The Iron Geek

I ran for 3 Hours and 45 Minutes Today.  Straight.

Okay, well it wasn’t all “running”, but it is by far my biggest running workout, covering close to 18 miles.  My previous longest runs were my two half marathon attempts (13.1 miles).

The run was not very enjoyable.  I decided to run the Silver Comet trail in Georgia, so I could do a single out-and-back.  That way I would be forced to do the entire thing (versus doing smaller loops that would allow me to bail out early).  

I apparently had overlooked the fact during my previous bike rides on the Silver Comet that the first 5 miles are up-hill.  Granted, it wasn’t steep, but it was up-hill FOR FIVE MILES.  Add to the never-ending hills a bout of GI issues, and it made for not so much fun afternoon.

I’m watching “The Spirit Of The Marathon” on Apple TV right now.  I’ve rented it a few times, I should have just bought it.

I have 4 weeks from tomorrow until the Georgia marathon.  I do not feel ready.  My last two races (13.1 miles and 9.3 miles) went very well.  In both cases I had beaten my previous best for pace, with the last race coming in at 10:39 min/mi pace.  But today was not that kinda run.  I just couldn’t keep it going, finding myself walking far more than I wanted.  

But that being said, spending almost 4 hours running, you find plenty of time to think.  I end up thinking about just about everything, but the biggest thing that I thought about today was this:

A Nick Tahou’s Garbage Plate

For those not familiar with the culinary work of art, that is macaroni salad, home fries, covered with two cheeseburgers (no bun), mustard and covered in hot sauce.  It may not look like much, but it is one of the best tasting concoctions you could ever hope to consume.

If you are wondering why I spent a lot of time thinking about a Garbage Plate, it is because it is one of the biggest contributors to my weight gain.  Well, that and this:

When I started college, I was 155 pounds.  I was very active, playing several supports, including a ton of volleyball.  I had one of those metabolisms that allowed me to eat whatever I wanted to and not gain a pound.  But when I started working full time and stop playing sports, the wheels came off.

Due to my “economic status”, I used to enjoy these things once in a while during college.  But after getting my first “real” job (and “real” paycheck), I started consuming both of these at significant rate.  Instead of eating a “plate” once a month, I started have 2-3 a week.  I went from 155 pounds:

to over 210 pounds seemingly overnight.  (yes I was very drunk in this pic).  I remember discovering one day that my pants didn’t fit.  At first I thought they had shrunk 2-3 inches.  Guess not.

I spent some of my time running thinking about how these workouts are penance for all of those Garbage Plates.  I found myself wondering how many miles I needed to run for each one that I had eaten.  So many years living in the “now”, not caring about the “later”, all bearing down on me as I ran down the trail.  

Eating fast food, sitting at a desk all day, drinking my share of beer (Damn You Happy Hour!)  It felt so good at the time. (IF this is wrong, I don’t wanna be right…)

But I’m paying for it now.  I’m paying for the way that I have lived my life for the last 15 years.  I’m running and biking and swimming my way to redemption.  But it’s worth it.  I do it for me.  I do it for them:

Devil went down to Georgia, and so did I.