Regroup, recovery, refocus

The quest to do four races in four weeks, three marathons and one half, is almost complete. My legs are surprisingly holding up.

Don't run a marathon until you forget your last? I think it's a proper strategy, in fact, by early last week, I had all but forgotten about the Toronto Marathon. But today, three races in, I can feel the effects of the hills of the Marine Corps Marathon. The delayed onset muscle soreness about to kick in.

So before I begin to try to forget the last three weeks as I prep for the victory lap in New York, a look back at the last three weeks:

Week 1: Toronto Marathon in 3:24:51, pace of about 4:50 a kilometre. Faster than the 3:30 I set as a soft target. Total mileage for the week was 41.5 miles.

Week 2: Niagara Half in 1:45:02 as a pace bunny. Paced at 5 minutes a kilometre. Mileage at 22 miles.

Week 3: Marine Corps Marathon in 3:39:19, pace of about 5:11 kilometres, much faster than the 3:50 I thought I'd target. Mileage for the week at 35 miles.

Notice a trend? Yep, I should target an even slower NYC. That is the plan.

Prescription is to recover and rest. I do feel worn down and I think I need to give myself some sleep. In fact, no race report tonight, it's bed time at 9 p.m.

MCM done, start spreading the news...

New York City Marathon in 7 days. Bring it. Marine Corps done in 3:39, a lot faster than planned. Marathons do that to you sometimes.

When did this become a tradition?

Hoorah, is a phrase I only hear once a year, but when I do, I know there's a wicked experience on the way.

"Are you a Marine?" the U.S. Customs officer asked me the other day when I was telling him I was running the Marine Corps Marathon.

No, I said, and gave him my reasoning of why I would run a race run by the Marines. "It's my fourth and one of my favourites."

It has never been my fastest marathons, and although it has gotten perfect weather it has become that second marathon of the fall season. No pressure, big crowds and a memorable finish. I always find myself inspired, from the Marines who man the volunteer stations to the wheelchair and amputee runners who amaze us all. The field attracts a wide field of runners, many of then first timers.

My fourth will be much like my third, done at a comfortable pace not really racing, but one can only get inspired to run just a little faster at the end if you have enough left. It is on that day, you will hear the words Sir and Ma'am, uttered by a polite serviceman. And no matter your views of war, warfare or military, it is an honor when one Marine respectably cracks a smile, puts a medal around your neck, and salute your efforts, you can hear yourself softly say 'Hoorah'.

That's a crowd

Rabbit season

So traded e-mails with the organizer of the pace bunny program. Seems that at 1.9 seconds off the target pace, I won the exact closest time of all the Niagara pacers.

What did I win, I asked?

"A bag of carrots, of course!"

Ha, anyways, some pictures that were snapped near the end. In a few of the images, you can tell I'm getting the crowd geared up.

And YES, I carried the sign the whole race. Marine Corps Marathon in four days!