The Train! The Train!
I’ve begun working toward my autumn BQ attempt. Time to beat myself to a pulp for the privilege of doing it again in Boston next April 21st: Only 293 days away.
A mere 96 days separate me from my qualifying race, the Steamtown Marathon. A small race held on October 7th, Steamtown is hosted by the lovely blue collar town of Scranton, Pennsylvania. You may know it as the home of Dunder-Mifflin and the inimitable Dwight Schrute. It’s located in Lackawanna County, possibly an ill omen for an endurance race.
Marathon training has a natural ebb and flow. Sometimes you’ve got enough glycogen stores to sink a battleship. Other days, getting out of bed represents a major victory. When things go well, you feel as if you’ll ride the wave all the way to Boston.
That’s how I felt today.
This morning, I ran a challenging 7.5 mile hilly route (locally nicknamed “The Alpsâ€). Typically, one merely survives this run. But today I had energy to spare.
When in attack mode, the last thing you want is an unplanned interruption. But that’s just what I got, and it seriously rubbed my rhubarb.
On the second-to-last hill, I encountered an inconveniently stalled train. I’ve got nothing against trains as a rule, but this one blocked my path completely. I could only turn back or cut my run short. What was an endorphin-hyped Pfitzinger disciple to do?
With only the briefest hesitation, I climbed onto the train and made my way through a gap in the cars, bounding off to the other side of the tracks. I felt like a juvenile delinquent and found the sensation… strangely agreeable. I used this unseemly psychological boost to propel myself up the hill.
Remember children; do as I say, not as I do.
I can’t recommend train hopping, but the resulting speed boost proved intoxicating, on par with the vehicular near-miss. Any boring recovery run can be transformed into a solid tempo session when the occasional car strays too close. The effect is better than that achieved when discussing religion or politics during a workout.
I once ran with a guy who got hit by a car, but continued running. It was his best 20 miler ever. I ate his adrenaline-powered dust.
This has got me thinking. Perhaps someone can arrange an “incident” on October 7th at roughly 9:30am in the area of West Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton. I’ll be wearing black shorts and a red shirt.
With such assistance, I might make it to Boston this time. I can just see Ricardo Montalbán in full Mr. Roarke regalia welcoming me to Hopkinton…
Smiles everyone! Smiles!
– Dean
July 4th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Okay, it’s now official Dean, you are a criminal !!
I once had a similar experience running downtown with a guy I work with. We were doing the Governor’s Cup course and had added on a trip around USC campus (that’s University of South Carolina, Go Gamecocks! to those not native to the Palmetto State).
We were having a great run when a train downtown cut off our path just a mile or so from the finish. When I suggested we do what you did & jump the train he told me absolutely not.
His wife, Janice, worked for Operation Lifesaver, who is in charge of train safety education. And every time some unlucky soul was on the losing end of a rendezvous with a train she was the person who would go on local TV and explain again about how statistically there are more people who get hit by lightning twice than get hit by a train twice. As you are more likely to survive your first encounter with lightning than your first one with a train, to be around for a second round.
And if she found out he jumped a train he would be spending a month or more sleeping on the sofa!
rick
July 5th, 2007 at 8:21 am
It certainly wasn’t wise. I grant this.
Does it count that last week, as I exited my office, lightning struck twenty feet from where I stood? Sparks and everything?
– Dean
July 7th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Dean,
Two quick stories to brighten your day:
Not sure if you heard the story about the Quad Cities Marathon in 2005 (or was it 2004?) when A TRAIN BLOCKED THE COURSE!!! Talk about a bad situation – runners are trying to BQ and then they’re SCREWED! Repeat after me, “I don’t believe in omens, I don’t believe in omens, …” *grin*
I’ve been “winged” by passing cars a couple of times – the worst of which rolled me down the side of the vehicle and threw me forcibly to the ground bloodying up my knees and hands – leaving me a little dazed… An elderly couple driving by stopped and helped me to my feet. After confirming there were no major injuries, and that nobody got the license plate of the runaway vehicle (junky little grey Toyota pickup – I’M LOOKING FOR YOU!!!) I went ahead and finished the two miles home. Of course it was only a six mile total run – so I’m not quite as tough as your other buddy! *grin*
Good luck training through the heat and have fun at Steamtown. I start the Arkansas 100-miler Saturday morning and hope to be finishing right as you’re starting the next morning!
kestrou
July 7th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
You crack me up! Careful what you wish for about wanting the “incident” on race day though. Maybe you could just steal a pack of gum or something, then you’d feel like a juvenille delinquent and be motivated to flee the scene of the crime!
July 10th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Do it Do it! I vote for stealing.
July 10th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
How easily tales of locomotive impropriety evoke the criminal instinct.
– Dean
July 16th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I feel it is my responsbility to remind all of you that anything you say can and will be used against you. When talking about criminal enterprises, rule number one is don’t talk about the criminal enterprises.
I also have to echo Gretchen’s warning of being careful what you wish for. You might find that a bull from Pamplona has lost it’s way and might confuse your racing shirt for a cape. Olea!