Proof of concept

Hitting an important milestone, and what comes next

I have struggled mightily the last two and a half weeks, trying to come up with something to write about. And I think it’s because I’ve missed running. I have missed running towards a purpose, with a plan, and lots of miles. After my last 26.2 in October of 2021, I didn’t do a whole lot different. I cut my mileage down a little bit, but I was still running basically every day.

This time? I’ve taken it easy. After running the Lincoln Half Marathon on May 1st, I ran 15 miles the following week, and just 18 last week. I’m two and a half weeks away from the start of marathon training, but I wish it were here now. I’ve felt like I’m in a funk.

All this coming not even three weeks after my fastest half marathon yet, at a pace that would equal sub-3:00:00, if I could do it again for the remaining 13.1. To run 2:59:59, I’ve got to be able to run 1:29:59, twice¹, give or take a half second. At the very least, I now know I can do it once. I finally have the first proof of concept for a sub-three.

But I haven’t felt like myself. I blame the lack of miles.

Not running sucks.

---

My dad said something to me after the race; something that is obvious in hindsight, but that wasn’t front of mind in the buildup to this race, or any others I’ve ran in since 2020.

“It’s cool to see all of that hard work pay off.”

I don’t know how I didn’t think about this before; about how many miles and hours I put into running, how much time I think about it. I ran over 600 miles in this training cycle alone, and it could (and should) have been more.

I put in all that work, went out with a plan, and beat the time I had in mind. I did it.

What now?

---

For whatever reason, I haven’t been able to aptly describe what this year’s Lincoln Half Marathon meant to me. I think that’s why it’s taken me so long to get this out into the world. I’ve stopped and started close to a dozen times. Added paragraphs here, deleted sentences there.

A sub-three hour marathon is 26.2 miles at a 6:51 pace. I have done that for a 5k multiple times, and last summer I ran a 10k at that pace, but doing so in a half marathon was a mental hurdle that until recently, I didn’t think was possible for at least another year.

In the early part of race week, I hadn’t yet decided how I’d approach it. The 16-mile run that knocked me off my game was still in the back of my mind. The taper felt off², given I had missed an entire week of running while in Mexico. My mileage was like a yo-yo, up and down for too many weeks in a row. Plainly put, I wasn’t as consistent as I had been in the lead up to Minneapolis.

Outwardly, I was projecting confidence. Internally, I was a bit worried. If I ran my race, I thought I’d have a chance at 1:29:29. But I was doing my best not to verbalize it. “I’m going for a PR,” I would say, “But we’ll see if I can go much faster than that.”

The closer the race got, the stronger I felt mentally. A big reason why was Advanced Marathoning, a book I picked up from the local library. I spent the days leading up to the race devouring it. Not only was I looking ahead to using a training plan inside it for the Chicago Marathon, but that excitement helped me dial in for what Lincoln would bring on Sunday, May 1st. I told a co-worker late in the week that I’d be aiming for a sub-1:30:00 half.

I was going to go for it.

---

I went out pretty fast, not even five seconds behind my goal pace. I felt great. By mile two or three, I had decided 1:29:29 was attainable. I wasn’t going to back off. The best part? The first five miles gained 108 feet of elevation. I was nailing the race and I hadn’t had a downhill yet. The downhill portion only confirmed what I’d been thinking since early on. I kept pushing the pace, gaining nine seconds here, ten seconds there. Only one time after mile three did I lose time, when I ran my ninth mile in 6:53.

The moment where I realize it’s going to happen, truly happen — I’m going to reach my goal — is close to my favorite part of the entire race. The end is incredible — there’s nothing like crossing the finish line, feeling like you gave it your all, and reaching your goal in the process — but there’s this indescribable joy when you realize inside the race that you’ll be able to do it. That barring something truly terrible, you’ll have a new PR. I had that moment with a few miles to go.

With little over a half mile left, I was on my way to finishing sub-1:30:00, and would be doing so with a few seconds to spare. That said, it wasn’t the close I wanted. I felt a bit fatigued.

Then I saw my mom.

I had about a half mile left when I saw her. I started running faster. It’s a moment I’ll never forget, hearing her scream, “you look so strong!” I get chills thinking about it now. It gave me an extra boost, and I ended up running my fastest pace of the entire race in that exact moment. I crossed the line minutes later with a time of 1:29:20. I did it.

I can do 2:59:59.

---

The Lincoln Half represented another milestone for me. Instead of focusing on what’s next, like I usually do, I’ve tried to think back on that run instead. The start, the finish. The miles in between. Seeing my mom.

And seeing my dad.

After the race, my mom and I ventured near the spot where she saw me, planting there until we’d see my dad. I couldn’t wait to tell him what happened.

As he got close, I trailed my mom by a few feet, letting them have a moment of celebration. Then he came over to me. “What did you run?” he asked. And the moment I said “one… twenty nine” I couldn’t even get out the remaining “twenty” seconds of my time. He was giving me one of the biggest, loudest cheers he’s ever given me. I returned it myself, and added a high five and hug for good measure. Another unforgettable moment then, and more chills today.

I am proud of that race. I’m proud of myself, for reaching another goal. And I’ve enjoyed ruminating on it a bit longer. I think it’s been important to do so, because I turn the page on the half in 2.5 weeks, as marathon training begins. I’ll move on. I’ll try not to think about that Sunday anymore.

Well, at least not as much.

1. Math!

2. The taper usually comes with three miles left in training. Not as many hard runs, not as many total miles.