From my vast readings on running marathons and ultras, and as I wrote in my book Go for 25, never try something new on race day. Everything from clothes to shoes to food should be done in a long training run.
Meet the new drug, same as the old drug.
The day after the Plaid to the Bone 10km, I woke up in AFIB. Based on my Garmin readings, it started around 12:15 am. My cardiologist tells me it comes from a condition in the body that everyone has. Endurance athlete bodies react more to the condition.
On Wednesday night, we tried a drug treatment to get back into sinus rhythm. That did not work. I had a cardioversion on Thursday. My cardiologist put me back on blood thinners and the rhythm-controlling drug, Flecainide. He switched me to a once-per-day beta blocker that I can take after running.
He wants me to stay on these drugs until a follow-up appointment on November 14, when we’ll discuss future options.
The good news is that he cleared me to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon, 10 days after my procedure.
I was on Flecainide from February 16 to March 16, 2025. It added 15% to my 5km finish time. It drops my heart rate, in addition to the beta blocker’s rate reduction.
So, I need to run an untested plan at the Marathon. The longest runs I’ll have over the next couple of days will be 4 miles. In my previous encounter, I covered 10 miles at a 13-minute per mile pace. That was more walking than running. I’ll work out a plan, probably running 2 minutes every 6 minutes and never uphill. And, don’t walk downhill either.
The time limits at the Marine Corps Marathon are reasonable. They have three in-course cutoffs.
The race starts at 7:20 am, and I expect to cross the start line by 8 am. I need to reach mile 17 while maintaining a 16-minute/mile pace. mile 20, maintaining a 15:45 pace, and mile 22, maintaining a 15:42 pace. After that, there are no further cutoffs. I can do it.