I Ran A Spontaneous Marathon On The Track Because I Was Bored.

Today I woke up and said, “I’m gonna run a marathon.” 

I figured I didn’t have anything to lose and had just signed up for the Global Running Challenge by Orchard Street Runners where runners run solo and use their times to virtually compete. While I haven’t been in any kind of training mode with the COVID-19 shutdown keeping me from my job, I’ve sure missed track practices with my team, Brooklyn Track Club. 

The unexpected down time has been a great opportunity to lay low and cut myself some slack; no workouts or time goals. I've just run by feel and enjoyed the freedom. But the isolation isn't always ideal, even for a loner like me, since it’s been strange having no real focal point in my life day-to-day. Running has been the constant that I turn to when there’s nothing else to do. 

The only other time I ran a timed marathon was my first 26.2 mile race last winter. There, I ran a 2:55:15, a whole 30 minutes faster than today. That said, doing 26.2 miles straight on a track was a brand new thing for me to try. And after 3 hours and 25 minutes, I completed the spontaneous solo marathon challenge I’d set out to do. 

The only thing I had with me was a half a bottle of seltzer water that I’d tucked in my sports bra, along with my watch. No gels, gu’s, or sports drinks or anything fancy like that. I just bunkered down and went for it. When I finished, there was no screaming crowd or people to greet me for running the iconic distance recognized by runners of all kinds. It was just me, and to be honest I felt pretty good. 

So good that I’d consider doing another solo running challenge in the future. And since I’ve always wanted to taste a little of that ultra endurance, I figure, what’s a couple more hours of running? Until next time...

Just be fast, just win,

Lucie the Viking