Where will you be on the morning of April 16?
I actually know the answer to this question for many of you. You’ll be in the turkey woods. It will be the second Saturday of the spring gobbler season, and that’s always a big hunting day — weather permitting, of course.
I’ll be in the woods, too. Sort of.
I have entered the Blue Ridge Half Marathon. So I’ll be trotting up and down Mill Mountain. I’ll be on the road but it’s still pretty woodsy.I wouldn’t be shocked to hear a turkey or two gobbling up there.
Why put myself through nearly two hours of pain when I could be sitting at the base of an oak tree with my Browning Gold Hunter across my lap and a slate call in my hand?
Good question.
The truth is I pretty much have to be in town to cover the half marathon and associated marathon anyway. So I figured I’d run the half marathon, catch my breath, grab my notebook, jump on my bike and roll out to cover the end of the really tough race — the 26.2-mile marathon.
I was expecting some carnage on the marathon course last year, but it didn’t really happen. Seems folks who enter what may be the hardest road marathon in the country don’t do it lightly. They were prepared. And they were helped by cool weather. If it’s hot this year it could be a different story, especially with the addition of another major climb (and painful downhill).
Though I’ve been running for a good while I’ve never run in a half-marathon. Or at least a stand along half-marathon. I ran a 13.1-mile race last Oct. 30, but it came after a 1.2-mile swim and 56-mile bike ride, the first two legs of the Washington (N.C.) half-ironman triathlon.
That kind of event may sound a bit nutty, and it is, to a degree. But it really wasn’t horrible, which, I guess, is why I’ve signed up for another half-ironman, this one on May 14. That’s the race I’m really training for so the Blue Ridge Half Marathon will mostly be just a training run, albeit a pretty intense one.
I happen to know that a couple of you are pretty serious runners. How ’bout putting off a day of turkey hunting and join me for 13.1 miles of fun?
Not sure how to train for a half marathon? You’re in luck. I had a super simple 12-week half marathon training plan on my Outdoors page in The Roanoke Times today. If you’re a total couch potato you’re better off starting with something like the No Boundaries or Couch to 5K program. But if you can run 12-15 miles a week right now, you can get in shape by April 16.
Not your deal? That’s cool. Good luck with the gobblers.
January 21, 2011 - 5:19 PM
Mark,
Great to hear! Me and my adventure racing partner are gearing up for the full marathon. I hate to give up a turkey weekend, but I heard about this race last spring when I was in Iraq and decided then I would do it in 2011! Ive never run a marathon, but have run the Army 10 miler and several other road races along with the Adventure Races we do around Va. We are always lookg for other people to enter a complete team, it would be great to have you! Got to go after something else now deer season is done.
All I can say Mark is that I highly admire your dedication to the such a broad range of outdoor events especially the marathoning. I however will be one of those you speak of as hunkering down next to an oak tree and I wouldnt have it any other way. Although not as strenuous as the running it’s indeed exercise as you know all to well. Running ridge to ridge at every distant gobble at the hopes of getting a nice bird certainly does raise the heart rate though. For me there’s not much more excitement in atttempting to bag a wise old Tom or even a not so smart one. I admit I’m no professional at it for sure with only 3 mature birds and one jake but I will say that each year brings more close encounters with the exception of last years dismal season. In short I’ll be running a race just as you will be, only in a different environment. Hopefully we’ll both end up winners or at the very least more respectful of those that beat us. Good luck to ya!
Kevin — I like that comment about “more respect of those that beat us.” So true!
Brandon — That’s awesome to hear you are doing the full marathon. That is going to be a serious challenge but you guys will be up for it. You’ve already got the most important thing down — the mental part. As for adventure racing, I’ve been intrigued by it for a long time and would love to try one. Nothing too long, mind you. Maybe a “sprint” or 24-hour race. I have no clue on orienteering and that’s what’s held me back from trying. We should talk.
I will be standing on the back deck at the break of dawn, waiting for that big ole tom to break the silence somewhere in the 3000 acres surrounding my home!
Mark- I’ll be skipping that day in the woods to run my first 1/2 marathon. Hope to have one in the freezer opening morning.