Well, I can chalk up today's run as absolutely pitiful! I began with a one mile warm-up walk and felt really good. It was even at a pretty decent clip. Then I began to run......well, I tried! As a matter of fact, I practically did NOT run today. I'm not sure if I had a bad case of indigestion or what; but my chest was hurting. I HATE what's happening! I'm not sure I even ran .15 mile before I had to stop and walk. My chest began to hurt with pains, like indigestion. My right hip had been aching some before I started and, of course, it wanted attention, too; therefore adding to the drama. I tried to push through by walking some, then I'd feel better and would tried to run again. But, NOOOO, that didn't work. I absolutely refused to quit before my hour was up! This went on the entire time: walking and running, walking and running. At least, I got in a decent walk.
After I got home and ate lunch, I laid down on the couch and slept for a while. When I woke up, the pain was still there. I'm now wondering if I'm getting an intestinal bug of sort! Yuk!!! I don't feel good and not handling this well at all. I really want to run again...NOW!!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
An Amazing Week
I cannot believe the week I've had. It has been the most amazing experience ever. I've actually run my first marathon and finished well! Not in time, but in ability, feeling confident in the program and finishing with a smile on my face. It was the oddest thing. Other than fighting left knee issues the last few miles (which was on concrete), all I could talk about in the race was what I could do different, how I can train harder/smarter and how I can strengthen my knees with better cross training for the next one. Do you hear me?? The NEXT one!! Marathons have a way of manipulating your brain. I don't understand it and I've talked with others and they don't seem to either. All I can say is that even in the hard part (with pain) at the end, I was driven by "something" that wanted more of me. I really did not understand my longing to keep running and running and running. Oh, yeah, I was tired at the end. But my body really wanted more. Pain, eagerness, striving for more and more and more. There's nothing like. And, NO!! It can't be explained. It is beyond reason.
For the negative side...I have been at such a loss as to "what now" that I'm fumbling. Thankfully, I've had a couple of people share with me their experiences of the same feelings.
So am I admitting to my blog friends early in the game that I'm a glutton for punishment. I mean, what else can do this to you. Well, only time will tell. For now, I am recovering from the race with light running and resting, anxiously awaiting when I can start running hard again.
Running...there's nothing like it!! Run 4 It!
For the negative side...I have been at such a loss as to "what now" that I'm fumbling. Thankfully, I've had a couple of people share with me their experiences of the same feelings.
So am I admitting to my blog friends early in the game that I'm a glutton for punishment. I mean, what else can do this to you. Well, only time will tell. For now, I am recovering from the race with light running and resting, anxiously awaiting when I can start running hard again.
Running...there's nothing like it!! Run 4 It!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
I Am A Marathoner!!
F.Y.I. This is a long post...
I can't believe I did it! The Rock 'N Roll Mardi Gras Marathon on Sunday was exhiliarating. And I can't believe I've waited until I was 55 to do one...I'm too old to begin such a thing! But I love a challenge and this is what it's all about. This is one of the most exciting things I've ever done in my life. No, it's not like going on vacation. This is something that you have to prepare months for, train for, put your plans aside and brave the weather to push your body to limits it's not gone before. It is something that one can not understand unless you've experienced it. It is amazing! It doesn't matter about a lot of things except that you do your best, listen to your body, fuel it and push it where YOU want it to go.
Discipline, commitment and the want-to are three things a runner MUST have before attempting to do a marathon. I thought the same when I began my journey in running my first half marathon...and granted these elements are there. But this exceeds anything you ever thought before. I can't even imagine all the training and discipline someone goes through to be an Olympian...it's got to be beyond your wildest thoughts. At the beginning of the week, I began watching my diet closely eating lots and lots of vegetables and fruits. I was diligent and lost a total of 5 pounds by the marathon on Sunday. I was not sure I could pull off a decent amount of weight not having the miles to put in this week.
