Marathon training officially started on June 3rd. It seems a bit surreal to think that I am training for a Marathon, but I think the strangest part, for me, is how natural the transition feels, like I was always meant to go down this path. I would always *tisk, tisk* when Laurie would say “I will never do a marathon.” I would always respond (whether she was talking to me or not) “Never say never, my dear.” You just don’t know what is laying in wait around the corner. I think I always knew I would. Maybe for pride, maybe for the challenge, maybe just so I can say that I did it, I always knew I would one day. It is just hard to believe that ‘someday’ is about 87 days away. Together, Laurie and I will run the Air Force Marathon in Dayton OH.
I tossed around which race I would make my first. It’s a special thing, you know? I wanted it to be our AWESOME hometown race the Quad Cities Marathon. QCM was a week after the AF Marathon which Laurie had decided would be her first Full. I was going to run the Half at AF with my husband. That was the plan and I wasn’t going to change it. Matthew and I were going to do AF together. He is an AF Veteran, and we spent his service years in Alaska at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage. I wanted to run AF with him, but in all honesty, I didn’t want my Running Partner to do her first Full without me. Jealousy? Yeah, probably, but its more than that, I mean, I would do my first Full the next week and I didn’t like that idea. Not knowing how her recovery time would line up, (no matter how determined she was to run 2 Marathons in a week) it was the idea of running MY first Full without HER that I didn’t like. There was a chance that she would do a Half at QCM and I would be there staring down the barrel of a very long gun without my Partner. After speaking with a trustworthy, experienced local runner whom I respect immensely, who said that do to the sparse crowd support towards the middle of the Marathon course QCM was probably NOT the best one to make my first Full, I changed my mind. He has done QC several times and he loves the race, but he didn’t think that it would make a good choice, I decided to flip my weekends. I talked it over with Matthew and we decided that I would run AF with Laurie and then QCM Half with him (at his pace, no faster).The stars have aligned and we are officially in training. I will have a separate post about the details of our AF weekend and the Running Roses’ Road trip to Dayton.
I don't really even think I am nervous. Ok, maybe not OVERLY nervous. I am always nervous before I do something totally new. I am comfortable with my routine. I don't like to do things outside of my comfort and I like to stay close to home. its just the way I am. Even Matthew wasn't surprised when I told him. I thought he would make a bigger deal. I mean, my training is a big time commitment from him too. I am going to be going out doing long training runs and he will be home with Mr. Hayden. His response? "Ok." That's it. Just an air of "you aren't telling me anything I didn't already know." This thought will be repeated a couple months later when I make my next 'crazy' announcement. I guess it is a natural progression for him too. My 'announcement' came as no surprise. So in the last couple months I have been laying the groundwork for my training. I am on a regular Strength Training schedule, which is a feat in and of itself since i am not one for ST. I THOUGHT I hated it. Turns out I really enjoy it, and more so, I am enjoying the changes I am starting to see in my mirror. I wanted to drop some weight, and tone up a bit before I got into the meat and potatoes of the Marathon Training Program. I am not as far along the weight loss goal as I wanted to be, but with a regular running schedule again, I should see it happen pretty quickly.
I am currently on Week 8 of Jamie Eason's Live Fit 12 Week Program. I really love it. Its easy to follow and more importantly it was a set ST schedule that had me getting up every morning looking forward to lifting (which I had never done in the past). Since I hadn't done any formal schedule before, I wouldn't see results, and then convince myself it wasn't working and that I didn't like ST and then i would quit. Turns out, I was wrong. I really enjoy it, and I am seeing really results. I think when I am done with the 12 Weeks, I am going to repeat Phase Two and Three of the program just to up the weights, but my possibilities are open to a couple different choices. I have to finish the 12 weeks first. I want to finish it. I can't say I have ever started this kind of program and actually followed it through all the way to the end. That will be a milestonee for me.
I think this could have been two posts, but oh well, its my blog and i will make them as long and rambley as I want! HA! Next Post will be Week one of MT which was the Galesburg Half Marathon. The pictures are still on my camera (*gasp*) so I will get those uploaded and ready to post! Until then....
Run On and Be Happy!
