Think I’m “Hokey?” Deal With It

Saturday I ran another half-marathon. My time was 1:50:40, a full five minutes faster than February.

But it wasn’t easy. Whereas in February I felt I still had a little gas in the tank at the end, this time I was running on fumes. My calves were knotting up as I slouched toward the finish, but finish I did. Of course, this morning I can barely move, but that’s the price a 45-year-old must pay for such “glory.”

I can remember several times thinking about how hard it was and about how it would be nice just to stop and hang it up and start acting my age. But you see, I couldn’t; I was wearing Hokie orange. And on that particular day, considering how so many were hurting so much more than me, there could be no quitting.

I have unfinished business–breaking four hours in the marathon. I plan to attempt that before the year’s out, and when I do, I’ll be wearing maroon and orange.

I know there are some out there who think that’s a little, well, “hokey.”

Deal with it.

10 Comments

  1. Hal

    You’re a runnin’ stud. Congratulations on your improved finish time.

  2. Jeff Slater

    Wow! Congratulations. You beat my best half-Marathon time by 1 minute.

    If you’re like me, you don’t mind the pain today. It is pain that reminds you of a great accomplishment.

  3. Mike the Eyeguy

    Thanks guys. But could you spare a brother an ibuprofen?

    Better make that four.

  4. Carolinagirl

    Mike the Eyeguy,

    A huge congratulations goes out to you, especially as I think of the 1/2 Marathon I’ll do on Sunday in Jersey and of which I’ve done nothing to prepare for. Oh yea – I’ll get through it, but probably with my worse time ever and maybe having to walk a bit. I can blame it on…well…anyway. Regardless, I look forward to just doing it.

    I’m registered for the Goofy challenge at Disney World in January. For those who don’t know, that entitles one to be crazy enough to run the 1/2 on one day and the full the next day. It looks like Uncle Sam has other plans for me during that time period, however, so I’ll most likely have to opt out and catch it the following year. When do we really get too old to do this stuff?

    I always make a point to wear something strange when I run races. It just adds to the fun agony of it all. No, I really don’t go too far off the rocker in what I wear, but usually the colors of my clothes are just miss matched as possible.

    Ode to all you marathoners out there – full, 1/2, young and old.

  5. ME

    Nice work, buddy.

  6. Mike the Eyeguy

    Cg–Thanks. May your ankles sprout those little wings come this weekend.

    Huntsville used to have a Double Iron Man that people would come from all over the world to compete in: 5 mile swim, 225 mile bike ride, 52.4 mile run–insane.

    ME–Thanks, and the same to you regarding your weight loss.
    3 parts protein, 2 parts “good carbs” and lots of hoofin’ it across Searcy=success

  7. Brady

    Good job. Are you more tired because of your training schedule, warmer weather, or are you carrying more weight in than in February? Or is it just because you ran 5 minutes faster that it was tougher? That’s quite a difference.

    Wife is running a 10k this Saturday with 4500 others. Son 2 is doing it to, and shooting for 42 minutes. I’d like to shoot him! I will watch and applaud, proud of them both.

    Wife’s half marathon is in October… Then next year, it’s a Marathon (for us both) in Bordeaux… At least, that’s HER plan.

  8. Mike the Eyeguy

    It was because I ran faster. I had added some “speedwork” (and I use that term very loosely) on the local H.S. track to try to shave some minutes off and it worked. It was also a lot warmer than February. Basically, I was working at very close to my maximum effort and it just took a lot out of me, but I feel better today. I’ll probably take another day or two off before I ease back in.

    Forty two minutes–I can only imagine. I hope to run the local Memorial Day 10K (Cotton Row) with my running buddies, and I’ll be happy with something 48ish. 4500? Running must be huge where you are.

    A Marathon in Bordeaux–how romantic! That, plus a wine-tasting tour of the local vineyards sounds like just the ticket.

  9. Brady

    Actually, you run from chateau to chateau… Who cares what time you finish!

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