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Things you learn during Training for a Marathon. Top 10 List +1

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Apparently, I’m not good at writing on a regular basis.  I should have learned this when I tried to keep a diary as a teenager and a journal as an adult.  Writing consistently is not an easy task!

My big ideas of blogging regularly about my #marathonTraining2013 wasn’t very consistent.  In my head during my long runs, I’ve blogged weekly.  I had plenty of time to think about the blog and plan it out while running.  It was a nice distraction during some runs. Maybe that’s why I didn’t get around to actually writing…. because I had already done it in my head!!

Well… tonight I sit in a hotel room, eating some delish chocolates, drinking water, watching football, and feeling my eyelids get heavy.  Tomorrow is the BIG DAY!  It’s marathon time!!!!
Because I’m getting sleepy and I want to take advantage of this feeling before I get nervous and wake back up again, I’m going to jot down a few things that I’ve learned during the past 5 months of training.
1.  To the people who turn on your water sprinklers in the morning and they sprinkle water out onto the sidewalk…….. THANK YOU!  It’s a fun way to cool off while running and I love it.
2.  Hard acorns work as nice release techniques to the bottom of your feet when you step on them just right while running.
3.  You know your rapping loudly inappropriate lyrics when the lady across the street stands up to stare at you.
4.  Sometimes, you just need to lay in someone’s front yard and cry during a 14 mile run.  It’s ok – don’t call the EMS.  I’m just having a moment.
5.  Some of the best prayers happens when it’s just you and the path/road.  AMEN.
6.  When a friend passes away at the hands of someone else, and you are ready to burst into tears while running…… a nice little fawn crossing 20 feet in front of you makes it all better.  ❤
7.  Swallowing bugs is just giving you more protein, right?
8.  You learn where to put LOTS of Vaseline to keep the skin from chaffing or blistering….. esp. in embarrassing areas!
9.  Having a school bus of teenagers drive past hollering at you makes your form get drastically better.
10.  People making right hand turns need to PAY ATTENTION TO PEDESTRIANS!!!!!
11.  I know that my left foot needs to hit the ground 80 times = .10 of a mile.  (Which means 800 = one mile)

After tomorrow, I hope to have a list of things that you see/experience during a MARATHON!!!  🙂

My eyes are closing…… praying for swift legs, strong mind, and efficient lungs.
Running for those hurt in the Boston Marathon, for my kids, for my personal goals and to inspire others.
Sweet Dreams!!  zzzzz…………

Signing up tomorrow! (I think?)

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26.2My training for the marathon that I have yet to officially register for has begun!!

Yep, you read that correctly.  I booked a hotel room in January for the marathon in October and I’ve been training for a few weeks now, but have yet to register.  If you have followed my blogs, you will see that I wrote one about fear…. And it still seems to grip me.  However, that will change tomorrow.  YES, I plan on registering tomorrow.  Stay tuned to my social media outlets for the announcement!

I hope to blog about my training on a weekly basis, but I’m a busy Momma, so I can have the best intentions but some nights when I plan to write, I simply am too damn tired!!  Many people think the training is simply getting your mileage in, but there is so much more!!  A person training/running a marathon is NOT the same person who started.  It changes you and you learn far more about yourself than you ever wanted to know.  It’s a positive experience.  Mileage is important, but during those training runs, you figure out which foods & clothing work well for your body, along with mental strength, music, deeper relationships, solve personal problems, find strategies, brainstorm, and get stronger as a person.

I have been running between 9-12 miles on the weekends for 5 weeks now and maintaining a running pattern during the week of 3 runs which are typically on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  Those weekly runs are roughly 3-6 miles.  The weather in July was absolutely perfect for running and by this time on the kids’ summer break, I need a break and thoroughly enjoy the time away.  That’s a reason I fell in love with running in the first place.  It was MY time to spend on ME…… without being reminded of the laundry that needs to be folded or children calling “Mommy!”  I love to just put my earbuds in, listen to my music loudly, breath in the fresh air and spend some time with my own thoughts and prayers while feeling my body work hard.  It revives me and calms me at the same time.  I long for the peace a good run brings to my life.  I’m quite the anxious person with constant ideas/thoughts in my head and when I’m surrounded by too much noise or commotion, I get irritated easily.  I’ve learned to accept it….. and deal with it through running.

Back to my training >>> Many times, I have a running partner who runs with me.  I feel much safer when someone else is running with me (a couple of females have been attacked in the area the past year), we push each other, the company is nice, and as an asthmatic I just feel better having a partner.  But, there are times when I NEED a solo run and there’s been more and more of those lately.  I need those solo times to spend some time with God and figuring ‘life’ out.

The weather has cooperated and is perfect for outdoor exercise.  (You better get out there and enjoy it too!!!!)  My mileage times have been improving and I ran 5 miles last week with each mile being roughly 8:19 – 8:50 minute miles.  My comfort zone is a 9:45 minute mile.   Last Saturday evening I ran 11.5 miles and had serious DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) for a few days.  I haven’t been sore like that in a long time after running.  My knees have been slightly sore, but it changes per hour.  This Saturday, I ran a 12 miler and my right hip got really tight/sore around mile 11.  I then showered, rode to the Cincinnati Reds baseball game, and woke on Sunday without any soreness!  I really think it’s time for new running shoes.  I can tell my shoes are feeling ‘flat’ and my hips/knees/ankles get sore when I need new shoes.  I’d like them to last a 2 more weeks though, so that I’m closer to the marathon.  My Saturday morning 12 miler was a lonely one as I ran it solo.  Because of the very strong storms that roared through Friday night, much of my path had puddles and draining water.  It was a pretty run, as the sky was bright blue and everything had been washed by the rain.  I worked through some personal struggles, talked to God about relationships, and really had to push myself to continue running when my body wanted to walk.  I’m not going to lie; it was tough, but exactly what I needed.  I’m finding that I really need that solo time these days.  Life is a mad rush with the school year starting, so I need time to think and not to be surrounded by social media.

