Focusing on the mile not only made Sharek a stronger runner, but it also gave her a much-needed mental break from the marathon.
“Switching up the distances allowed me to reset,” she said. “I’d put a lot of pressure on myself to be a marathoner. But I realized I could still train with my friends and set goals for a different race, too, and be just as happy.
True to her character, instead of tuning up for CIM with a half marathon in November, Sharek raced the, which she finished in 17:25. A month later, she was sitting on a hotel bed in California, freaking out before her race. Her friends had made her a good luck video, and it was “gut wrenching in a good way,” she said. She tried to quell her nerves with some good news—earlier that week, she’d gotten a promotion at work—but she was hoping for a second reason to celebrate.
On Sunday morning, December 8, the New Yorker toed the line with confidence. Steve told her that as long as she relaxes for the first three miles, she’d be fine. Sharek sailed through those early miles at 2:40 marathon pace, then “the rest of the race was a blur,” she said. While her splits were on pace throughout the race, she never assumed she had sub-2:45 in the bag.
“I didn’t let myself think I [qualified] until mile 25,” said Sharek. She crossed the line officially in 2:41:59, shedding tears in the process. But this time, they were tears of happiness.
In a lot of ways, marathon training has vastly improved my 5k
Track workouts are mandatory for all runners. Running a fast mile isn't always a staple in a good marathon. billrodgers may never have run under 4:20 but could run 26 together at 4:50 marathonrunning
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