Monday, January 30, 2012

Marathon Monday

I officially started my first week of training and I have to say it went well.  Here is what I ran:

Tuesday: 3 miles in 40 minutes
Wednesday: 3 miles in 40 minutes
Friday: 3 miles in 45 minutes
Saturday: cross training-which was moving boxes, walking up and down stairs and packing for 7 hours!
Sunday: 6 miles in 1 hour 5 minutes

I feel like I am running pretty slow right now but I have to say running on packed ice and snow is pretty hard on your ankles and knees.  Plus I concentrated pretty hard on not slipping and falling because the last thing I need is a lovely bruise or sore legs, or worse, a broken bone!  But I did it, and that is all that matters right? 

So as my first official Marathon Monday post here is my first piece of advice:

Find a training plan that works for you, COMMIT to it, and get support!
Finding a training program: If you google "marathon training" you find a slew of helpful training programs but I personally prefer Hal Higdon's Marathon Training.  I've used the program for the 10k, 15k, and half marathon and felt that the training fully prepared me for the race.  And remember, find a program way in advance because Hal Higdon's program is 18 weeks. 

COMMIT: 18 weeks is forever in my book so if you are really, really going to run 26.2 miles you need to commit to it, and it isn't only the time but a physical and mental commitment too.  The first thing I did was print out multiple copies of the training plan and put one on my refridgeratror, on my bathroom mirror, and at my office.  I even go as far as scheduling in my runs on my calender as you can see below.


So now that time is scheduled in you commit to the physical and mental aspect of it.  You ever heard of the saying "practice makes perfect?"  Well, my saying is "training makes perfect."  Don't skip runs, don't deviate from the plan, stick to the program because you don't want to find yourself in the middle of running on race day and suddenly realize you didn't prepare enough.

Get support: Mental commitment means for me, find support.  When I decided to do this I knew my husband and daughter would be behind me 100%, my #1 fans!  Then I told my family, my friends, my co-workers, everyone really because mentally I'm going to need the encouragement from everyone in my life.  I'll need it on those days when I want to stay in bed, when it is ice cold outside, when I have a headache, when I'm hungry...I'll need it on those days when every excuse in the book will enter my brain not to run.  So find support, whether it be through family and friends, on-line support groups, a local running group, etc.  Because trust me, I'm not even at the 10+ mile mark yet and I know I'm going to need someone give me a swift kick to get out and run.

Everything I said above is pretty much summed up in this little blurb that I pinned it to my Marathon board to remind me that the journey is 90% of the end result.

Pinned Image

Happy Running!  Week 1 down, 17 to go!

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