Marathon #13 is coming up in November!
It took me a while to decide and commit to a marathon, but I have finally decided to run the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon on November 9th. I was able to qualify for the elite field, which is fun and exciting. I am in the bottom tier to of the elite field, so I don’t get too many perks (a slight reduction in my entry fee + I get to start in the elite wave), but still fun to have that credential.
Initially I was trying to see if I could run Valencia Marathon in Spain, which happens in December. When I checked the website in early summer, there was a waitlist for the race, but in order for you to put your name on the waitlist, you had to have a passport. I had a passport about 15 years ago but let it expire because I only used it once and didn’t have plans of using it again, so I never renewed it. So I quickly applied for my passport again, but once I finally got it, the waitlist was closed. Boo! So that was no longer an option, and I had to go to my backup list. But how cool would it have been to run, arguably, the fastest marathon in the world. (I am definitely going to try for the 2025 race.)
I always kind of had Indy on my backup list as I know it is flat and fast. I want to run a fast marathon as I am still trying to chase my PRs this year. I have set a new PR in the mile, 5K, and half marathon this year so far, and I should be able to set a new PR in the 10 mile next weekend. Then if training continues to go well, I foresee being able to break my marathon PR of 2:58:10 as well. Needless to say, it’s turned out to be a good year of running!
It has been almost two years since I ran a marathon because last fall I was pregnant and then had a subsequent miscarriage. So in some ways I feel out of practice for running marathons, but I had a break from 2018 to 2021 with no marathons due to a pregnancy and then Covid hit, so I know it will come back to me. Anyway, I am excited about Indy, and it is going to be here before I know it! I have just six weeks left until the race. Ah!!
Training has been underway for a few weeks now, and I hit 70 miles just a couple weeks ago, which felt really good. I’ve done two 18 mile runs with workouts, and one of those went really well and the other went moderately-well.
Next weekend I am running the Twin Cities 10 Mile, which I am excited about. It should go well, and if I can run a 1:02:45 (6:15 min/mi pace) for that race, I can move up to the middle tier of the elite field for Indy and then potentially have even more perks.
This will only be my 13th marathon, which is not a lot considering I have been running marathons for 14 years. I have done two marathons in one year but never more, and obviously gone some years without running a marathon (usually years I’ve been pregnant). So this is your reminder that you don’t have to run multiple marathons a year, nor run marathons period if you don’t want to. And you can still be considered a runner!
Excited for you! I’m running the Columbus marathon which is also a flat and fast course if you want to give it a whirl one year! This will be my first marathon 🙂
Good to know! I have to be very strategic with timing on my races now that Craig farms, and he is often very busy in the field in October. :/ But maybe I could swing it once the boys are older!