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.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Week One: Done
With a "long" run of 3 miles today, I officially completed the first week of my base building program. It was actually more challenging than I had expected. Mentally I didn't really have the momentum expressed in my first blog post. Ever since I was a XC athlete I've believed that running is more a mental sport than a physical one, and I am very influenced by my mindset when I'm on a run. This week I just didn't really have it. The other factor is that I've been off for a month...I get very used to not having running as a part of my schedule. It can be stressful to try and find the time to get the run in, which is so ironic because in just a few weeks, when I am fully immersed in the training again, running will become the great stress release it truly is.
One frustration I had was that my watch, a Garmin Forerunner 60, wasn't accurately measuring my mileage. Luckily I spent some time researching online and was able to find the way to fix it (instead of going out and buying a more expensive GPS unit!) I've only had the watch for a few months but I have found it to be a very valuable running tool. I love the little things that can help on a run: a watch, a specific song, thinking what to post here, tracking mileage on a site like dailymile...it'd be nice to think all I need for a run is a pair of sneakers, but when I'm trying to conquer a marathon, I'm going to take all the help I can get!
Monday is a rest day, and then it's on to Week Two...
One frustration I had was that my watch, a Garmin Forerunner 60, wasn't accurately measuring my mileage. Luckily I spent some time researching online and was able to find the way to fix it (instead of going out and buying a more expensive GPS unit!) I've only had the watch for a few months but I have found it to be a very valuable running tool. I love the little things that can help on a run: a watch, a specific song, thinking what to post here, tracking mileage on a site like dailymile...it'd be nice to think all I need for a run is a pair of sneakers, but when I'm trying to conquer a marathon, I'm going to take all the help I can get!
Monday is a rest day, and then it's on to Week Two...
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Journey Begins...Unofficially!.
Tomorrow I begin a "base building" program. While marathon training does not officially begin until September, over the next 15 weeks I will work on improving my fitness and endurance levels so that I am prepared for marathon training. They're not the glorious weeks that will lead directly up to one of the most significant endeavors of my life, but it is an extremely valuable and meaningful time period nonetheless.
So, while it's not the jump-start into full training, I still see this as the first step in a long road to 26.2 miles. I cannot really express how much I am looking forward to the marathon, and not just for the race itself. I am fully expecting this whole process to be transforming on multiple levels, and in many ways that is why I am somewhat jumping at the bit to begin it. I see the marathon not necessarily as the achievement, but the embodiment of all I will have achieved come the day I cross that starting line. When I run that marathon, I want to be running it as a different person than I am at this moment: stronger, more confident, healthier, calmer, happier, and more settled. There is no doubt that running and training will bring all this into my life.
Running has profoundly impacted my life, since the days I ran XC and track in high school to my most recent year-and-a-half long reconnection with the sport which has included the running of 2 half marathons. I bask in the highs, learn from the lows, and revel in the entire process. With each mile I grow, and I love that it is a measurable sport, both literally and figuratively.
Running means so much to me, and training for this marathon will definitely be a defining moment in my life. I want to capture these months through this blog as a record of my journey, and I will capture each mile to log the hard work I put in to achieve this lifelong goal: run a marathon!
Yesterday I went out for my first run since a half-marathon last month. It was an easy 2 miler, but because I haven't run in a month it did feel a bit hard. But even in a run as short and uncomfortable as an "out of shape 2 miler" I still had a fleeting sensation of that overpowering, invincible state of mind that running begets. I saw that run as a prelude to what is to begin tomorrow...the unofficial beginning of my journey!
So, while it's not the jump-start into full training, I still see this as the first step in a long road to 26.2 miles. I cannot really express how much I am looking forward to the marathon, and not just for the race itself. I am fully expecting this whole process to be transforming on multiple levels, and in many ways that is why I am somewhat jumping at the bit to begin it. I see the marathon not necessarily as the achievement, but the embodiment of all I will have achieved come the day I cross that starting line. When I run that marathon, I want to be running it as a different person than I am at this moment: stronger, more confident, healthier, calmer, happier, and more settled. There is no doubt that running and training will bring all this into my life.
Running has profoundly impacted my life, since the days I ran XC and track in high school to my most recent year-and-a-half long reconnection with the sport which has included the running of 2 half marathons. I bask in the highs, learn from the lows, and revel in the entire process. With each mile I grow, and I love that it is a measurable sport, both literally and figuratively.
Running means so much to me, and training for this marathon will definitely be a defining moment in my life. I want to capture these months through this blog as a record of my journey, and I will capture each mile to log the hard work I put in to achieve this lifelong goal: run a marathon!
Yesterday I went out for my first run since a half-marathon last month. It was an easy 2 miler, but because I haven't run in a month it did feel a bit hard. But even in a run as short and uncomfortable as an "out of shape 2 miler" I still had a fleeting sensation of that overpowering, invincible state of mind that running begets. I saw that run as a prelude to what is to begin tomorrow...the unofficial beginning of my journey!
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