Helping the Parents......

So tonight was the night I spent 3 plus hours helping the parents navigate the internet for their planned trip to Hawaii to ostensibly see Cara and I run the marathon. Good times let me tell you. Dad did not seem to understand that the internet moves at.... well....a pace faster than a glacier and was mystified that options that were available more than half an hour ago would no longer be available now after he kept going back to change/tinker with various flight options. I tried to explain that people book flights and then they are no longer available for him but he refused to believe it. When I asked him what he thought the reason was that such options were no longer available he could offer no other theory about why the options disappeared and the prices changed. Welcome to the internet where things move fast and if you're not careful, you will miss out on all the good stuff. So the flight, car and hotel are now booked for the parents. Thank god that is now over.

The last thing dad said to me, so, this thing you are going to do, are you going to be able to do it?" Subtle dad, very subtle and not a little demeaning (why yes, I often make plans to travel halfway across the planet to embarrass myself) but I took it with the usual chagrin that I shrug off but habitually drives mom off the deep end when directed her way. Oh dad, you mean the marathon race? Why yes, in fact I ran one last month that was quite hilly and more difficult than the relatively flat Honolulu marathon course . So, yes I can "do it" with aplomb.

That being said, I have actually been slacking off somewhat for the past week or so. I haven't run much except for a hilly 7 miler on Saturday. I had intended to go back to the gym after my lifting class tonight to run but was waylayed into the whole internet project etc. Still, my overall fitness level is high and finishing should not be a problem unless I just fly the first 13.1 miles (possible if I am feeling great and the course is as flat I have read) and fall apart in the second half. Never underestimate the rigors of the marathon for she can make a fool out of anyone that does not respect her. FYI I know a guy who can probably run I would guess between 2:40 to 3:00 hours for an open marathon who just completed a full ironman on Sunday (which is a 2.4 mile swim followed by 112 miles on th bike and then a full marathon). He thought it likely he would be able to run something around 3:20-3:40--slow for him and thought at his slowest he could run around 4 hours. His finishing time for the ironman marathon leg was 4:13 and he averaged 9:40 a mile. Now I have not spoken to him yet but I imagine it was a humbling experience for him as well it should be. I don't think I have ever seen him run slower than about a 9 minute mile and his PR for the mile is 4:10. So, respect the distance or you will get your butt handed to you on race day.

My overall goal is just to finish the Honolulu marathon and my time goal is to try and finish under 4 hours but depending on how the first half of the race goes, I may readjust that goal. Some people set time goals that are mentally written in stone for them which only heightens their anxiety level and negatively impacts their performance if they start falling off their pace. I am pretty good at adjusting on the fly during a race if things are going well or really bad. It is an acquired skill for sure but is party due to one's attitude and having set realistice expectations to begin with.