I biked a "race" once that had the slogan "1/2 the hills are down." I thought it was genius and true....It's how I feel now that it's official and I am half way through my training-so far I've done the down hill portion of the training...from here on out it's uphill! As of today, the marathon is 60 days away!
Hindsight is 20/20
As I sit and look back at the last 9 weeks I can honestly say it wasn't what I thought. It's not necessarily easier than what I thought it would be, but it's totally manageable. (I can also say this because I don't "technically" work over the summer...I waitress when someone needs me which worked out to being most days this summer, but my schedule is pretty free for running unlike during the school year) When I look at my calender and see a 7 mile run I don't freak anymore. 7-10 mile runs are "whatever" runs. I never thought I'd be in a place where a 7-10 mile run would be a "whatever" run but it is. Alice and I continue to think back to the time when we were about to run our 1st 5k and it blew our minds that we'd be be running 3 whole miles ha ha.
LITTLE BITES
Little bites is the best way to describe what you have to do to get through marathon training. It's like a brunch buffet....(I know how to eat so I can give advice about buffets) you don't go in and get everything the 1st round. To REALLY master the buffet you go in, scope it out, get some stuff but don't overdo it and don't waste your time with salad, fruit, and bread....they're fillers ha ha A little bit of everything over a few trips will totally satisfy you. You can't go into the marathon thinking you can just get up and run a 17 mile training run one day...you build up to it. As of now, the highest mileage we've had to run in a week was 25 miles...the next few weeks are 29 miles, 32, 36, 33, 40....we'll be getting up there AND I'll be back to teaching so perhaps my, "It's totally manageable" comment will be tossed and spat on ha ha.
See Ya 3 Mile Runs....
Yesterday was the last time I'll be running only 3 miles for a training run until October 3rd when we REALLY start backing down out mileage. A few thoughts on that last 3 mile run 1) I was sad that now, after 9 weeks I'm no longer running just 3 miles. I looked forward to these "baby" runs. 2) I thought I'd be a badass and run with 3 lbs weights in each hand today. 6 lbs, I thought, would be nothing, WRONG! After about 1.5 miles I wanted to DIE! It's amazing how heavy the weights can get and how long a 3 mile run can seem-NEVER AGAIN! 3)I started to break in my race shoes...ahhhh! My race shoes have been sitting in my closet for a few months and finally came out...to me that says, "shit's getting serious!" Little bites, little bites, little bites!
Enjoy the next month!
I hold firm the belief that you can't drink the month before a big race* (*Disclaimer If your life turns upside down, as mine did right before my last 1/2, you can do whatever you want including, but not ltd to, drinking hrs before the race-it ended up being my best race! ha ha) As of Sept 13th (ok, ok Sept 14th because my little sister is having her engagement party on the 14th) I will no longer be drinking until the marathon is over-Just another test of my dedication and willpower!
Here Goes Nothing....
The runs are going to REALLY start getting long....this weekend I have a 15 mile run...I've never run that far in my life. I'm nervous and excited at once.
If you keep at it, one day something which at first appeared impossible will become merely something very difficult indeed. Danny Paradise
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