So, just like that I’m training for my first 26.2.
I volunteer my time as an ambassador/organizer for a fantastic group of enthusiastic women who care about fitness and well-being. The girls and I were all on Facebook chat and hyped each other up to do the Rock and Roll series in New Orleans. I think someone posted information about the New Orleans Saints promotion on the BGR! website. The promotion - ‘Saints Victory Savings’ was $1 discount for every point that the Saints won by. We have to thank Drew Brees and Leigh Torrence’s performance as the race registration fee was an unheard of $35. Seven thousand people signed up for the race on a Monday. Record numbers. I was one of them - I was so excited I urged my group members and also several of my family and friends to sign up just because it was such a great deal!
This year, I also qualified for the New York City Marathon in 2012, so when it came time to select which race I’d be participating for the RnR NO, my finger hovered over full. Full, 26.2, CLICK! ( I am in, now training for a full…fool) My twisted logic says “you’ll need a practice marathon before the real thing” <———-that right there is just crazy.
I need to share with you that I have this mental block on anything over 13.1. I finish my half marathons and look at the souls of people who are still running, only half way done. I see them continuing through their chutes to the next 13.1 miles. I watch them and am grateful that I get to go back to my hotel, shower and have a great meal. On particularly grueling race days, I pity them. I’ve done at least 20 half marathons in my 3 year running career, and that mental wall of 13.1 is a tough one to crack.
I started running because of my “bucket list”. I had one before the movie came out. I called it yearly goals. I choose something each year that I want to accomplish, usually it’s something that requires a skill, training and hours of practice to master. One year it was re-learning the game of tennis, another cake decorating, and it goes on. We’ll, actually the year after the cake decorating goal, I gained a good 25 lbs from baking such delicious calorie bombs. So running a marathon seemed like a good goal and a great way to shake those pounds.
My biggest hurdle is the long run training. I am slowly changing my thinking on how to accomplish long runs. I was fearful that I would not be able to handle the building long runs due to boredom, so I am searching for a training partner who is crazy enough to train for a full marathon in the dead of winter. In signing up for a March race, I am almost guaranteeing that many of my long runs will be done on a dreadmill. With winter’s snow and ice - sometimes indoors is the only option.
The 26.2 miles for me has been such a mental block - I plan to post throughout my home, encouraging notes on breaking that distance wall.
This sport is such a mental thing, I need to re-condition my thoughts. Today I pledge to STOP owning the statement that “The long run is difficult”. <——-After typing it right there, I’m never going to say it again. I am also going to own that I can do the training solo if I need to. I can’t let the lack of a training partner keep me from doing a workout.
I trained for my first 8K using Couch to 5K. I trained for my first Half Marathon using the Nike + program. I am going to use the Hal Higedon app to train for my first full.
In the past couple of months, I didn’t necessarily train for my races. This year, I’ve scheduled for a half marathon or other shorter distance on my calendar every 2 weeks - so I did mileage just to stay conditioned. I am pretty sure I have over-trained some weeks.
Yesterday, I did day one, the first of a 124 day training schedule to prep for the March 4th race. I like the Hal Higedon app interface, the flexibility of entering in information, and the cross training details built in. The one problem I see I am going to have is Hals’ creepy voice that overlays my music. For one, this guy does NOT have a motivational speaking voice. When he speaks, I want to walk, really slow. It was the first day, so I am going to give listening to him a few more shots. I have not completely abandoned the Nike program, I am still logging my miles on my Nike Tom Tom Gps watch, and will be using Nike’s fantastic interface to track and review my progress and performance.
So - here we go. Onto day 2. I’ll tell you about it later.
We rise at the crack of dawn to do what we love.....and yes we do it while you're still snoring.
Notes