I Quit Racing…. Plus My 2010 Race Calendar
by marathonmama | Nov 12, 2009 | 548 views
I may have been a year shy of being a fetus when my coach won the Boston Marathon, but Jack Fultz gets me. He coaches with references to Goethe on commitment and Csikzentmihalyi on flow theory. As if that wasn’t enough, the man has placed a chocolate-chip cookie in the hand of Mr. Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. I love cookies. I love Bruce. I love Mihalyi Csikzentmihalyi. Which is why Jack and I totally agree that I am giving up racing from here on out.
We are both convinced that when I head into a long-distance event with the intention to race, I buckle. In keeping with flow theory, a person who acts from pressure is diminished. But a person who acts without pressure, without inhibition, without expectation–a person who is unbonded to an outcome–transcends.
In a 5k last May, I sandbagged my expectations just before the event because it was brutally hot and I’d just been in hysterics from thinking Henry had been abducted. I set a PR and placed second in my age group.
Last June, I sandbagged a half-marathon that was also supposed to be unseasonably warm (damn global warming) with martinis the night before. I PRed by something like 3 minutes the next day.
Last Sunday, I entered a half-marathon with no expectations for anything. I ran a marathon three weeks ago. My knee was wonky. I hadn’t run half-marathon pace since June. So I stayed out past my bedtime on Saturday night, enjoying wine and french fries with my sister (I’m super classy like that). The next morning, on a much tougher course than my half-marathon in June, I placed in my age group and was 30 seconds shy of my PR.
Yesterday, Jack and I made a strategic decision. I. Quit. Racing. Never racing again. Zero expectations. Zero goals. That’s how we’re gonna play this thing. Going with the flow.
My new strategy is to be henceforth known as the Chillaxy-No-Pressure-Whatever-Happens-Is-Cool-I-Might-As-Well-Be-Stoned Plan.
Or the CNPWHISIMAWBSP for short.
As you can see in my sidebar, my race calendar looks like I’m anticipating an apocalypse in January 2010. But really it’s all part of my strategy to play down the build up.
I’m toying with a few races events in my new, totally blase frame of mind. I’ll probably register. Or maybe I won’t. Whatever.
Boston 2010 is closing in the next week, so the pressure for a BQ is totally off for the time being. This can only help my CNPWHISIMAWBSP.
Hyannis Half-Marathon (2/28/10): I’ve run it three times and always run well there. Can I break into the 1:30s? I dunno. Doesn’t matter.
Eastern States 20 Miler (3/28/10): Nothing flashy. It’s cheap and local.
Vermont City Marathon (5/30/10): Just a pleasant little mini-trip to the Green Mountain state. I can pick up some syrup while I’m there.
Chicago Marathon (10/10/10): You may have heard of it. The date seems auspicious. But who needs luck when you’re not racing?
There will certainly be some 5ks in there somewhere, you know for charity or something. Because we don’t care for PRs. Because we’re not at all competitive. Because we don’t race anymore.
Uh huh.
(The tattoo is a go. Thanks so much for your advice. The tattoo will happen. And I’m going to go with Emile’s donut method because I could really go for a crueller.)
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November 12th, 2009 on 11:44 pm
I guess it would be competitive and therefore uncool of me to say that I loved Jack before you did, so I will try and emulate your great new philosophy and just be happy that he is helping you so much. I am excited about your event schedule too, as I have been dropping hints to you about Chicago for a while now.
Last I checked Brian’s blog he was also planning to run the Hyannis half. Would that be the first event you have run in together? Probably good blogging material.
Cheers. And thanks for commenting on my blog. My begging has paid off and I have 3 comments to my latest post, so I may not always have to rely on your immediate family to know someone is reading.
November 13th, 2009 on 8:52 am
I swear I signed up for the Vermont City marathon before I knew you were running it. But I might have to track you down again to wish you luck, I mean, tell you to have a fun, relaxing long run. Just tell me that your new plan does not prohibit you from saying “Let’s race this bitch.”
November 13th, 2009 on 8:53 am
The CNPWHISIMAWBSP method sound like a good one. And I’m big on flow theory – my best work is always done this way. Apparently, yours is, too.
Oh, and do you think you could pick up some syrup for me, too, while you’re up there in Vermont? And maybe some maple sugar candy? Thanks.
November 13th, 2009 on 9:06 am
Neal, we have indeed run together (I have photographic evidence) and as a two-person relay team (at Hyannis, actually), but I’m not sure we’ll be “running together” for Hyannis. My coach has greater expectations for me and therefore has not authorized my participation in the CNPWHISIMAWBSP plan.
November 13th, 2009 on 9:18 am
Yes, Jack and Matt F can be BFFS:)
Just make sure to have “some” anxiety to fuel you through the run (at least that’s what Yerkes and Dodson believe, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes-Dodson_law).
November 13th, 2009 on 10:13 am
I’ve always done better when I “flowed”. I know it too, but still race somtimes and am quickly reminded why I need to just let the race reveal itself.
November 13th, 2009 on 10:53 am
Sounds like a good non-plan.
What a smart coach. What a smart marathon mama.
I think you should run Derry or Stu’s, of course, with moi.
You look fit as a fiddle in that pic.
I’m now going to look up fit as a fiddle and find out where that expression came from. xo
November 13th, 2009 on 10:59 am
Only a fiddle fine-tuned is fit enough to make a beautiful sound.
November 13th, 2009 on 11:15 am
I am doing Vermont City Marathon again in May and can’t wait. I love Burlington and love that race. The course is very easy and perfect for a BQ.
And Chicago, would be awesome.
November 13th, 2009 on 6:17 pm
So smart! I went into my first marathon with zero expectations and no pressure and had a fantastic day. Went into marathon #2 with a major goal and lots of stress and everything that could possibly go wrong, did. The mind is an incredible thing when it comes to running!
November 14th, 2009 on 9:46 am
Good luck not racing. I totally get it!
November 16th, 2009 on 1:09 am
I’m sorry I missed this, if for no other reason that I’ve yet to read another running blog that references Flow theory or attempts to spell Csikzentmihalyi….how cool is that.
I do like your new training, ‘er I mean running program. No races! Nice.
November 16th, 2009 on 2:31 pm
When the pressure was finally off at boston and I did NOT look at my Garmin or any split of any mile, that is when I had my best race–a 7 minute PR. I don’t think it is coincidental.