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Burned out on my BQ?

I’m 5 weeks out from the western Pacific Marathon, which I am using as a BQ qualifier.  I’ve never tried to qualify before.  I’ve done a few marathons before the iron mans.  But I thought to try this year to switch things up, and because I think I can do it.  My mind, however, is not really on board when the going gets tough.  Getting into the 18 mile training runs and around mile 16 or so my brain keeps saying: Why are you doing this? This isn’t any fun.  It’s like I’m at our famous “line” and I don’t have my really really good reason...  Deep down qualifying for Boston isn’t a huge life dream, which may be what’s holding me back.  I’m also missing the bike a bit and don’t feel like I’m in good biking shape anymore, which makes me sad.  
Thoughts anyone?  Throw in the towel or grin and bear it?
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Comments

  • Julia - I had the same attitude about marathons...I never really enjoyed the training required to do well at the distance. I've run a total of 7 stand-alone marathons, all either to qualify for Boston, or Boston itself (3x). So I get exactly where you're coming from.

    My advice stems from two things you say..."I’m 5 weeks out from the western Pacific Marathon, which I am using as a BQ qualifier.  I’ve never tried to qualify before....But I thought to try this year to switch things up, and because I think I can do it."

    Number one, you told yourself you wanted to see if you could qualify, and you probably went into the project *knowing* that you could, if you just put the time and miles into it. Number two, there's only 5 weeks to go - you've done 85% of the work.

    My reaction is, don't waste either your original motivation, nor the cumulative work you've done already. You have the physical gifts to get this done - not everyone who runs can say that. In the end, running past 500,000 people from Hopkington to Downtown Boston in the oldest continuous road race on the planet is a unique life experience (it's kinda like one long continuous finish line, in which you feel like a rock star for four hours), and you should not pass up the chance to do it...
  • Hi Julia, you've really only got about 3 hard weeks left! When I get these feelings, I typically mix my schedule up. It's hard because you are in the part of the schedule with the biggest time commitment... but try doing mixing the days so that long run is on a different day, do your speed work on a track (or off the track if you normally use a track), do your long run in a park... whatever you have been doing, just make a couple changes so that your mind is thinking about the change rather than the routine. Doing this helps me get through the doldrums. Good luck!
  • Thank you guys so much for the thoughts and encouragement. And also just knowing that others know this feeling.   I need it!  I will try to switch things up a bit too.  I’ll keep you posted.  ☺️
  • @Julia Herrmann some good advice here. Around this point in training those long runs can feel pretty tough just due to the total volume of running you have been doing. I usually have at least one long run that I can't even finish. It's a sign that we are pushing ourselves. The marathon will be easier (at least until mile 20...).
  • @Mike Westover I feel so much better knowing that.  I couldn’t finish last weeks long run so that’s part of what prompted the post.  I also discovered something on this weeks long run - my mind shuts down when I get hot, even if I don’t “feel” hot.  Treated myself to a cold splash from a fountain today mid run and it really helped keep my head clear.  Feeling so much better knowing how to plan going forward!! 
  • @Julia Herrmann - don't forget to check on the calories as well. I can handle anything, but when I am low on calories the world seems to be against me and every road is uphill!!!  :smile:  You got this!
  • WELL.  It’s done.  Started out in between the 3:35 and 3:40 pacers because that was my target and everybody went out too darn fast.  I should have seeded with the 3:45-3:50 guys to not get runned over during my 1st 5 miles.  Had a solid middle and slowed down more than I wanted in the end, but all in all I hit my target avg pace of 8:17, according to *my* Garmin.  Also according to *my* Garmin my distance was 26.43.  So it’s kind of a bummer because it makes me look slower for Boston because my official time is 3:39:04, but according to my training I ran my target 3:37:15 for 26.2.  Aargh.  Ah well.  Thanks to everyone who posted and encouraged me to keep at it when the going got rough.  Oh!  And I got first in my AG. :) 
  • Wow congrats on first place and a great run!!
  • Grumble, grumble, grumble...and, by the way, I WON! WTG, hard work and pacing pays off!
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