When we came into The Big Easy Saturday around lunch and headed for the Expo, my excitement level grew and grew. I remember feeling like a kid in a toy store last year. So many things to look at and things I've not imagined seeing relative to this new habit I've become addicted to called running. Oh, I'm not talking about the typical shoes and socks, but the original phrased t-shirts, must-have tech "toys", bumper stickers, fuel belts, jewelry, etc., etc. With all of that in mind, my heart skipped a beat as we parked.
We signed in and made Corral changes as Kent was in a different one than I and we wanted to start together. I mean, you MUST have that good luck, last minute smack on the lips to help you through, right? He wasn't around at all last year and I was nervous being alone...excited, but nervous. But he decided he wanted to attempt his first half marathon; therefore, giving us the opportunity to be together at the start. Right after we all got inside, we had our pictures taken at a photo wall.
We weren't aware that the picture was being taken when it was...not much of a smile going on here.
Us three new marathon runners were prepared and smiled continually so we could get a good one out of the bunch.
Though this is blurry, I had the opportunity to have my picture taken with two more Biggest Loser contestants!! This now makes 4 of them I've got a photo with. Tee-hee!
A photo of our bibs with timing chips. Mine was #12062 and Kent's was #20400. The excitement builds!!
Since last year I've wished I had purchased a couple of witty runner's tech shirts so this year there was no thinking about it...I was gonna get some. Also, with this being my first marathon, there were other things I wanted to get commemorating my hard work and new achievement.
And my favorite (I've kicked myself many times for not getting this one last year):
I knew I was going to get a 26.2 bumper sticker for the truck and a necklace with a runner girl and 26.2 on it that I'd seen last year.
The morning of the race was electric! Thousands of people everywhere!! We had many, many friends that ran in these races. Most elected to run in the half. But there were so many I couldn't begin to give you a general number of them. And, even though they were all there, we never run up on any except for one before the race, Alice H. I don't know how many were placed in a corral, but I would guess at lesat 100. You could hardly move so there may have even been 200. Again, I was so excited to have Kent by my side this year. It was chilly that morning especially having to be there early and still dark. We all wore gloves for a while after we started. All but Deleica had extra clothing to discard before the race began. All these clothes were given to the homeless. Here are some pre-race pictures (I hated ours blurred):
We all three had tech shirts made with "Run, (our name), Run" on the front and stats on the back. Except mine was Mardi Gras gold and theirs were white. I think I like theirs best.
Soon we were beginning to move. Oh gosh, I could hardly contain myself! I even began making low squealing sounds...tee-hee! If I could have yelled out without looking like an idiot, I would have. My heart was pounding. The others, not having experienced this before, were excited, too. Then before we knew it, we were on our way. Bands played about every mile. And spectators were everywhere cheering everyone on. It's almost like you're a celebrity and unknown people are rooting and yelling for you. There were many characters along the route, too. Some offering beer, Krispy Kreme donuts, cookies, salt packs, etc., served by several different groups of cheerleaders, men in red dresses, people in pajamas, nurses...all kinds of people. This year was different for me for many reasons and one of those was knowing several different spectators. It was so nice to see people you knew on the sidelines. I hope I don't forget anyone (it will truly be unfortunate because you ALL meant a lot to me). There was Dennis B. (he appeared twice on the route), Gary D., a group from our Gulf Coast Running Club (calling out your name), Bob S. and especially my friends Cynthia and Kent M. who took some wonderful action shots of us. The first one is the Club and the others are from Cynthia & Kent. Aren't they great?
This was so much fun and I don't think I need to say that. We laughed pretty much the whole way!
We ran through gorgeous Audubon Park. All I could think was that this couldn't be in New Orleans!! It's beauty made you want to stay there and run around in circles for the rest of the time. Sooo serene! Wish Kent could have run that way, too. I wanted to be with him at this point, sitting on one of those wonderful little benches watching the ducks and geese as they fly into one of the beautiful little ponds with little fountains spewing soft water sprays. So, so pretty!
