Today was insane. I'll spare you the details. Let's just say I was supposed to meet my friend Shirley this morning for a run in Collinsville, then coffee afterwards at Lasalle market. I had been looking forward to it all weekend. Had some issues with my car, planned to have Shirley meet me at home instead so we could run around here (since I had to drop my car off - we do have 2 other cars I "could" have driven to Collinsville but they are both manual and I have yet to learn to drive manual... pathetic, I know!). Ended up having to cancel our run because of the car issues and having to take the car in, and Bill's car stalling on the way to Pep Boys (he was following me over so he could take me home after I dropped off my car) - can you believe HIS car stalled on the way over!!! OK so I'm not exactly sparing you the details. I could write a mini novel about our car situation today. There's more to the story, amazingly, but I'll stop now. Totally crazy morning and I do believe it was all because I had to cancel my run with Shirley in the first place - my day would have still been crazy, but at least I would have gotten my run in! Oh well! The moral of this story is my day is always happier when it begins with a run, and things that are normally really crazy are less crazy when I've gotten a run in!!
Today I began a new training session. Another long story. In short, the plan I found before after searching for a while (and one I bought off the internet) - it was not the right plan for me. WAY too intense and I know I would have gotten burnt out. I found another plan that I believe will help me achieve my 4 hour marathon or at least get me closer to achieving it, without making me a crazy person. I'm excited to start. I'm going over the plan with some friends from my running club who are going to tweak it for me so it's absolutely perfect and tailored to my needs.
I did end up running this evening - a quick 3 miles. Today is the first day of my official training (this plan is an 18 week plan - 2 weeks ago I started a 20 week plan). I'm excited for the challenge.
I have to go take a Claritan now - the pollen was awful tonight!!!
Before I go I have to tell you the wierdest thing about the car situation - the whole reason we took my car in was because my husband noticed grease all over the bottom of the driver door - he figured there was something wrong with the axle, or something like that (I'm not too good with cars, but it sounded serious). He noticed this on Saturday after we had driven 2 hours to Rhode Island, and he didn't want me driving it yesterday at all. Well, when we went to pick it up the guy at Pep Boys said he couldn't find anything wrong with it - he thinks I may have run over a pile of grease. So all that craziness for NOTHING lol!!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Ragnar in Retrospect
I'm just now getting a minute to write about my most amazing weekend, running the Ragnar Relay with 9 other runners... we ran in legs, a total of 190 miles from New Haven to Boston. I'm not even sure how to describe it! I'll try...
There were 10 of us - should have been 12, but 2 of our runners had to cancel. The extra legs they would have run were split between various runners. I had 3 legs, a total of about 16.5 miles. I thought it would be no big deal. I've run marathons after all, I thought running 16.5 miles over the course of 24+ hours (broken into 3 legs, with time to rest in between) would be no big deal. I hardly trained for it. Did my easy runs since I'm only just beginning training for my next marathon right? I was thinking it would be kind of a like a party (which it was... for sure) with a little bit of fun running involved. Boy was I in for a shock!
My first leg was hilly, and it was hot. I had gotten up extra early that morning to leave for the relay - I had been stressed out all week preparing for it. And I've had a whole bunch of other commitments leading up to this race - the weekend before was exceptionally busy - I've had a lot on my plate. In my life, the first thing to "go" when I'm extra busy is the running. I was unprepared. Anyway, the first leg was hilly and I felt like I was dragging. My second leg, the one I was most worried about, occured in the middle of the night - we wore headlamps and reflective vests with flashing lights on them. But that leg was awesome - I had gotten my second wind, it was cool in the night air, I felt strong and I ran strong. I felt that runner's high which is just so hard to describe. I loved that leg because of all the things going through my mind... how much I enjoyed this activity, how much I was loving everyone's company, how happy I was that the van was shadowing me throughout the leg so I wasn't alone in the dark streets, and the relief over not seeing critters! It was an odd feeling running at night, which I do every so often, but not a whole lot. I loved it. We slept outside in sleeping bags, some slept in the van. Just getting a few hours sleep felt great. We woke up the next morning to the sound of runners coming to the exchange point where we were expecting the other members of our team, just finishing up their leg.
