26.2 The Hard Way

Today is Patriots Day. A made up holiday for people in Boston. Everyone in Beantown has the day off. The Redsox play at 11am. And of course, the city shuts down for The Marathon.

I've gone to the Boston Marathon the last 3 years. It is one of the best running events of the year. This year I stayed home and ran 26.2 miles - in 3 runs.

I know I've committed myself to the mile this year. Any day now (don't hold your breath) I'm going to start my training with Julie and the American University crowd for shorter distance races. I'm going to do a mile time trial on Thursday to see what type of mile time I can run, but today was all about the marathon.

Run number 1:

Ran with Robbie (my manager in Arlington) - the Rockcreek recovery loop, we call it. We meet at the spot in Rosslyn at 7:30. Robbie and I used to meet at least 3 days a week. This year we've meet for the 7:30 run maybe 3 times all year.

It was raining cats and dogs, so the fact that even ran was a huge win for me. I was soaked by the end of the run. I felt like a real runner again.

8.9 miles


Run number 2:

Ran with Cakes (from the Junkies) - we did a 10 mile loop through Fairfax from the Pacers Fairfax store. It was still pouring. The fact that Cakes even ran was impressive. He is running the Pacers Running Festival on May 10. I was fortunately able to convince him to run, even in the rain by scaring him to thinking he would be really under prepared if he didn't get in a long run today. We finished by running by the Potbellys restaurant in Fairfax where the WJFK program director was eating lunch. The guys from the station don't really embrace running (yet!), and destroy Cakes for running at all - running in the rain is unthinkable. CK, the Program Director bolted out of the restaurant in disbelief and snapped a quick photo on his phone. (picture above with Cakes and his hands up, with me in the background). He was so horrified by the photo he put it up on WJFK.com.

The run ended up being 10.2 miles

Run number 3:

From one radio talk show host to another. Ran with Oscar from the Big O and Dukes show. Oscar is also training for the half marathon. He hasn't been running as much as Cakes, BUT today we had a big breakthrough.

Oscar has been working a lot for his show. One appearance after another and a 2nd weekend show keeps him pretty busy. One amazing thing about both these radio guys is how much energy they have to give on their shows. Try talking for 4 hours straight. Then try talking AND be entertaining while you talk for 4 hours. Pretty exhausting.

But today after our trail run through DC, Oscar used statements like "I felt like I was in a commercial", and words like "Prefontaine". Maybe it was the endorphins talking, but "Prefontaine?" I didn't even know he knew who that guy was.

7.1 miles - I made him run until my Garmin was right on the money.

26.2 miles, all in the rain. Take that Boston.

x Farley