I tossed around which race I would make my first. It’s a special thing, you know? I wanted it to be our AWESOME hometown race the Quad Cities Marathon. QCM was a week after the AF Marathon which Laurie had decided would be her first Full. I was going to run the Half at AF with my husband. That was the plan and I wasn’t going to change it. Matthew and I were going to do AF together. He is an AF Veteran, and we spent his service years in Alaska at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage. I wanted to run AF with him, but in all honesty, I didn’t want my Running Partner to do her first Full without me. Jealousy? Yeah, probably, but its more than that, I mean, I would do my first Full the next week and I didn’t like that idea. Not knowing how her recovery time would line up, (no matter how determined she was to run 2 Marathons in a week) it was the idea of running MY first Full without HER that I didn’t like. There was a chance that she would do a Half at QCM and I would be there staring down the barrel of a very long gun without my Partner. After speaking with a trustworthy, experienced local runner whom I respect immensely, who said that do to the sparse crowd support towards the middle of the Marathon course QCM was probably NOT the best one to make my first Full, I changed my mind. He has done QC several times and he loves the race, but he didn’t think that it would make a good choice, I decided to flip my weekends. I talked it over with Matthew and we decided that I would run AF with Laurie and then QCM Half with him (at his pace, no faster).The stars have aligned and we are officially in training. I will have a separate post about the details of our AF weekend and the Running Roses’ Road trip to Dayton.
I don't really even think I am nervous. Ok, maybe not OVERLY nervous. I am always nervous before I do something totally new. I am comfortable with my routine. I don't like to do things outside of my comfort and I like to stay close to home. its just the way I am. Even Matthew wasn't surprised when I told him. I thought he would make a bigger deal. I mean, my training is a big time commitment from him too. I am going to be going out doing long training runs and he will be home with Mr. Hayden. His response? "Ok." That's it. Just an air of "you aren't telling me anything I didn't already know." This thought will be repeated a couple months later when I make my next 'crazy' announcement. I guess it is a natural progression for him too. My 'announcement' came as no surprise. So in the last couple months I have been laying the groundwork for my training. I am on a regular Strength Training schedule, which is a feat in and of itself since i am not one for ST. I THOUGHT I hated it. Turns out I really enjoy it, and more so, I am enjoying the changes I am starting to see in my mirror. I wanted to drop some weight, and tone up a bit before I got into the meat and potatoes of the Marathon Training Program. I am not as far along the weight loss goal as I wanted to be, but with a regular running schedule again, I should see it happen pretty quickly.
I am currently on Week 8 of Jamie Eason's Live Fit 12 Week Program. I really love it. Its easy to follow and more importantly it was a set ST schedule that had me getting up every morning looking forward to lifting (which I had never done in the past). Since I hadn't done any formal schedule before, I wouldn't see results, and then convince myself it wasn't working and that I didn't like ST and then i would quit. Turns out, I was wrong. I really enjoy it, and I am seeing really results. I think when I am done with the 12 Weeks, I am going to repeat Phase Two and Three of the program just to up the weights, but my possibilities are open to a couple different choices. I have to finish the 12 weeks first. I want to finish it. I can't say I have ever started this kind of program and actually followed it through all the way to the end. That will be a milestonee for me.
I think this could have been two posts, but oh well, its my blog and i will make them as long and rambley as I want! HA! Next Post will be Week one of MT which was the Galesburg Half Marathon. The pictures are still on my camera (*gasp*) so I will get those uploaded and ready to post! Until then....
Run On and Be Happy!
Sometime you seriously need to blog about our marion experience. I want to hear it from you especially our accomodations Friday night LOL LOL.
ReplyDeleteJuly 8...be at Hotel Rose the night before our epic 16 mile long run. Got that?
Hi Emily, it's Christina from SparkPeople. I found your blog through Laurie's, hope you don't mind if I read. So excited to hear about all the great things coming up for you!!
ReplyDeleteI have struggled a lot with Strength training, but you inspired me to go look at Jamie Eason's website. That program looks really amazing! Would I look like too much of a copycat if I tried it :-p I really want to, especially after looking through the exercises!!
Also a question about that program -
ReplyDeleteI saw that in Phase 1, she doesn't have you doing any cardio. Did you continue with your running as normal? How did that work? Just curious about your perspective, from one long-distance runner to another.