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Shaking Off the Dust

I read so much about post-marathon blues that I wonder if my current state is a case of twisted self fulfilling prophecy. That, or it's just to be expected. When you come off the high of what was easily the most amazing personal accomplishment of your life, one that went off flawlessly, where else is there to go but down?

My aspirations for filling my newly gained free time with the pesky to-do's that haunt my frenzied mind fell flat. My can-do attitude got me to shovel in the midst of a blizzard, but it's pathetic if that's the most that momentum created. The energy boost I became accustomed to faded as the miles lapsed, and I've been needing and naps and an earlier bed time, sans that wonderful tiredness in my ligaments. In a word, a non-running life is awful.

We signed up for the Jersey Shore half marathon shortly after returning from our marathon vacation. I don't know if it's that my stubborn side couldn't handle another training program, or that any event would pale in comparison to the Disney Marathon, but I haven't been motivated. I will run it, but at what fitness level is yet to be seen.

The upside (as that must ALWAYS be found) is that I know this is all going on. One must acknowledge it if they are to change it...I've been suffering from this case of post-marathon blues, and all I want is to get back to the place I was during marathon training: mentally, physically, emotionally. As difficult as it's been to muster up the willpower to pound out a few miles, to resolve the commitment to stay consistent with training, I can't wait to reap the benefits of my running life. The bliss of a cool late morning on the Spring Lake boardwalk. Being lost in the nature around me on the Tow Path. The moment on a long run when you feel like you can go on forever. This is why I am a runner. Blues and all.

It's Officially Begun!

With my first week under my belt, I am officially training! Wow. I registered for my first marathon about 6 months ago, so this has been long in the planning. I've thought about it daily for 6 months, and now it is truly a reality.

I didn't know how I would feel when this all began, and a week in I still am not sure I can really describe the reality of this. Running this marathon will be the most momentous achievement of my life, and the preparation just as significant. I'm excited, intimidated, humbled. Most of all, I'm ready to roll!

200

6 miles into this Saturday's 8-mile long run I reached a major milestone in my base building program: 200 miles. It's such a profound accomplishment that passed by me with little acknowledgement. I've been a week behind in my logging of miles, so I didn't realize at that time that I was hitting such a huge statistic. My run wasn't the best, either. I was feeling really fatigued, which was odd because it was a low-mileage week. The previous two weeks I hadn't run 4 days/week but 3, so I wonder whether getting back into the 4 days/week did it. It also could have been the fact that I was running on an empty stomach, which is something I rarely do, and without fluids (which spurred a realization-- it's time to buy a water belt!). Little did I know that as I hit that 6 miles, likely mentally toughening myself to continue on, those tired legs had officially run 200 miles. So cool. Such a blessing. Another accomplishment in my marathon-training preparation.

I've been remiss in blogging as much as I thought that I would. My program has been going fine, and I have had some cool running moments in the past few weeks. I supported James in his first ultra marathon, which resulted in his impressive completion of 101 miles in 24 hours. Personally I ran/walked 16.8 of those miles with him, resulting in my highest mileage in a single day. I reconnected with two high school friends on long runs. My family and friends have been really interested, talking to me often about the feat that I am going to be accomplishing. It's been a cool few weeks. Now if I could just get some literally cool weeks, I'd feel so much better about these training runs!

2 more weeks of this base building program, and then I am giving my mind, body and spirit a much deserved 2 week hiatus from running. That's time to gear up for official training, and then it's 18 weeks to 26.2.

Base Training Update: Halfway There!

It's been a while since I have posted. Mostly I attribute this lapse from my training becoming routine. The runs, sadly, haven't felt all that special or motivating. I'm officially in my 8th week of training, and so the "newness" of it has faded. In some ways I feel as though I have plateaued, and nothing has really inspired me to reflect on the running. That's a melancholy attitude; in some ways its nice to be in a groove, but it's sad when you hit a series of weeks when it just feels like exercise when I know it's so much more than that.