My 3rd and final leg was also tough because of the hills. I finished, but I hated it. I was ready to be done.
In retrospect, my key mistake was entering into this situation without being prepared for the hills. I admit... I just don't like hills. I run the Philly marathon which is a pretty fast course. Running is hard enough - marathons kill you. Why pick races that are hilly? I just never "got" that. I've never trained on hilly roads, literally almost never! If I had trained on hills, I would have enjoyed the course a whole lot more. Lesson learned. Amazingly, after 2 days of hurting quads, I feel great and in an odd way my body is sort of "craving" for hills. Running the hilly roads made me want to commit to doing it more often.
My teammates... I can hardly describe the dynamic between us. Picture this... running with 9 other people, many of whom you've only met a few times. Picture being stuck in a van with them for 27 hours! Picture how awful that could be if you didn't get along with these people. You're tired, hungry, and cranky. Can you picture this?
Well, I was elated to discover that these 9 other people are some of the most wonderful folks I could ever have the pleasure of knowing. We did such an awesome thing together. I learned tons from them. My teammates looked great on the hills. I looked at them in awe. I will start training for hills because I want to do better, and to be a better runner. I want to train harder. They inspired me a lot and I'm grateful to them. It's unmistakable that God puts people in your life for a reason.
Another wonderful thing about this relay was the course and how beautiful it was! We ran through many little beach towns in Connecticut like Old Saybrook and got to drive through some lovely areas. We saw a fox hunt outside Boston which took my breath away. These are things you just don't see every day, and that was a great part of the experience.
We're planning a post-Ragnar party and I can't wait for my family to meet this bunch of fabulous runners. And we're talking about doing another overnight relay next year. I'm looking forward to it!
There were 10 of us - should have been 12, but 2 of our runners had to cancel. The extra legs they would have run were split between various runners. I had 3 legs, a total of about 16.5 miles. I thought it would be no big deal. I've run marathons after all, I thought running 16.5 miles over the course of 24+ hours (broken into 3 legs, with time to rest in between) would be no big deal. I hardly trained for it. Did my easy runs since I'm only just beginning training for my next marathon right? I was thinking it would be kind of a like a party (which it was... for sure) with a little bit of fun running involved. Boy was I in for a shock!
My first leg was hilly, and it was hot. I had gotten up extra early that morning to leave for the relay - I had been stressed out all week preparing for it. And I've had a whole bunch of other commitments leading up to this race - the weekend before was exceptionally busy - I've had a lot on my plate. In my life, the first thing to "go" when I'm extra busy is the running. I was unprepared. Anyway, the first leg was hilly and I felt like I was dragging. My second leg, the one I was most worried about, occured in the middle of the night - we wore headlamps and reflective vests with flashing lights on them. But that leg was awesome - I had gotten my second wind, it was cool in the night air, I felt strong and I ran strong. I felt that runner's high which is just so hard to describe. I loved that leg because of all the things going through my mind... how much I enjoyed this activity, how much I was loving everyone's company, how happy I was that the van was shadowing me throughout the leg so I wasn't alone in the dark streets, and the relief over not seeing critters! It was an odd feeling running at night, which I do every so often, but not a whole lot. I loved it. We slept outside in sleeping bags, some slept in the van. Just getting a few hours sleep felt great. We woke up the next morning to the sound of runners coming to the exchange point where we were expecting the other members of our team, just finishing up their leg.
My 3rd and final leg was also tough because of the hills. I finished, but I hated it. I was ready to be done.
