Training run #2 is in the books. 4 miles at a 13:53 pace...yes, make all the slow poke jokes you want. I may get to the finish line at an excruciatingly slow pace, but I get there. Anyhoo...ran my four miles and at about mile 2 I could feel the blisters coming on. First, while I started my official training on Monday, it's not the first time I have run. After a longer than anticipated running break after the Portland half marathon (man is that a long story), I started running again at the beginning of January. So I've been running a while and not once did I get blisters, but on 2nd day of official training they come up...Grrrr. Secondly, I have mutant toes. My mom is to blame and she knows it. She blessed me with tiny feet (I could buy children's shoes if I really had to) and the fattest toes, particularly the pinky toe, that I have ever seen on a person. They are prone to blisters at the same probability that the sun will rise every morning. I've tried all kinds of things to try and get them less frequently, but nothing I try seems to work. If anyone has any ideas please send them my way. And to get gross for a minute, the blisters on my pinky toes are the worst. It's like getting blisters on blisters on blisters. I told you they were mutant. I just hope they will heal semi quickly and don't hamper my next training run on Thursday.
Two funny gym stories...
1) yesterday this person was in the gym...16 year old male, wearing while undershirt with polo shirt on top, cargo shorts, tube socks, ankle combat like boots and the kicker...beats by dre headphones...because having the most expensive headphones possible totally makes up for how ridiculous you look.
2) I finished my workout tonight and headed to the locker room to get my stuff, and fortunately for me a lady who had just finished spin class was getting her stuff right next to me. We all know I don't like people, right? Right. So imagine my horror when she just started talking to me about how "saturated" her bra was. She then proceeded to take off her bra and talked to me for another 2-3 min boobs hanging around. She finally put on a zip up sweatshirt and I though thIs would mean she would soon be covered up, but noooooo...she continued to talk to me with sweatshirt on, unzipped, boobs hanging. Why do people do this? I will never understand it. I don't care how many years I spent in locker rooms, they are for showering and quick changes, not hanging out with all you stuff out. Good grief.
I feel much better getting those stories out in the public :). Looking forward to a day off tomorrow, as the horrid tempo training session awaits me on Thursday.
Days till marathon: 250
Training runs left: 155
Total training miles: 8
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Training Plan
For my training plan I am using Runners World Smart Coach. It allows me to put in a recent race time and distance (I used my time in a half marathon last year, 2 hours 45 min). You also get to say which day you want to do your long run on (Saturday), what intensity level (hard) and how many weeks (16). This is my training plan, broken into 3 parts...
Part 1: Half Marathon Training
Run 5 days a week, typically Monday-Thursday and Saturday
3 days a week I run at a comfortable set pace
1 day a week I do either Tempo or Speed work
1 day a week I do a long run, between 9-14 miles
*this plan established with the 2 hour 45 min half marathon time
*this plan leads to running the inaugural Portland Rock n Roll Half Marathon on May 20th
Part 2: Maintenance
For 5 weeks I keep up my endurance and training before part 3 starts
Run 4 days a week, 3 days during work week (to vary)
Long runs on Saturday
Part 3: Marathon Training
Run 4 days a week, typically Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
2 days a week at a comfortable set pace
1 day a week either Tempo or Speed work 1 day a week long run, up to 20 miles
*the mileage per day and pace of runs will be set by the May 20th half marathon time
*this training plan will lead up to the Portland Marathon on October 7
Part 1: Half Marathon Training
Run 5 days a week, typically Monday-Thursday and Saturday
3 days a week I run at a comfortable set pace
1 day a week I do either Tempo or Speed work
1 day a week I do a long run, between 9-14 miles
*this plan established with the 2 hour 45 min half marathon time
*this plan leads to running the inaugural Portland Rock n Roll Half Marathon on May 20th
Part 2: Maintenance
For 5 weeks I keep up my endurance and training before part 3 starts
Run 4 days a week, 3 days during work week (to vary)
Long runs on Saturday
Part 3: Marathon Training
Run 4 days a week, typically Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
2 days a week at a comfortable set pace
1 day a week either Tempo or Speed work 1 day a week long run, up to 20 miles
*the mileage per day and pace of runs will be set by the May 20th half marathon time
*this training plan will lead up to the Portland Marathon on October 7
Training Day #1
Pre-Training:
This was a stupid idea… what in the world made me think I could run a FULL marathon? What made me think I could commit to something so intensely for 9 months? I had a horrible week last week, worst one in quite a while, so I decided I was going to let myself enjoy the last running free weekend until October. And man, did I enjoy it! Pretty lazy actually, had some friends over, watched lots of movies (even watched the Kardashian divorce episode – trust me, I’m very ashamed) and just relaxed. I knew as soon as I woke up this morning that today was the start of my training. And the first thought I had, “Crap, I have to run tonight”. This is not the response of someone who is qualified to run a marathon. I’m sure once I get to the gym I will be fine, but right now I just look at the long 9 months ahead. I feel too much worry and not enough excitement. I hope that will turn around soon, because of I can't turn it around soon, Mirranda is going to have a tougher job this year than she thought.
