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Sunday, September 21, 2014

Marathon Training: my thoughts and experiences thus far

MARATHON TRAINING!

Wow, I am already  8 weeks into training for the Space Coast Marathon! Time has flown by and partly because I am just so busy with everything else in life! It has been difficult keeping up my motivation and excitement for running. When you aren't training for a race, you run for fun- no real goal at the end. However, knowing that I HAVE to run a certain distance on a certain day has really been rough for me. Although I have 5 half marathons under my belt, I cannot honestly say I had trained for any of them! Therefore, this regimented schedule of running has taken quite the discipline.

The training program I am following is a Hal Higdon marathon training schedule for an "intermediate" runner. Since I have been running for a little over 2 years, a friend of mine who is a seasoned marathoner recommended this was the plan I follow. Mondays are left for "cross-training" activity. In the beginning I left that as a rest day, however within the past few weeks I have been using Mondays to work my upper body (arms, back, abs etc.) using my own body weight, a yoga ball, and/or kettle bells. Tuesdays thru Saturdays are spent doing various distances anywhere from 3-8 miles per day with Fridays as a "rest" day. Then to complete the week we arrive at Sundays for the long runs.

Speaking of long runs... I have missed the past 3 weeks of long runs, which are probably the most important. I believe it's because Sundays are a my day to sleep in and therefore I find it difficult to wake up and go after waking up in the 4am hour every day during the week! This is no excuse however because it will be these long runs that get me across the finish-line at the marathon, not these little midweek runs of 7 miles or so. 

The biggest challenge I have faced so far is my own failure to plan. When you are a busy person, whether it's with school, work, kids, or other obligations and then you throw training for a marathon in the mix, it can be very hard to balance. My suggestion for anyone planning to run a marathon is to carefully consider what the months look like in which you will be training. Do you have any big events coming up that would hinder multiple days or even weeks of your training? Will you be able to have time to do the things that are necessary on a daily basis and still have time for your runs? Lets face it, there are definitely better times then others to take on such a task as training for a 26.2 mile race! However, the mind is a powerful thing and if there is something you want to accomplish, you will find ways to make it work even if the circumstances aren't favorable.  

All in all though, I am happy about the person this marathon training is making me become. It is making me become an early riser, which I've always had to do, but because it was for work not exercise! I am becoming more aware of my body and the things I need to be eating/drinking to sustain it for running. And I am becoming more focused and scheduled. Trying to balance school, studying, working here and there, and my spiritual and family obligations has been a little exhausting, but it is all making me a better/stronger person!

Well, those are my thoughts at the current time, however my mind is constantly 'running' so I will be back much sooner then the length of time between this post and my last to keep you up to date with my marathon training. I have been experimenting with many different products, so the next time around on my running topics blog I will share with you what has been keeping me fueled for my runs and my running essentials! Until then, if you would like to follow my daily running posts, click the link in the side bar for my Instagram   
( www.instagram.com/jackieontherun ) account and you will be able to keep up with the miles I am logging! Thanks for reading! Comments below and SUBSCRIBE for more about running, loving, and dental hygiene!