In retrospect, my key mistake was entering into this situation without being prepared for the hills. I admit... I just don't like hills. I run the Philly marathon which is a pretty fast course. Running is hard enough - marathons kill you. Why pick races that are hilly? I just never "got" that. I've never trained on hilly roads, literally almost never! If I had trained on hills, I would have enjoyed the course a whole lot more. Lesson learned. Amazingly, after 2 days of hurting quads, I feel great and in an odd way my body is sort of "craving" for hills. Running the hilly roads made me want to commit to doing it more often.
My teammates... I can hardly describe the dynamic between us. Picture this... running with 9 other people, many of whom you've only met a few times. Picture being stuck in a van with them for 27 hours! Picture how awful that could be if you didn't get along with these people. You're tired, hungry, and cranky. Can you picture this?
Well, I was elated to discover that these 9 other people are some of the most wonderful folks I could ever have the pleasure of knowing. We did such an awesome thing together. I learned tons from them. My teammates looked great on the hills. I looked at them in awe. I will start training for hills because I want to do better, and to be a better runner. I want to train harder. They inspired me a lot and I'm grateful to them. It's unmistakable that God puts people in your life for a reason.
Another wonderful thing about this relay was the course and how beautiful it was! We ran through many little beach towns in Connecticut like Old Saybrook and got to drive through some lovely areas. We saw a fox hunt outside Boston which took my breath away. These are things you just don't see every day, and that was a great part of the experience.
We're planning a post-Ragnar party and I can't wait for my family to meet this bunch of fabulous runners. And we're talking about doing another overnight relay next year. I'm looking forward to it!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Soaked and Grumpy!
After doing 6 miles at 8:45 pace yesterday - not a comfortable pace - today I did 6 miles at 9:40 pace, which I thought would be comfortable, but it wasn't. I was hurting from yesterday, and it was pouring rain, and I felt pretty darn miserable.
Last night at my running club meeting Alan spoke about completing workouts when we don't feel like it, and how that last mile is the most important, and when we don't complete workouts we actually miss out on the part of the workout that will benefit us the most. So I completed my workout, I did not stay at 9:40 pace for all of it (I did for about 4 of the 6 miles). I was hurting, and soaked, and grumpy. But I completed my workout. I truly hate running in the rain. I'm in my PJs now, and ready to start watching Idol. My reward for finishing what I started!
Last night at my running club meeting Alan spoke about completing workouts when we don't feel like it, and how that last mile is the most important, and when we don't complete workouts we actually miss out on the part of the workout that will benefit us the most. So I completed my workout, I did not stay at 9:40 pace for all of it (I did for about 4 of the 6 miles). I was hurting, and soaked, and grumpy. But I completed my workout. I truly hate running in the rain. I'm in my PJs now, and ready to start watching Idol. My reward for finishing what I started!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Day One!
Today was my first official day of training, and I'm happy to report that it went well. I was thinking I might be cuckoo for having chosen this particular training plan, because it began today with a Tempo run - 6 miles at 8:45 pace. 8:45 is very fast for me - if I ran a whole marathon at this pace I'd run it in under 4 hours, and my goal is 4 hours (which is about 9:10 pace). The purpose of the shorter "Tempo" run is to run much faster than marathon pace, then to do your longer runs at much slower than marathon pace - and basically on race day you meet somewhere in the middle (and you don't burn out from running your long runs at marathon pace). Does that make sense?
I'm coming clean here - I don't run for speed when I'm not training. When I'm not training, I run here and there at a comfortable pace (which is like 9:30-10 minute miles). So running 6 miles at 8:45 pace on my very first day of training... wow... tough! But I did it! Actually, the first mile I ran in 7:30, and the last few miles I ran at 9:00 pace. It all evens out in the end. It was a beautiful day today, and running this evening was a wonderful way of ending the last 4 days which have been incredibly busy and stressful.
Ragnar is this weekend, and I'm running 19.2 miles total over the course of 2 days, but I'm taking it at a comfortable pace. It should be fun!