Post-training:
Well first training run done. Today I was supposed to run 4 miles. I got the 4 miles done, but fought a cramp on my side for a couple of the miles and walked it out for just a bit. I feel good getting the first "official" one out of the way, but there are so many more to go. I mean I fought a cramp today which made the 4 miles anything but easy, just add another 22.2, easy schmeezy. Man I am an idiot. Well training day two is tomorrow, hopefully it will go better than today. Need to remind myself to drink more water during the day tomorrow. Here, we go....
Also, I love countdowns. I think they are a great way to keep the goal in mind, so at the end of most of my posts I plan on counting down how many training runs are left, how many days left until the marathon and how many training miles I have run. Maybe if I look at the enormous amount of miles I run this year, 26.2 won't seem that bad in October :)
This was a stupid idea… what in the world made me think I could run a FULL marathon? What made me think I could commit to something so intensely for 9 months? I had a horrible week last week, worst one in quite a while, so I decided I was going to let myself enjoy the last running free weekend until October. And man, did I enjoy it! Pretty lazy actually, had some friends over, watched lots of movies (even watched the Kardashian divorce episode – trust me, I’m very ashamed) and just relaxed. I knew as soon as I woke up this morning that today was the start of my training. And the first thought I had, “Crap, I have to run tonight”. This is not the response of someone who is qualified to run a marathon. I’m sure once I get to the gym I will be fine, but right now I just look at the long 9 months ahead. I feel too much worry and not enough excitement. I hope that will turn around soon, because of I can't turn it around soon, Mirranda is going to have a tougher job this year than she thought.
Post-training:
Well first training run done. Today I was supposed to run 4 miles. I got the 4 miles done, but fought a cramp on my side for a couple of the miles and walked it out for just a bit. I feel good getting the first "official" one out of the way, but there are so many more to go. I mean I fought a cramp today which made the 4 miles anything but easy, just add another 22.2, easy schmeezy. Man I am an idiot. Well training day two is tomorrow, hopefully it will go better than today. Need to remind myself to drink more water during the day tomorrow. Here, we go....
Also, I love countdowns. I think they are a great way to keep the goal in mind, so at the end of most of my posts I plan on counting down how many training runs are left, how many days left until the marathon and how many training miles I have run. Maybe if I look at the enormous amount of miles I run this year, 26.2 won't seem that bad in October :)
Days till marathon: 251
Training runs left: 156
Total training miles: 4
Monday, January 9, 2012
January 9, 2012 - It's Official!
Well I did it. I signed up for the Portland Marathon on October 9, 2012. I am officially out of my mind. Like certifiably crazy. Guess I have to actually go through with it now. Honestly though, I've always wanted to run a marathon. As far back as I can remember I thought it would be such an accomplishment to finish a marathon. I never really thought it was possible though, I just wasn't a runner anymore. After years of playing competitive soccer and surgeries on both kness I just figured I would have to find another way of working out. Then after I finished grad school I needed something else to obsess about, since I didn't have papers to obsess about anymore. I decided I wanted to try running again. It would be a good way for me to get back into shape and give me something to do with all this free time I had now! I found a training plan on Runners World that started with running 1 min, walking 1 min and repeating until after a little more than a month it worked up to running 30 min straight. I think anyone who's been a competitive athlete in their life, always kinds of views themselves in that light. That certainly was the case for me. It was very humbling knowing that I had to really start from the ground up. You don't realize how quickly you lose all that, or how other things become more important when they shouldn't be. A couple months after I had been running again I signed up to run in my first 5k. I was nervous and excited. My friend Mirranda ran the whole thing with me, encouraging me every step of the way. We won't mention the boyfriend at the time who said he would run with me for encouragement then ran way ahead of me the whole race because he wanted to run at his pace. Wait....oh shoot....did I say that out loud? Hmmm...oh well. That first 5k was in September 2009. In the two years since then I have run many more 5ks, 8ks, Hood to Coast, Cascade Lakes and four half marathons. Apparently I feel this makes me qualified to run a full friggin marathon. I'm partly doing this to prove to myself that I can. That I can get a goal and REALLY stick with it. Sure I set goals all the time, but not many that require such a long time commitment and dedication. I'm also doing this because I know I have amazing support from my friends and family. From Mirranda, who is mostly to blame for this by supporting me from the time I started running again to planting the marathon seed ever so softly in my ear. She's also my makeshift coach, and lets just say shes VERY excited anout me running this marathon. To my parents who will drive down to cheer me on. Although we have 9 months to work on them using the word "ambitious" less when referencing my marathon. To Dan, who was with me when we cheered on Mirranda at her marathon. He's already sent out a calendar request for my cheering section, and asked me where I want to eat afterwards (which even for a planner like me is a bit too early to think about). To Charisse who most likely will drive from Salem to cheer me on. And all the other friends who I know will be there. Even at the beginning of this journey I know I am truly grateful to have so much support from my friends and family. Little do they know they have a truly crazy friend, or maybe that's why we are friends. 26.2 miles....who in their right mind thinks that sounds like fun? I hope you enjoy reading about my marathon journey this year. Please send me motivation if you have it, or gain motivation yourself (not necessarily for a full marathon). Alright here we go...only 273 days till marathon day!
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