Wednesday, June 8, 2011

New Goal: Runnin' the majors.


Before I get into the running talk, I wanna talk about a snack I had:








I was eating some grapes yesterday and ran into this freak of nature-------------------------------------------------->

What's going on here?  A twin?  The King Grape?

And while we're talking about fruit, do you think kids growing up today will know that watermelon used to have seeds in it?
I am going to make sure my future kids know.  And tell them that if they swallow a seed, it will grow a tree in their stomach.

Anywayssszzz....onto the running talk....

Each time I've run a marathon I've figured it would be my last.  

Marathon 1:
I ran the Austin marathon 2004 on a whim when I was a junior in college.  I think I registered about a week before, and ran it with a friend who didn't even register.  Yes, she ran 26 miles with no record to it.
Untrained, and uninformed, it was one of the most physically painful experiences of my life.  Also, true to form, I went out hilariously fast and remember being in front of the 3:30 pace group for some time.

I swore I'd never do one of those again....

Marathon 2:
It took like six years to do one again...
The next marathon, my same friend (do we see a pattern?  Hi Hilary!), decided we should meet up for Chicago and run it.  Being the sucker that I am, I agreed and signed up.  I remembered the pain of Austin, so I semi trained.  Long runs just ain't my thing.  This was my BQ, a 21 minute PR, and my first time in the beautiful city of Chicago, so the Chicago Marathon has a special place in my heart.  I remember the pure elation I felt as I realized around mile 24, that I was going to qualify for Boston (a dream of mine for years).  

As much as I wanted that to be my last marathon, I knew I had to take the opportunity to run Boston.  This would be my last marathon ever. 

Marathon 3
This spring, I bucked up and ran Boston.  It was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had.  Maybe that statement means I haven't experienced a lot of cool stuff in my life, but I think it more means I just love the sport of long distance running.

What Now?

And now...I think I want to do more.  I've decided I want to complete the majors (that are accessible to lay-women like me):  New York, Berlin, London.  What motivated this decision is that I've done 40% of them...why not keep goin'. =)

I wanna hear people cheer and say stuff like "Gute Arbeit" (just found that in google translator), "BMW", "The Gap",  "Bumbershoot", and "Sod Off!".  
"If you can make it here you can make it anywhere" would be cool too.  

Anyone know what my odds are of getting into London if I apply every year from now until 2050?

Have you done (or are planning to do) Chicago, Boston, NYC, London, or Berlin?  Any other lofty and expensive plans ?   

Oh yeah...and I wanna do Athens too!!  The first marathon!  I'll play this on my ipod during the race:

....Ooo and it's alright and it's comin' 'long
We got to get right back to where we started from....




15 comments:

  1. In Nigeria watermelons still have seeds :D

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  2. I love this! Awesome goals! You should make a marathon bucket list :)

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  3. My kids are weirded out by a watermelon with seeds and won't eat it! What wusses.

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  4. my theory for the grape: one grape got super hungry and decided to start noshing on the other. u caught him mid-swallow.

    but seriously you SHOULD go for it and awesome goals! i'm not sure how the process goes on getting into those race, but if you set your mind to it i'm sure you'll get in. heck, if all else fails, just smuggle your way to the starting line! :)

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  5. I also want to do the majors! It would make for some seriously cool vacations!

    NYC was my first marathon back in 2002, and I didn't train for it at all. I really want to do it again. I want to qualify for it with a half marathon. Berlin and London look cool too. And of course Boston. Chicago is this year and I'm already worrying about the weather.

    Why not try an off beat marathon like the "flying monkey marathon" in Tennessee? I'm considering it for this year if my calf holds up.

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  6. OH it is such a dream of mine to do London. You should totally go for it. Why not! I think that every marathon is such an accomplishment and amazing journey!

    Watermelon is so much better without the seeds! ha

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  7. Those grapes are bizarre! I would love to run those big races, but for now I'll focus on my very first marathon in November!

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  8. That grape looks like a butt! Or a ballsac. Ha!

    I saw your pic on SR - did you go to Columbia? Or is that Columbia, SC or MO?

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  9. @chacha

    Hey! Yes i like to get as many pictures on other people's blogs as possible ;). Nah I didn't go to columbia...my brother went to grad school there but I dunno if I got that shirt from him? Went to Rice in Houston, TX. Tiny Tiny school.
    GO OWLS!!!

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  10. GIRL!! I'LL TOTALLY DO THOSE MARATHONS WITH YOU. Ha, well of course I'll need to run ONE marathon first to make sure that I'm not going to hate it.....and that will happen this fall.

    So after that, I would love to travel to Berlin and London. Berlin is an AMAZING city, love it, that would be such a great experience to run a marathon there.

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  11. Well let's see, by 2050 you'll be nearly 70. I think you chances have to improve with age! I don't think you'll be competing for as many spots by that age. I mean how many octogenarians want to run the London Marathon? I think if you keep trying to get in they'll take pity on you eventually, and a 70yr old marathoner has to make for good PR :D

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  12. this is obviously my favorite post! see you in 6 years for our next race? or is it 5 now? i better get in shape...

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  13. Oh My God. I am an OWL too. I graduated from Rice probably when you were still in elementary school (1995), but hey....how different could it have been?? That is the coolest thing I've found out all day.

    Houston was my first marathon! New York was my third. I highly recommend it. You will love it. I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time. And boy the post-race meal options there are the best.

    Oh, P.S., who are all of you lucky freaks who can run these things (and BQ) without that much training? Sheesh!

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  14. @Terzah
    Holy cow that is cool. I am at an airport rt now but I am going to email you to discuss "what college were you at?"and the like =) AWESOME!!

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  15. Hi Margot! Love your blog! Found you through SR.

    I'm registered to run NYC. Hope to run Boston and Chicago next year!!

    Maybe we can get together for a run one day!! :)
    pamula2000@aol.com

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