I'm coming clean here - I don't run for speed when I'm not training. When I'm not training, I run here and there at a comfortable pace (which is like 9:30-10 minute miles). So running 6 miles at 8:45 pace on my very first day of training... wow... tough! But I did it! Actually, the first mile I ran in 7:30, and the last few miles I ran at 9:00 pace. It all evens out in the end. It was a beautiful day today, and running this evening was a wonderful way of ending the last 4 days which have been incredibly busy and stressful.
Ragnar is this weekend, and I'm running 19.2 miles total over the course of 2 days, but I'm taking it at a comfortable pace. It should be fun!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Avon Road Race
Today was the Avon Road Race (5K). I didn't run it, I helped out because it benefits Danny's school, and it was fun being part of that. We love the Road Race every year because the course runs through our neighborhood and we live on the big hill of the race and can encourage the runners as they climb! I just wanted to write about it because it really got me pumped up for my training! I've only run a few 5K's - to be honest, I don't love them! I always hate the first 3 miles of every race because it takes me that long to get into my groove. I'm so much better as an endurance runner - I'm definitely not fast! I am in awe of the first several people who trickle to the finish line, seemingly just minutes after the gun! They were so fast today - I think the winner ran it in just over 16 minutes... yikes! It was an amazing event and we raised $18,000 for our PTO which is fantastic! Some great runners today - I am truly inspired!
So my 20 weeks of training starts tomorrow. Now that school is almost over I will have more time for running. I'm excited that my responsibilities (preschool room mom, various PTO committees, etc.) are coming to a close so I can focus more on my goal. Life has gotten very busy, and the first thing I tend to neglect is my running. Gotta change that!
So my 20 weeks of training starts tomorrow. Now that school is almost over I will have more time for running. I'm excited that my responsibilities (preschool room mom, various PTO committees, etc.) are coming to a close so I can focus more on my goal. Life has gotten very busy, and the first thing I tend to neglect is my running. Gotta change that!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Back on Track!
My knees are healing. I can bend them now without cringing, and I went on another night run last night- we stayed on well-lit roads, knowing how clumsy I am. I'm just praying that during the Ragnar race my night-time leg will not be in the pitch black. I'm planning to wear both my headlamp and to carry a flashlight! Now it's not the critters I worry about... it's falling again!
My training officially starts on Monday. I'm excited that pretty soon school will be out, I will be relieved of some responsibilities, and I can get out there and run more regularly. My kids enjoy being at the track and they're old enough now to know that Mommy will happily try to get a touchdown or kick a soccer ball around - as soon as I finish my speed workout! They like to run too, and we are keeping a mileage chart for each of them - they each have a goal of running a marathon.... well, 26.2 miles... over the course of this year (one mile at a time). They enjoy filling in their charts, and it's good for them to get excited about their own goals. :-)
My training officially starts on Monday. I'm excited that pretty soon school will be out, I will be relieved of some responsibilities, and I can get out there and run more regularly. My kids enjoy being at the track and they're old enough now to know that Mommy will happily try to get a touchdown or kick a soccer ball around - as soon as I finish my speed workout! They like to run too, and we are keeping a mileage chart for each of them - they each have a goal of running a marathon.... well, 26.2 miles... over the course of this year (one mile at a time). They enjoy filling in their charts, and it's good for them to get excited about their own goals. :-)
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Still hurting...
Really hoping I did not do any damage to my knees, they are aching still and hard to bend. Giving myself a few days off from running. I did get a few comments last night on my Dora bandaids, one on each knee! :-)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Running the Dark and Sore Knees!
Last night we had our first night run with a few of the Ragnar team members. I got to try out my new headlamp and glow-in-the-dark vest. I felt somewhat like a coal miner but very prepared for any critters we might have encountered! We ran along the Farmington River trail in Collinsville - absolutely beautiful, started at dusk and then it got pitch black. The run was great for the most part except I tripped when we were almost done, and my knees are pretty cut up and very sore today. I'm hoping I didn't do any damage... ouch! Tonight we are going to a party and let's just say I'm wearing a cocktail dress and I might have to use some of Meghan's cute bandaids.... Helly Kitty or Dora?
