I’m very sad that the Chicago Marathon is over, but I’m pretty okay with being done with marathon training for a bit. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t entertain any thoughts of attempting a sub-4 again in the near future, but in the long run (no pun intended), I’m not so sure it’s the right goal to chase (unintentionally did it again) right now. Almost immediately after I crossed the finish line in Chicago, my sister started pushing the Houston Marathon this January. I wasn’t really sold on the idea for a few reasons:

  • I’d have to start training again, like, yesterday.
  • Without enough recovery time, I’m likely to run Houston slower than Chicago. Case in point: from 2011 to 2012, I ran a streak of sufficiently spaced apart half-marathon PRs in DC, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Houston. In the spring of 2012, I tried running three back-to-back halves (halfs?) in Manhattan, New Jersey, and Brooklyn. Each one was about a minute slower than the last. So I’d rather not overdo it, set myself up for potential failure, and risk a negative association with my hometown race.
  • I’m not disappointed by my performance in Chicago. Hello, people, 22-minute PR! After an injury, no less! I know I’ll get that sub-4 soon enough. I’m so close. I don’t think it’s a lofty goal for next year’s NYCM. I know a lot of naysayers would love to tell me otherwise, but if I can get back into the shape I was in pre-injury, I think can make it happen, especially if I practice the tougher stretches of the course frequently (oh, hey, bridges).
  • The marathon—gasp!—is not my favorite distance to race. Why would it be? The longer the distance, the slower the pace! I’m ready to get back to running some shorter races at faster paces. Which means…
  • I will be racing in Houston in January, but I’ll be gunning for a half-marathon PR. My current half PR, 1:44:32, is from last year’s Houston Half Marathon. I’ll be happy with anything faster than that, but I would love to run sub-1:40, so that’s what I’ll be training for this fall/winter.

I’m mostly taking off the rest of 2012 from racing, with the exception of the Jingle Bell Jog in December. I’m signed up for this race due to the “late” 9:00 AM start and the fact that it’s practically in my backyard, and because I need one more NYRR race to finish the requirements for the 2013 New York City Marathon. Don’t let the “jog” mislead you, though—my 4-mile PR is 30:05, so I’d love to shave off at least 6 seconds and close out the year with a 4-mile time below 30 minutes. Maybe I’ll call it a speed workout for Houston training.

Until next time!

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