mile track with some incline here and there; and most days a police officer watches nearby. So the problem has been solved, at least temporarily. To commemorate this happy turn of events I’d like to offer you this story song. Please sing it aloud to the tune of “If You Like Pina Coladas…” You don’t know that song? You are probably too young to read this blog.

All together now!
I was tired of the back field… I had been runnin’ there too long.
Like a quarter mile of torture! Stickers, sand, deer and rocks.
So between a few shorter miles (the marathon was closin’ in)
in the Hal Higdon forums… they said with long runs I could win.
*******
If you like runnin’ on pavement! Gettin’ faster every day!
If you’re just gettin’ into yoga, and you’ve never had a sprain!
If you must always run with mu-u-sic, ’cause your mind plays some games!
I’m the trail that you’ve dreamed of. Run on me and celebrate!
*******
I didn’t think about the llamas; they always watch me when I run.
I simply laced up my Brooks shoes, and in a minute I was gone.
Just fifteen minutes to the new track. I felt suspense and energy.
Could this really be the answer? I thought, we’ll have to wait and see.
*******
If you need to run on pavement, even though it hurts your shins!
If you’re not afraid of wild geese, or the occasional fisherman!
Then this track could be just perfect… It’s a full mile around!
Jut make sure you bring some water, but never pee on the ground!
*******
Now there’s a big world of difference… between a trail run and a track…
Between a private back pasture and a park where
YOU
MIGHT GET
AT-TACKED.
But run a quarter mile at at time? I mean, you just have no idea…
That is far too many tiny laps!
This girl was wearing pretty thin…
*******
If you like runnin’ on pavement! Spending hours all alone!
If it makes you really happy, to see your pace grow less slow!
If a single digit mile is a goal that you have…
Plus a 20-mile afternoon,
Meet me here I’m your track!
Aaaaand… I am out of words that barely rhyme. Did you totally jam that out with me? So three cheers for Handsome for locating a suitable running track! And best wishes to you in all of your goals and endeavors. Try setting them to this tune. It’s way more fun.
If you need me, I’ll be at a bar called O’Malley’s.
But not really.
XOXOXOXO
[…] Marie’s ready to run her first full marathon, she says, but the first order of business is to find a place to train: […]