After years of crazy-long distance racing, Justyna Wilson decided to take it down a notch.
So she ran last Sunday’s New York City Marathon.
Yes, all those 100-mile ultramarathons can get monotonous after a while.
She found time in her occupation as an emergency room nurse to fine-tune her marathon training and the decision paid off.
The native of Poland and now a resident of Fairless Hills completed the challenging 26.2-mile New York course in a speedy 3:06.25.
Not bad for someone who just happens to be a spry 51 years old.
To put that in perspective, she finished eighth out of 2,120 runners in her age division and 288th out of 28,916 women overall.
That was strong enough for an age-graded percentage of 81.5 for the speedy Wilson.
Also of note: This was the 20th anniversary of her last marathon.
“I ran 3:06 exactly 20 years ago and it was the same time as Sunday,” she pointed out in a telephone interview.
Before 2006 she had run more than 20 marathons with a best of 2:58. But marathons, she said, got “boring.”
When it came to training for ultras, the miles on asphalt became too much, so she switched to trail running and that’s where most of her preparation work is done.
Back in her marathon days, she ran Boston three times. It’s been a storied career.
Her next big race is the 2027 Eastern States 100. She also plans to do some volunteer work for the Bucks County Roadrunners Club’s Winter Series, which she has won in the past.
She has medaled in an incredible 61 ultramarathons.
Wilson credits weight training for much of the reason why she’s seldom injured.
Plus, she keeps an eye on her mileage. Fifty to 60 per week gets the job done.
“I do not put in a massive amount of mileage,” she said. “To me, it’s more important to stay in the game for longer, not being injured.”
Training with other runners, such as Nick Accardo of Bucks County Triathlon Club, helps, too.
Over the years, Wilson has learned that her best coach is herself.
“My background in physical education, with a specialization in track and field, along with over 35 years of running experience, has given me, I think, enough knowledge to coach myself reasonably well,” she said.
“I mostly go by feel. My hectic work schedule and the unpredictable nature of life often dictate when I should push myself and when it’s better to call it a day, or even take more days off. At this point, I think knowing when to push and when to back off is just as important as the training itself.”
All those miles have given her time to think things through.
“In training, as in life, the key is not to cling to or force anything obsessively, nor to push anything away,” she said. “ Instead, remain open to whatever comes next and enjoy the ride.”
Be the first to comment