Strictly XT.

This morning I felt pretty tired and a bit stiff getting out of bed.  I think the recent increase in my weekly mileage is starting to catch up with me.  I started out my workout with 20 minutes of Pilates and followed that with 30 minutes on the exercise bike while also using my 5 pound hand weights.  After that, I got on the elliptical and did just under an hour, breaking it up with sets of sit-ups and step-ups with weights every 5-10 minutes.

As far as my diet goes, I have continued to do pretty well, making (mostly) healthy choices and staying well below my daily calories.  It's getting tougher, though.  As the time comes closer to the marathon, I've been running more and working out longer, and I'm definitely feeling it in my appetite.  I hardest thing for me is not grabbing something less healthy when I'm starving just because it's fast and easy.  I've been trying to avoid those pitfalls by pre-measuring healthy snacks, such as dried fruit and trail mix, carrot sticks and fat-free dip, and nuts, and also keeping a stock of mini-Clif bars in the cupboard, for when I'm in a hurry.  I think it helps.  The other issue I've been having is that even though I eat a good, filling breakfast, moderate lunch and snacks throughout the day, I find myself with an excess of allowable calories still sitting there in the evening.  I don't want to be too far below my calories, considering how much I exercise, or my body will not metabolize properly and will hang on to fat stores instead of burning them off.  All in all, I'm still feeling pretty good, though.  I'm down 6 pounds in a little more than 3 weeks.  Now I just need to maintain that.  Slow and steady wins the race! :)

Thoughts on the marathon.

I have been thinking a lot this week about this whole marathon thing.  I'm a slow runner, it's a fact.  I know that speed is all relative, but generally speaking, for a race of average to small size, such as the Pocatello Marathon is, I fall into the bottom third of the pack.  I would say that the "average" runner falls into the sub-four category, and ooohhhh...I am ever so close to being able to say that I run a "four - (something) - hour" marathon.  Despite the fact that I had a PR at 5:12, I was feeling pretty discouraged the couple of days following the race.  As I perused the race results, which were also published in our local newspaper, thank you so much, and I recognized several other women who are acquaintances and I saw how they fared, I felt like a snail.  Granted, all three of the women I'm thinking of ran the half marathon, not the full, but they did it a lot faster than I probably could have, and they are women of similar circumstance - mothers, similar age group, etc.

I assuaged my ego by going to a quote by Frank Shorter: "You can actually suffer a little bit more by going slowly than when you're going really fast.  A faster marathon might even be easier than a slow one, in terms of what it takes out of you mentally."  If you think about, it's probably a lot harder on the body to be on your feet, pounding the pavement, regardless of speed, for 5 hours versus 3 hours, right?  Besides physically, just think about the mental fatigue differences a slower runner experiences during the additional hour or two they're out on the road, working hard to get to the finish line.  I mean, I have to believe some people are just genetically and physiologically predisposed to be faster runners.  I spend so many flippin' hours each week during training running my butt off, though ironically my butt does not seem to be getting any smaller, and my speed has improved only minimally.

I'm also discovering that my motivation to run is largely inspired by other people.  During the last few weeks of my training I did a lot of research on runner Jeff Galloway.  I've written of him in other posts.  He has said, "The more you frame the marathon as a stressful experience, the more negative messages you'll receive.  It's just as easy to frame it as a positively challenging journey."  I like this idea and attitude so much.  I have always said that the whole purpose of training for and running a marathon is to feel good, to feel the sense of accomplishment after hard work and consistency.  If you're not having fun, even when it's painful or tiring, why do it?  There are other ways to exercise that are far less trying.  There are other ways to lose or maintain weight.  I have found that I am drawn to this unique niche by the intrigue of the unknown.  You never know how your body will react.  You never know exactly what the long run will feel like that training day, or on race day.  You never know what the weather will be like, or the landscape, or the people you'll meet.  It's all so alluring to me.

With all of these thoughts floating around in my mind, I also feel drawn to Jeff Galloway's train of thought, so I've ordered a couple of his books, which should be arriving this week.  His training method using a run/walk/run ratio for the long runs, which also, by the way, includes training runs up to and beyond the race distance, is supposed to minimize or eliminate injury and post-run recovery time.  You will be hearing more from me on his training method after I've read the books and as I start to implement his suggestions for training.

I will always strive for improvement, but I have come to terms with the idea that I may never be as fast as I'd like to be.  I will just keep on keepin' on...

Day 23.

I started this morning with 20 minutes of Pilates and Yoga, then did my 3.13 mile run, with a walking warm up and cool down. Boo, hiss on the snow that started to fall while I was out on my run!!

I also wanted to say something to those of you who have been reading my blog, and especially those who have given me feedback, whether through comments or otherwise. I know that a day to day detailing of my training workouts will get a little boring, especially around day 200! But I'm keeping this record to track my training and plan to have it made into a hard copy after I run the marathon. Those who have mentioned that I have inspired them to do more, thank you so much, although I have to say that I am equally as inspired by many of you, and being able to share this journey with you is a great motivator for me, as well.

The starting point.

A good friend of mine recently asked me to run a marathon with her, the Rim Rock Marathon in Fruita, Colorado. At first, I thought it was a crazy idea. I mean, I'm pretty fit, I exercise everyday, but a marathon? Come on. Those are for truly committed athletes. But the more I mulled the idea over in my mind, I started to ask myself 'Why not me?', and I came to the realization that I'm the only one holding myself back from going for it.

Okay, so once I made the decision that I was going to do it, I set to work researching online. I've looked up training regimens, beginner tips, common mistakes, equipment, nutrition. I'm still researching. I've bookmarked several websites that I want to return to and delve into a little further. I've also ordered a book that should be coming next week. So this blog will be an expression of my thoughts and experiences along this journey. Using a training schedule for novice runners that I found online, with a few modifications, I will begin tomorrow and have planned out each of the next 39 weeks until race day.

November 13, 2010 ~ Rim Rock Marathon, here I come!!