Okay...back to the race...as we got into our last 3 miles, running began to take its toll on me in a way I'd not expected. My left knee began to hurt a lot and Frank began experiencing pre-cramping in his quads. We worked through these situations by walking and running a little here and there and it was helping. My knee would stop hurting when I walked and his legs were given relief from cramps. We wanted to run so badly but our bodies weren't letting us. Deleica was encouraged to move on at the point that we saw we would have to walk/run the remaining race.
Turning the negative around, I reminded "us" that time was not of the essence in this race. It never has been. We did not know how our bodies would react at these distances. I set my goal very high to run this race entirely but it wasn't meant this time. I do NOT regret this agressive goal...I WILL do it! Goals are earned, not given! Lessons are learned or discounted...mine will be learned. I do not regret anything I've done during this time. I could easily put myself down but why would I do that? Running a marathon is something to be proud of when you've done your best. I am proud of all of us, the training we were committed to and a great future ahead.
We were all tired and yet felt great in running our best race. A few pictures at the end:
Close to the end of my race, I began to feel that I was getting a blister on my right foot. Though it hurt, it wasn't anything like my knee...and...I knew I was close to the end. When we left I changed clothes and removed my socks and shoes and, lo and behold, I had received a physical racing trophy...a nice colorful one! Ouch!!! Why does New Orleans do this to me?? To make me stand up and say, "you're not doing this to me again"??
The next morning we woke up to a gorgeous sunrise. It was the icing on the cake from a great weekend. This is where light meets night.
Things I did well:
1. Commited to daily training.
2. Fueled regularly during the race.
3. Drank plenty of Cytomax during the race.
4. Packed my fuel belt well (with Ibuprofen & vinegar).
5. Listened to my body throughout the race.
6. Enjoyed every minute!
7. Embraced the tough moments, never gave up and laughed in its face.
8. Was never ashamed by doing my best. I NEVER was!
9. Had a positive attitude and smiled the whole way.
Lessons learned:
1. Workout more with weights/weight bearing exercises to improve my joint strength.
2. Stretch more often.
3. I never gave up when my knee tempted me to. I accepted it as a "caution light" not a "stop light".
4. Put in longer distances to learn my body better.
5. Always have my iPod to keep my mind focused on the end.
Future plans:
1. Continue to run long distances on a regular basis.
2. Improve my flexibility with regular strength exercises or classes.
2. Do my best and strive for more and more and more.
3. Take care of my body so it will take care of me.
4. Decide on another marathon. And, I think I already have.
Yeah, right after I finished I wanted to do another! My mind sought ways to improve before we were on the road home. I never got sore but did experience tightness in my thighs. It was never a problem and I was expecting the usual pain.
My finish time was: 5:36:54 but hoped for much better. The good thing is that I burned 3031 calories!!! Kent's time was: 2:56:59. He made his goal of breaking 3 hours. Way to go, honey...good job!
We are well pleased with our results. We never gave up...that just wasn't in the plan. Kent had said from early on that he would NOT do another long distance race. But now that it's over, I think he's wanting to sign up for the half when I do the whole at Disney World next year...oops! Did I let the cat out of the bag?? If money holds out, that's our plan. I can hardly wait.......again!!!!
I can't believe I did it! The Rock 'N Roll Mardi Gras Marathon on Sunday was exhiliarating. And I can't believe I've waited until I was 55 to do one...I'm too old to begin such a thing! But I love a challenge and this is what it's all about. This is one of the most exciting things I've ever done in my life. No, it's not like going on vacation. This is something that you have to prepare months for, train for, put your plans aside and brave the weather to push your body to limits it's not gone before. It is something that one can not understand unless you've experienced it. It is amazing! It doesn't matter about a lot of things except that you do your best, listen to your body, fuel it and push it where YOU want it to go.
Discipline, commitment and the want-to are three things a runner MUST have before attempting to do a marathon. I thought the same when I began my journey in running my first half marathon...and granted these elements are there. But this exceeds anything you ever thought before. I can't even imagine all the training and discipline someone goes through to be an Olympian...it's got to be beyond your wildest thoughts. At the beginning of the week, I began watching my diet closely eating lots and lots of vegetables and fruits. I was diligent and lost a total of 5 pounds by the marathon on Sunday. I was not sure I could pull off a decent amount of weight not having the miles to put in this week.