There have been some highlights, despite the fact that I haven't posted in a while. Once the long run hit 6 miles Kegan and I started to do out "field trip" runs. We ran 6 miles in Sandy Hook, 7 miles in Boston and 8 in New Brunswick. I really love that aspect of training: that my weekends become disciplined (dare I say I like getting up early on a Saturday?!), I get to escape from the familiar and see new places (Boston on foot...so cool) and Kegan and I get quality time together. It's almost like Saturday is our "date morning"! I also crossed the 100 mile mark of training. In fact, as I write I have logged 116 miles since  training began. I've been blessed to have healthy, quality training, and hope that it continues.

It's crazy to think that I am halfway (technically more than halfway) through with this base training program. In 6 weeks I will be finished, and then after 1 week of rest...I'm officially marathon training! I have to admit it's intimidating. When I have tough long runs I have to remind myself that I've run two half-marathons before...that I've run longer distances, and I can conquer the distance I am currently at. That's not going to work when I surpass half marathon distances! The marathon and training seem daunting...but, hopefully, that's the beauty in it.

The Little Things

With running, as with life, it's the little things that often make all of the difference. In the past few weeks, this has been so true.

I'm loving celebrating the little achievements that ultimately add up to the huge success that is training for and running a marathon. Sticking with the plan. Increasing mileage, even when it's slight. Waking up early to run before work.

One morning last week the alarm went off and I was so tempted to skip the morning run. It was a small internal conflict, a side of me thinking, "I can just do it this afternoon." But I didn't let that side win. I got myself out of bed, got myself moving, and a half an hour later I was hitting the pavement. And it was great. Not the run, necessarily, but that persistence. In training I know I can often be my own worst enemy. It was  really nice to defeat that doubt, that procrastination.

It's also the little things that keep me motivated. A new issue of Runner's World. Seeing the medal I will be given for completing the marathon. Learning that I'll get to celebrate on "Marathon Monday". There are so many huge motivations for running the marathon, but sometimes I get through a run just thinking about the little ones.

I'm in the middle of week 4 of my 15 week base building plan. This week I feel like I'm back "in the groove" of running; yesterday and today were the first runs that I would say that I felt "good" (no fatigue, mentally strong, body felt well), and when I hit 5 miles on Saturday I will feel like I'm inching my way back up into the longer distances. I'm well on my way, enjoying every moment of this experience, even the little ones.

AM Running!

One of the many aspects that I love of running is the celebration of even small achievements. This week, even as my mileage is low and I am still getting back into the routine of running consistently, I have felt great success because of a small achievement.

Twice this week, yesterday and today, I ran BEFORE work!

The weather forecast for the past two days has been unfavorable. Yesterday it hit 90 degrees, and today there were thunderstorms. I intelligently paid attention to the weather, and after running a tough 2.5 miler in  mid 80 degrees on Tuesday I knew that I wouldn't feel good with the running climate predicted. So I made the intelligent, goal-oriented, difficult decision to get up earlier to run before work.

Running in the morning is not my preference. On a practical side, I have to leave for work early, so to get a run in I have to be up before the sun...and as someone who needs at least 8 hours of sleep a night (and struggles to get up even when she gets that), that's challenging. On an athletic side, I find my legs are really tight in the morning and it causes me to run much slower than I would running in the afternoon or evening. When I think about the prospect of running in the morning it's very appealing; it's the reality of my life that makes it not preferable. But this week, at least for two days, I did it. And it was great!

Yesterday was really nice because Kegan and I ran together. It was really nice to spend that time together. The air was cool and fresh, and as tired as I was, I kept reminding myself "you could be running this in suffocating heat". It was certainly a nice jump start to my day. Today felt like an even bigger victory on my part because Kegan couldn't run with me, so I was up and on the pavement on my own.

James, who is basically my running role model, recently commented that he loves the "peaceful morning run through a city that is just waking up". For the past two days I experienced that, which is a rarity in my running history. As the miles increase and I face the time constraints that will likely disallow me from running in the early morning, I will reflect on these wonderful AM runs....another reason why I absolutely love this sport.