I started a private facebook group for runners so that we have a place to chat, support one another,  give tips, and join one another for races if possible.  That group has provided me with a lot of inspiration and support.  I was told that it’s ok to decrease my mileage for a week and all I needed was another long distance runner to tell me that.  SO, while on vacation this upcoming week, I will slightly decrease my mileage.  Although…. I love running while on vacation.  New scenery, new energy, and it
feels good to be on vacation and still make my fitness a priority.  Too many times people go on vacation and simply want to be lazy.  For me…. I will be lazy after I get my exercise, because it’s a priority and I love doing what others don’t.  My plan for this upcoming week is to cont. with my running on Monday, Wednesday,  Thursday, and Saturday, but with less mileage and while doing the FocusT25 workouts.  (Only 25 minutes a day and it’s great for traveling).  Gotta keep the muscles strong and work them in other ways besides the same patterns (running) to avoid injury, boredom, and to keep them healthy.

What’s your workout plans for the upcoming week?  Did you know that planning your workouts increased the probability that you will actually do it?  When it’s not an OPTION, but a PRIORITY….you will do it.  Feeling stressed?  Workout.  Getting your blood pumping, adrenaline rushing, and focusing on your body, decreases stress and allows you to deal with it more easily.  Use exercise as a medication – a natural remedy.

Happy Running!!  Many people say they can’t run, but only a few truly should not.
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Fear ruins big dreams, goals, & plans.

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Fear.  It stops us from accomplishing a lot of things in our lives and it stops us from making positive change, trying something new, or breaking out of our comfort zones.  I’m learning this first hand on a few levels.  I’m a tough broad.  I’m not intimidated easily by others & I like to be independent & doing things that people doubt I can accomplish.  I have found that success IS the best revenge and I thoroughly enjoy it.  I find success in small things – running extra miles, helping others lose weight, promoting a kick ass workout program, creating a bicep muscle, losing weight after having children, getting my kids to bed on a consistent regimen and when they ask me for “a healthy snack” vs. chips & cereal.  But that darn fear cont. to hold me back at times.  Fear of the unknown and I end up playing the ‘what if’ game. 

That game NEVER bodes well….. Even if the ‘what if’ is positive, it’s often followed by a negative thought process.  “What if” I become a Beachbody coach and then I don’t do well and fail?  “What if” I sign up for another marathon and get injured or the training is just too hard.  “What if” my kids aren’t successful adults and feel as though I failed them?  Those are all common thoughts and questions, but it’s how we respond to those ‘what ifs’ that make or break us.  Sometimes, I’m tough and kick that ‘what if’ in the face by proving it wrong (becoming a Beachbody coach and helping others has been a great experience and allowed me to pay off bills, buy fun things, meet people from all over the world, and hold myself accountable).  Other times, that ‘what if’ plagues me; such as with my hesitation regarding registering for another marathon.  I ran my first marathon in October 2011 & have toyed with the idea of running another one since the first.  After I watched the Boston Marathon Bombings, I told myself I would run another marathon this October.  I booked the hotel room, poured over training programs, wrote out a training schedule on my calendar, and even have started running the mileage!!  But guess what???  I haven’t registered yet!  What is my problem?  I’m not sure!!  I’m allowing the fear of not being able to accomplish my goal time (and the pain mile 23 inflicted on my body) to make me hesitate!  I’ve ran 10 miles the past 3 Saturdays! I’m committed…… but need that last step. 
Therefore, I have found that when I hold myself accountable, I get things accomplished.  When I post my goals to the world (usually on my facebook biz page) is when it gets done.  A post such as, “I am getting ready to run a 10 miler this morning!” or “I’m going to complete the new Focus T25 workout program…  Want to do it with me?”  Those posts keep me accountable and that technique works very well for me.
So…… following suit, I’m going to conquer that fear and announce it here. 

“Hello, my name is Lisa and I am going to register for my second full marathon this week.”

Whew!!  Done deal now!!!  There’s a weight off my shoulders yet a shiver just went down my spine!
I will be documenting my marathon journey too.  Don’t worry, I won’t blog after every run (boring) but I hope to blog on a weekly basis. I hope to show you a candid vision of how emotional and time consuming it can be to be a Momma and train for a marathon.  I need to sneak those training runs in when I can!  Between soccer practice/games (Yep, I’m a soccer Mom), bedtime routines, being a physical therapist assistant and fitness/nutritional coach, I will get those miles in!  No excuses.  I don’t believe in excuses, just ask my clients! 

Fear, be gone!!!  (Shivered again).  If you are contemplating a big decision and find that fear is tripping you up (like the runner’s pun?) then I’d like to make a suggestion.  Envision what your life will be like once the decision or change has been made.  You should make a clear plan and write it down, so that you have a rough draft of what your life will be like.  Will there be struggles?  Probably.  But, in the end, will it be worth it??  YES.  And, if it’s not…. You still walked away knowing that you tried, so therefore, still worth it!  The weeks, months, years are going to go by regardless, so if you step out of your comfort zone, then at least you will have learned a little something about yourself, your strength, and how to conquer that fear the next time.  Every experience should be a learning one.  Good or bad… learn from it.  If you do this, nothing will be a waste of time. 
Bye Bye Fear!!!  (Right???)