When we came into The Big Easy Saturday around lunch and headed for the Expo, my excitement level grew and grew. I remember feeling like a kid in a toy store last year. So many things to look at and things I've not imagined seeing relative to this new habit I've become addicted to called running. Oh, I'm not talking about the typical shoes and socks, but the original phrased t-shirts, must-have tech "toys", bumper stickers, fuel belts, jewelry, etc., etc. With all of that in mind, my heart skipped a beat as we parked.
We signed in and made Corral changes as Kent was in a different one than I and we wanted to start together. I mean, you MUST have that good luck, last minute smack on the lips to help you through, right? He wasn't around at all last year and I was nervous being alone...excited, but nervous. But he decided he wanted to attempt his first half marathon; therefore, giving us the opportunity to be together at the start. Right after we all got inside, we had our pictures taken at a photo wall.
We weren't aware that the picture was being taken when it was...not much of a smile going on here.
Us three new marathon runners were prepared and smiled continually so we could get a good one out of the bunch. 
Though this is blurry, I had the opportunity to have my picture taken with two more Biggest Loser contestants!! This now makes 4 of them I've got a photo with. Tee-hee! 
A photo of our bibs with timing chips. Mine was #12062 and Kent's was #20400. The excitement builds!! Since last year I've wished I had purchased a couple of witty runner's tech shirts so this year there was no thinking about it...I was gonna get some. Also, with this being my first marathon, there were other things I wanted to get commemorating my hard work and new achievement.
And my favorite (I've kicked myself many times for not getting this one last year):
I knew I was going to get a 26.2 bumper sticker for the truck and a necklace with a runner girl and 26.2 on it that I'd seen last year.
The morning of the race was electric! Thousands of people everywhere!! We had many, many friends that ran in these races. Most elected to run in the half. But there were so many I couldn't begin to give you a general number of them. And, even though they were all there, we never run up on any except for one before the race, Alice H. I don't know how many were placed in a corral, but I would guess at lesat 100. You could hardly move so there may have even been 200. Again, I was so excited to have Kent by my side this year. It was chilly that morning especially having to be there early and still dark. We all wore gloves for a while after we started. All but Deleica had extra clothing to discard before the race began. All these clothes were given to the homeless. Here are some pre-race pictures (I hated ours blurred):
We all three had tech shirts made with "Run, (our name), Run" on the front and stats on the back. Except mine was Mardi Gras gold and theirs were white. I think I like theirs best.
Soon we were beginning to move. Oh gosh, I could hardly contain myself! I even began making low squealing sounds...tee-hee! If I could have yelled out without looking like an idiot, I would have. My heart was pounding. The others, not having experienced this before, were excited, too. Then before we knew it, we were on our way. Bands played about every mile. And spectators were everywhere cheering everyone on. It's almost like you're a celebrity and unknown people are rooting and yelling for you. There were many characters along the route, too. Some offering beer, Krispy Kreme donuts, cookies, salt packs, etc., served by several different groups of cheerleaders, men in red dresses, people in pajamas, nurses...all kinds of people. This year was different for me for many reasons and one of those was knowing several different spectators. It was so nice to see people you knew on the sidelines. I hope I don't forget anyone (it will truly be unfortunate because you ALL meant a lot to me). There was Dennis B. (he appeared twice on the route), Gary D., a group from our Gulf Coast Running Club (calling out your name), Bob S. and especially my friends Cynthia and Kent M. who took some wonderful action shots of us. The first one is the Club and the others are from Cynthia & Kent. Aren't they great?
This was so much fun and I don't think I need to say that. We laughed pretty much the whole way!
We ran through gorgeous Audubon Park. All I could think was that this couldn't be in New Orleans!! It's beauty made you want to stay there and run around in circles for the rest of the time. Sooo serene! Wish Kent could have run that way, too. I wanted to be with him at this point, sitting on one of those wonderful little benches watching the ducks and geese as they fly into one of the beautiful little ponds with little fountains spewing soft water sprays. So, so pretty!
