Around this time last year I arrived at Golden Gate Park early on a foggy Sunday morning to cheer on my friends at the finish line of the San Francisco Half Marathon. I remember standing there praising their performance and distinctly saying I would never even attempt such a thing. Now a year later, I’m just two weeks sky from attempting such a thing…
How It All Began
At New Year, I found myself craving a resolution that fell outside my comfort zone. Looking for something I could feel great about and hang my hat on if I were to persevere. And so, I made the commitment to try and “become a better runner” this year.
From the beginning of this journey I knew I had to be realistic and manage my own expectations. I was honest with myself from the start that change and progress wasn’t going to happen over night and that it might not happen at all. I needed to be clear as to what I thought success would look like. I made my goals more about frequency and less about speed, mileage or time. It was about committing runs on the weekends when I wanted to be in bed, early mornings before work and after long hard days.
My First Run Was Disappointing
To help stick to my commitment, I signed up for two races – Bay to Breakers in May and the San Francisco Half Marathon in July. Bay to Breakers wasn’t the race I wanted it to be. I thought I had trained enough to pull off the 15K run without issue, but struggled mentally and physically. The steep hills in the middle of the route challenged me most, stealing most of my energy and moral. It was hard to bounce back once I knew my time was so far behind my goal.
After the race I expressed great concern for the impending half marathon, fearful I wouldn’t be able to get in shape in time. I thought about giving up right then but knew I had made a commitment to myself and couldn’t back down. Plus, I’d already shelled out the $150+ for the next race…
Getting Ready for the Half
My concerns continued to fester a few weeks ago when I returned from vacation to a heavy workload that was preventing me from dedicating time to my training. At first it felt like the progress I had made before my vacation had been tossed out the window. I was back to 10 minute miles and was seriously thinking about backing out of the race, again.
But despite these few bumpy runs in the beginning, I am starting to feel more comfortable and confident with my running. Leading up to this race I’ve shifted my routine and mindset. I’ve greatly increased my speed for short runs, and increased my distance and average pace for longer runs.
Mentally, I’m stronger than before, learning the skills to manipulate my focus and turn off my attention when I need to push through the exhaustion or boredom. I’m hoping this work will carry with me to race day.
Come Support Me!
If you’re in San Francisco on Sunday, July 29th, come cheer me on! I’ll be running the 2nd Half of the SF Marathon, which starts in Golden Gate Park ends along the Embarcadero near the Bay Bridge/Ferry Building.
Marissa Osowsky 