Marathon Training: Week 3

The third week of the training program brought me some painful nipple chafing, a return to Montjuic, and a ten mile run. Due to the heat, I switched over from my typical running t-shirt to a singlet. The rubbing while running in this singlet has resulted in chafing and it is extremely painful. Thankfully, I have a tube of Carmex that is helping to relieve the pain. As a result, I’ve been running without a shirt for most of my shorter 4 and 5 mile runs around Montjuic. I run the first mile past Placa Esapnya and take my shirt off for the next 3 miles as I work my way up Montjuic and put my shirt back on when I return to civilization again. I run wild and feral up on that mountain, gaining elevation and working hard to establish a respectable pace. During the day, you don’t find too many people up there as well. It’s a popular place for driving schools to take their students out for some practice and the “Hop On, Hop Off” bus taking the tourists up and around to the Miro Museum.

Last night’s long run really sucked! I’m quickly building my base miles moving from six miles to ten miles in three weeks, but this rapid ascent is taking its toll on me physically as well as mentally. Last night’s ten mile run had me thinking that theres’s no way I will be able to complete a marathon. After completing ten miles yesterday, I was more fixated on doubting that I would ever be able to complete a marathon. In order to run a marathon, I would have to complete this evening’s ten mile run 2.62 times on the same day without nap time or a stop at the 1 Euro bar for a refreshing beer.

On Monday morning, I came to my senses and realized I was looking at the whole equation wrong. I didn’t take a minute to congratulate myself for running ten miles! This is ten miles that I ran, because I can now run ten miles. Imagine that! If I follow my plan and stick to the script, I will be able to run 26.2 miles in Athens on November 12. It’s not even August yet. There’s still time. I’ve been taking it easy, building miles, and avoiding injury. I never thought my only injury at this point would be chafed nipples. All in all, week 3 was a total success in retrospect.

On a final note, I was waiting at a stop light to cross the street with another runner who was a lot younger than me. We gave each other a cordial smile, before she took off running effortlessly and left me in her dust. About two miles down the road, we crossed paths in the opposite direction and she gave me a friendly wave and a smile at about mile six of ten. It helped me to get back in my rhythm and finish the final four miles. For those who are wondering, I was wearing a shirt.