We ended our time last night at the LaSalle deli where there is an open mike night - very fun!
We ended our time last night at the LaSalle deli where there is an open mike night - very fun!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
What I'm training for right now...
I'm running my first overnight relay in a few weeks, the Ragnar Relay, on May 21 and 22. A group of 12 of us are running from Yale to Harvard - about 200 miles. We each run 3 legs (each between 2-8 miles). I'm running about 19 miles over the course of the few days. It's more fun than competitive. It's a great bunch of people - we all click really well - and I can't wait for this adventure, although I'm a bit nervous about running overnight, what with possums and raccoons and all. Coyotes, too. Ugh. It's the animals I'm worried about. Other than that I'm pretty excited!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Every story has a beginning, and this is mine...
I have my friend Alan to thank for finally getting my butt in gear to start this blog. Alan announced in writing to our running club the other day that he wanted to shave 17 seconds off his 5K time, aiming for a goal of 18 minutes. Alan is the kind of guy you just want to slap silly sometimes. Great guy, and very humble. And very fast. He felt that by "coming out" with his goal, he would then become accountable to achieving it. I get that.
I had been thinking of making public my own goal of running my next marathon in under 4 hours, and I think this blog will be a good start. By sharing my story, I hope to maintain my commitment to a very aggressive training program I'm starting in a few weeks. I give you my permission - even encourage you - to ask me from time to time how I'm doing. Knowing that others know what I'm doing (or should be doing!) keeps my butt moving and making progress.
This whole running thing started 4 years ago when my daughter was 6 months old. I had finally gotten into a wonderful groove of getting my baby and her 2-year-old brother to nap at the same time. It was a beautiful thing, and I celebrated their joint quiet time - my most precious 2 hours every afternoon - by fixing myself a large bowl of ice cream, complete with butterscotch syrup and M&Ms. I'd then plop on the couch and watch TLC while they snoozed. For months this was my routine, and my thighs were beginning to show it. One day I looked out the window and saw my neighbor Fernanda running by the house with 2 kids in a jogging stroller and 2 very large dogs on a leash. I looked down at my sundae, and decided things needed to change. I loved my "me" time - it was starting to grow on me. Literally. But I wasn't getting any healthier.
My friend suggested I try a 5K. We trained together, and at the end of the 3 miles I felt like a train had rolled over my sweaty body. This running thing was not for me. I was sure I was having a heart attack. This would never do. And yet, when we finished the race together, we high fived, and something changed in my heart. I knew I wanted to become more serious about running. And I wanted to run further. I trained for my first half marathon which I ran 5 months later. The next year I knew I'd run a full marathon.
Funny but when I trained for my first marathon - The Philadelphia Marathon of 2007 - I had no concept of how long it would take me. I completed all my training runs, but I never wore a watch or paid any attention to the time. When I registered for the marathon I was asked for an estimated finishing time. I think I put 5 hours, 30 minutes. I think I chose that time because I knew the course would officially close in 6 hours so they could reopen the roads. I could definitely run it under 6 hours.... right? Oh God I truly hoped I wouldn't be forced off the road after 6 hours! OK, so I ran it in 4 hours, 40 minutes. The next day, I read in Runners World magazine that the average time for a woman in my age group running her first marathon was 4 hours, 41 minutes. I was ecstatic! I had run my first marathon. My goal was to run one marathon and call it a day - this was going to be a once in a lifetime thing. Something to check off my list. But I loved it and couldn't wait to plan my next one.
One year later, I ran the same marathon in Philly - this time in 4 hours, 27 minutes. I ran with a pace leader named Star who promised to run us in within 4 hours, 30 minutes. I was happy to have shaved so many minutes off my previous time!
So what was next for me? I happened to be browsing running books and came across one called "Four Months to a Four Hour Marathon." So last year, 2009, that became my goal. I wanted to run my next marathon, my 3rd Philadelphia Marathon, in under 4 hours.