Okay...back to the race...as we got into our last 3 miles, running began to take its toll on me in a way I'd not expected. My left knee began to hurt a lot and Frank began experiencing pre-cramping in his quads. We worked through these situations by walking and running a little here and there and it was helping. My knee would stop hurting when I walked and his legs were given relief from cramps. We wanted to run so badly but our bodies weren't letting us. Deleica was encouraged to move on at the point that we saw we would have to walk/run the remaining race.
Turning the negative around, I reminded "us" that time was not of the essence in this race. It never has been. We did not know how our bodies would react at these distances. I set my goal very high to run this race entirely but it wasn't meant this time. I do NOT regret this agressive goal...I WILL do it! Goals are earned, not given! Lessons are learned or discounted...mine will be learned. I do not regret anything I've done during this time. I could easily put myself down but why would I do that? Running a marathon is something to be proud of when you've done your best. I am proud of all of us, the training we were committed to and a great future ahead.
We were all tired and yet felt great in running our best race. A few pictures at the end:
Close to the end of my race, I began to feel that I was getting a blister on my right foot. Though it hurt, it wasn't anything like my knee...and...I knew I was close to the end. When we left I changed clothes and removed my socks and shoes and, lo and behold, I had received a physical racing trophy...a nice colorful one! Ouch!!! Why does New Orleans do this to me?? To make me stand up and say, "you're not doing this to me again"??
The next morning we woke up to a gorgeous sunrise. It was the icing on the cake from a great weekend. This is where light meets night.
Things I did well:
1. Commited to daily training.
2. Fueled regularly during the race.
3. Drank plenty of Cytomax during the race.
4. Packed my fuel belt well (with Ibuprofen & vinegar).
5. Listened to my body throughout the race.
6. Enjoyed every minute!
7. Embraced the tough moments, never gave up and laughed in its face.
8. Was never ashamed by doing my best. I NEVER was!
9. Had a positive attitude and smiled the whole way.
Lessons learned:
1. Workout more with weights/weight bearing exercises to improve my joint strength.
2. Stretch more often.
3. I never gave up when my knee tempted me to. I accepted it as a "caution light" not a "stop light".
4. Put in longer distances to learn my body better.
5. Always have my iPod to keep my mind focused on the end.
Future plans:
1. Continue to run long distances on a regular basis.
2. Improve my flexibility with regular strength exercises or classes.
2. Do my best and strive for more and more and more.
3. Take care of my body so it will take care of me.
4. Decide on another marathon. And, I think I already have.
Yeah, right after I finished I wanted to do another! My mind sought ways to improve before we were on the road home. I never got sore but did experience tightness in my thighs. It was never a problem and I was expecting the usual pain.
My finish time was: 5:36:54 but hoped for much better. The good thing is that I burned 3031 calories!!! Kent's time was: 2:56:59. He made his goal of breaking 3 hours. Way to go, honey...good job!
We are well pleased with our results. We never gave up...that just wasn't in the plan. Kent had said from early on that he would NOT do another long distance race. But now that it's over, I think he's wanting to sign up for the half when I do the whole at Disney World next year...oops! Did I let the cat out of the bag?? If money holds out, that's our plan. I can hardly wait.......again!!!!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Final Week
This is the beginning of my final week of training before my marathon. Last week was a very hard one for me cuz I thought I would die if I couldn't get in a long distance! I mean, for real. I got down about it. Don't think I could have written a post without being sad or ugly or even nasty about this new adventure called "tapering". That was a curse word last week; but I finally grew past it...whew! Okay, this is all new to me, folks. Thankfully, my good running friends pulled me through and they really did! I appreciate all the support you've given me.
This week holds a lot of busy-ness for us. Training for our races are done. Now, we're enjoying...and yes, I can say enjoying...the tapering. Now emphasis is on what to pack, how to pack, what to eat, and getting everything charged at the last minute. You know, the phones, iPod and camera. Yes, I WILL be carrying my camera with me. I want to take as many pictures as I feel I can get. Hopefully, I'll be able to take a few during the run...WITHOUT falling this year, ha! But I will get them at the end for sure. Regardless of how we all look, this is a monumental time for both of us.
