Just about a year ago, I posted announcing my intent to run the Lakefront Marathon on Milwaukee on the first of October.  Since that time, my training runs have increased from eight miles a week to sometimes thirty or more.  Back then, five miles was a 46-minute ordeal.  Two weeks ago, I ran an enjoyable five miles in 37 minutes.  That’s less than seven and a half minutes per mile.

Over the summer I ran two half marathons.  Neither was spectacular time-wise, and the first one was pretty much hell.  The second was much more enjoyable, and I think I’d like to continue running them in the future.  In late July, I registered for the marathon - only hours before registration filled and closed.  As the summer wore on, I managed a horrific 16-mile run, followed a few weeks later by a 21-mile run, from which I took several days to recover.  All of it leading up to the marathon.

Now really, I would have liked to get a few more long runs in there.  Maybe another 16, an 18, and another 21.  But as is often the case with long, difficult, and time-consuming activities, I got burned out.  And is often the case with physically arduous activities, I suffered injuries.  One of the bones in my foot is no longer aligned correctly.  It usually hurt so bad after a long run that I limped for days after.

Two weeks ago, however, the pain went away.  I was still nervous over the lack of additional long runs, but my foot was feeling good.  I had been waffling over whether I could run the marathon, but I finally decided.  I was going to give it a shot.  My foot was feeling better than it had in weeks, and my short runs (you know, like 7 miles) were becoming quick and easy.  But this past Tuesday, it all went downhill.

Oh, the agony of defeat.

I caught a cold.  Here I sit, a mere 14 hours before the gun goes off in Grafton, and I’m coughing, sniffling, and sneezing.  It was with a touch of depression that I picked up my race packet today at MSOE and turned in my timing chip.  I was further saddened when I walked back out to the Jeep and saw that the car in front of me had one of these on the back. 

Man, do I want one.

So it is with a heavy heart and a hearty sigh that I announce that I have dropped out of the marathon.  I guess one can look at the bright side, as this will allow my injuries to heal and for me to concentrate on getting my distances up.  I know that there are marathons in Eagle River, Green Bay and Madison in May…

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