I trained hard for 16 weeks (which followed a very intensive winter Boot Camp I attended for 3 months, during which I lost 16 lbs!). I did speed work at the track, tempo runs, etc. This was the first time I had ever trained for a particular speed. And I was working hard. But I was not feeling confident that I could take a whopping 27 minutes off my personal record. There was no way. My tempo runs were feeling uncomfortably fast, and I knew I would not be able to keep that pace for 26 miles. I began to rethink my goal. I spoke with a reputable running coach who said my training plan was pretty bogus. I got discouraged. A friend - actually, the same neighbor who had run by with her kids and dogs all those years before - talked me into a more realistic goal - to run this race in under 4 hours, 15 minutes. That was doable. I ran it in 4 hours, 12 minutes. And it was the toughest marathon I'd run thus far. I felt myself working so much harder and I really hit the wall at Mile 20 - I was dehydrated and frankly very happy to have finished alive let alone under goal. I took 15 minutes off my previous time and was thrilled! It felt good to keep getting faster!
So that's the beginning of the story.
This is my year for the 4 hour marathon. I'm really hoping it is. I found a better training plan. It's agressive. It involves 2 speed workouts every week and lots more mileage during the week, in addition to the long run on the weekends. But I think I'm up for it. At least, I'm going to try!
I give God all the glory for allowing my legs to do what I love to do so much. At Mile 14 of my first marathon, I was reminded of a verse I had memorized years before - hadn't thought about it in so long, but here it is: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint." This verse from Isaiah gave me just that boost I needed to run the next 6 miles until my friend Laura ran me to the finish. I knew my friends in Connecticut were praying for me at that moment. It was awesome.
This evening I had a fantastic run and time to reflect on things. It's amazing - I grew up thinking I was just not athletic. My parents told me we were just "not athletic people." I think they were trying to protect me from disappointment over failure. I excelled in music and theater and never tried out for sports teams. I was pretty thin my whole life and never even really exercised. So running was never something I did until that postpartum time after my daughter was born. Running, for me, has become more than just the yearly marathon. It is time to myself. Time to reflect. Time to get stronger. Time to get better. Time to be better for my family. Time to set goals and achieve them. Time to not let life get stale. It's so much more than just exercise and a little sweat. I love it. And I am so thankful God encouraged me to start running in my late 30s - many runners don't reach their peak until their 40s. I'm almost there. I'm excited!
That's my story. I'll keep you updated as I train. And please feel free to kick my butt once in a while. I need it!
I had been thinking of making public my own goal of running my next marathon in under 4 hours, and I think this blog will be a good start. By sharing my story, I hope to maintain my commitment to a very aggressive training program I'm starting in a few weeks. I give you my permission - even encourage you - to ask me from time to time how I'm doing. Knowing that others know what I'm doing (or should be doing!) keeps my butt moving and making progress.
This whole running thing started 4 years ago when my daughter was 6 months old. I had finally gotten into a wonderful groove of getting my baby and her 2-year-old brother to nap at the same time. It was a beautiful thing, and I celebrated their joint quiet time - my most precious 2 hours every afternoon - by fixing myself a large bowl of ice cream, complete with butterscotch syrup and M&Ms. I'd then plop on the couch and watch TLC while they snoozed. For months this was my routine, and my thighs were beginning to show it. One day I looked out the window and saw my neighbor Fernanda running by the house with 2 kids in a jogging stroller and 2 very large dogs on a leash. I looked down at my sundae, and decided things needed to change. I loved my "me" time - it was starting to grow on me. Literally. But I wasn't getting any healthier.
My friend suggested I try a 5K. We trained together, and at the end of the 3 miles I felt like a train had rolled over my sweaty body. This running thing was not for me. I was sure I was having a heart attack. This would never do. And yet, when we finished the race together, we high fived, and something changed in my heart. I knew I wanted to become more serious about running. And I wanted to run further. I trained for my first half marathon which I ran 5 months later. The next year I knew I'd run a full marathon.