Kent has vowed to never attempt long running again. It's really just not for him. He has physical issues he's never had to deal with before, some due to his many years of runing and others new ailments, such as gout that can be so painful and debilitating. It's been tough on him. But he has been very diligent in getting his runs in. Because of these issues, his plan for the race is to incorporate walking in his running. It should work well for him. On top of that he doesn't have the interest in long running. Said he might if he was much younger and without the pain he deals with but that it was too much on him. But everyone has their own interest and I certainly don't fault him for that. It's okay to not have a drive to do marathons or ultras. Just because they are phenomal events, doesn't mean everyone has the desire to do them.
Now me, I'm loving longer runs!! Just can't help it. I love the challenge it puts me through mentally and physically. I plan to continue to do them. My focus, at this time, will be on improving my time on half marathons. I may have more goals before it's all said and done.
Got in a good cross training workout this morning and I'm feeling really good right now about everything.
Now get out and DO SOMETHING! Every day is a great day to do something for your body.
This week holds a lot of busy-ness for us. Training for our races are done. Now, we're enjoying...and yes, I can say enjoying...the tapering. Now emphasis is on what to pack, how to pack, what to eat, and getting everything charged at the last minute. You know, the phones, iPod and camera. Yes, I WILL be carrying my camera with me. I want to take as many pictures as I feel I can get. Hopefully, I'll be able to take a few during the run...WITHOUT falling this year, ha! But I will get them at the end for sure. Regardless of how we all look, this is a monumental time for both of us.
Kent has vowed to never attempt long running again. It's really just not for him. He has physical issues he's never had to deal with before, some due to his many years of runing and others new ailments, such as gout that can be so painful and debilitating. It's been tough on him. But he has been very diligent in getting his runs in. Because of these issues, his plan for the race is to incorporate walking in his running. It should work well for him. On top of that he doesn't have the interest in long running. Said he might if he was much younger and without the pain he deals with but that it was too much on him. But everyone has their own interest and I certainly don't fault him for that. It's okay to not have a drive to do marathons or ultras. Just because they are phenomal events, doesn't mean everyone has the desire to do them.
Now me, I'm loving longer runs!! Just can't help it. I love the challenge it puts me through mentally and physically. I plan to continue to do them. My focus, at this time, will be on improving my time on half marathons. I may have more goals before it's all said and done.
Got in a good cross training workout this morning and I'm feeling really good right now about everything.
Now get out and DO SOMETHING! Every day is a great day to do something for your body.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tapering...Bugs...Fun
So many things are new for me in doing my first marathon. I've loved all of it and have pushed my body to do things I never knew it could do. I've, also, been challenged in a couple of areas. But I'll have to say that I have now found the thing I do NOT like...tapering! I use to think taking a rest day before a race was hard to do but three weeks...Yikes!!! Well, though it's not completely rest, it is, compared to what you've gotten accustomed to running, up to this point. Mentally, I almost feel like I've already done the race and I'm in recovery mode. I'm feeling lazy. Eight miles seem so measley now and I'm dying to get out and put in a 10-13 miler. Is there something wrong with me??
Okay...guess I'm working through this great thing called a "marathon" and my thoughts and ideas have to be changed in order to treat my body correctly. Up to this point, my idea of taking care of my body is to eat better and incorporate a few supplements that I know my diet is lacking. Only in the last couple of years have I added running to this. This great machine we call a "body" is fascinating at best. It is self healing, motivating and goal oriented. Guess that's why when you catch the running "bug" it's practically just that...a bug. You've got to contend with it and what your body is trying to get you to do. Your mind, your desire and what your body is able to do have to all line up on the same page in order to accomplish this task safely.
When I began running I had no idea that my pursuit would lead me past a good 10k race. But this bug is highly contagious. We have some close friends that have done many marathons and in talking with them it made me do a lot of thinking. They love it and got excited when speaking of doing one. Once this thinking set in, like fever, I had to start "treating" it. So I began giving it what it was calling for...MORE! That is, better eating and longer running.
In the beginning...I think my long running began to see if I could run further and how difficult it was to do. If it was really "in" me to do this. Then before I knew it my husband had signed me up to do my first half marathon. I say "before I knew it" because it was only 5 months after I began running seriously. I had been doing very well in races so far and he thought it would be good to have a new goal. Let me say, here and now, it was the most fun I'd experienced in many years. I looked forward to training every day. It seemed the only apprehension that I had was the excitement of the unknown. I didn't know if I could run it in its entirety, how well I would run, how I would feel afterward and even if I would like it in the long run. My one and only goal was to run it and not walk it, if possible. This was easily accomplished and I fell in love with running longer distances.
Since I realized I liked running longer and with the excitement brewing from friends, my heart would skip a beat when I would consider doing a marathon. You know what I'm talking about. The kind of excitement you feel when you've decided to try out a new adventure, new and daring. Like standing on the edge of a bridge getting ready to do your first bungy jump. No, I've not done that. But I can "feel" the fear well up inside me as I write this.
Interesting things about a marathon:
Less than 1% of the people have ever run one
You become an elite person in yourself
Prepare, prepare, prepare (much to buy and take)
Discipline...there must be discipline
Self motivation to run those days you don't feel like it
Endurance for those wonderful long runs
Persistance in doing what you "should" and not what you want
Stamina for maintaining a program for MONTHS
Have a fantastic sunshiney, cold day. And, go Run 4 It!! Your goal, that is.
Okay...guess I'm working through this great thing called a "marathon" and my thoughts and ideas have to be changed in order to treat my body correctly. Up to this point, my idea of taking care of my body is to eat better and incorporate a few supplements that I know my diet is lacking. Only in the last couple of years have I added running to this. This great machine we call a "body" is fascinating at best. It is self healing, motivating and goal oriented. Guess that's why when you catch the running "bug" it's practically just that...a bug. You've got to contend with it and what your body is trying to get you to do. Your mind, your desire and what your body is able to do have to all line up on the same page in order to accomplish this task safely.
When I began running I had no idea that my pursuit would lead me past a good 10k race. But this bug is highly contagious. We have some close friends that have done many marathons and in talking with them it made me do a lot of thinking. They love it and got excited when speaking of doing one. Once this thinking set in, like fever, I had to start "treating" it. So I began giving it what it was calling for...MORE! That is, better eating and longer running.
In the beginning...I think my long running began to see if I could run further and how difficult it was to do. If it was really "in" me to do this. Then before I knew it my husband had signed me up to do my first half marathon. I say "before I knew it" because it was only 5 months after I began running seriously. I had been doing very well in races so far and he thought it would be good to have a new goal. Let me say, here and now, it was the most fun I'd experienced in many years. I looked forward to training every day. It seemed the only apprehension that I had was the excitement of the unknown. I didn't know if I could run it in its entirety, how well I would run, how I would feel afterward and even if I would like it in the long run. My one and only goal was to run it and not walk it, if possible. This was easily accomplished and I fell in love with running longer distances.
Since I realized I liked running longer and with the excitement brewing from friends, my heart would skip a beat when I would consider doing a marathon. You know what I'm talking about. The kind of excitement you feel when you've decided to try out a new adventure, new and daring. Like standing on the edge of a bridge getting ready to do your first bungy jump. No, I've not done that. But I can "feel" the fear well up inside me as I write this.
Interesting things about a marathon:
Less than 1% of the people have ever run one
You become an elite person in yourself
Prepare, prepare, prepare (much to buy and take)
Discipline...there must be discipline
Self motivation to run those days you don't feel like it
Endurance for those wonderful long runs
Persistance in doing what you "should" and not what you want
Stamina for maintaining a program for MONTHS
Have a fantastic sunshiney, cold day. And, go Run 4 It!! Your goal, that is.
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