Funny but when I trained for my first marathon - The Philadelphia Marathon of 2007 - I had no concept of how long it would take me. I completed all my training runs, but I never wore a watch or paid any attention to the time. When I registered for the marathon I was asked for an estimated finishing time. I think I put 5 hours, 30 minutes. I think I chose that time because I knew the course would officially close in 6 hours so they could reopen the roads. I could definitely run it under 6 hours.... right? Oh God I truly hoped I wouldn't be forced off the road after 6 hours! OK, so I ran it in 4 hours, 40 minutes. The next day, I read in Runners World magazine that the average time for a woman in my age group running her first marathon was 4 hours, 41 minutes. I was ecstatic! I had run my first marathon. My goal was to run one marathon and call it a day - this was going to be a once in a lifetime thing. Something to check off my list. But I loved it and couldn't wait to plan my next one.
One year later, I ran the same marathon in Philly - this time in 4 hours, 27 minutes. I ran with a pace leader named Star who promised to run us in within 4 hours, 30 minutes. I was happy to have shaved so many minutes off my previous time!
So what was next for me? I happened to be browsing running books and came across one called "Four Months to a Four Hour Marathon." So last year, 2009, that became my goal. I wanted to run my next marathon, my 3rd Philadelphia Marathon, in under 4 hours.
I trained hard for 16 weeks (which followed a very intensive winter Boot Camp I attended for 3 months, during which I lost 16 lbs!). I did speed work at the track, tempo runs, etc. This was the first time I had ever trained for a particular speed. And I was working hard. But I was not feeling confident that I could take a whopping 27 minutes off my personal record. There was no way. My tempo runs were feeling uncomfortably fast, and I knew I would not be able to keep that pace for 26 miles. I began to rethink my goal. I spoke with a reputable running coach who said my training plan was pretty bogus. I got discouraged. A friend - actually, the same neighbor who had run by with her kids and dogs all those years before - talked me into a more realistic goal - to run this race in under 4 hours, 15 minutes. That was doable. I ran it in 4 hours, 12 minutes. And it was the toughest marathon I'd run thus far. I felt myself working so much harder and I really hit the wall at Mile 20 - I was dehydrated and frankly very happy to have finished alive let alone under goal. I took 15 minutes off my previous time and was thrilled! It felt good to keep getting faster!
So that's the beginning of the story.
This is my year for the 4 hour marathon. I'm really hoping it is. I found a better training plan. It's agressive. It involves 2 speed workouts every week and lots more mileage during the week, in addition to the long run on the weekends. But I think I'm up for it. At least, I'm going to try!
I give God all the glory for allowing my legs to do what I love to do so much. At Mile 14 of my first marathon, I was reminded of a verse I had memorized years before - hadn't thought about it in so long, but here it is: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint." This verse from Isaiah gave me just that boost I needed to run the next 6 miles until my friend Laura ran me to the finish. I knew my friends in Connecticut were praying for me at that moment. It was awesome.
This evening I had a fantastic run and time to reflect on things. It's amazing - I grew up thinking I was just not athletic. My parents told me we were just "not athletic people." I think they were trying to protect me from disappointment over failure. I excelled in music and theater and never tried out for sports teams. I was pretty thin my whole life and never even really exercised. So running was never something I did until that postpartum time after my daughter was born. Running, for me, has become more than just the yearly marathon. It is time to myself. Time to reflect. Time to get stronger. Time to get better. Time to be better for my family. Time to set goals and achieve them. Time to not let life get stale. It's so much more than just exercise and a little sweat. I love it. And I am so thankful God encouraged me to start running in my late 30s - many runners don't reach their peak until their 40s. I'm almost there. I'm excited!
That's my story. I'll keep you updated as I train. And please feel free to kick my butt once in a while. I need it!
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