During one of our monthly grocery trips to Wegmans last fall is when the notion first grew in my brain. On this day, unlike all the other before, we happened to be getting groceries on the same day as the Corning Wineglass Race Series. Being surrounded by so many individuals who had medals around their necks because they had accomplished something sparked this notion. This notion that while I was admiring everyone was "I could do this!" But, I put this notion down for a nap and resumed on with my life. Until January. While working with a doctor who is also an avid runner and marathoner, I happened to tell her about this notion, thus waking it up a bit. But only a little because I also noted how silly it was since I hadn't ran in literally years and was super out of shape. Her advise was that everything I was saying was pure nonsense and that I had plenty of time to train, and that I definitely should run it.
So the more I thought about it and eventually discussed it with my husband brought this notion our of slumber and into consciousness again. I decided "Yea, I can do this!" I signed up for the half marathon. Obviously I was only going to do half. A half marathon is 13.1 miles, a full is 26.2. To aim for a full marathon is really just craziness, and I wanted to be realistic about what was really obtainable for me.
I started researching about how a beginner runner should train. I got a membership to my local YMCA and there I ran my first mile. This was the first mile I had ran in literally years, no joke. I honestly can't remember the last time I had run, at all, previously to this run. That first run I aimed for 1 mile and it took me over 20 minutes to complete. Afterwards, and during, I couldn't breathe, I had no endurance, and was sweating so bad I couldn't see from the water pouring off my forehead. And I had to do this 12 more times! I just knew I was fucked. I made myself a little mental note that stated I could always just drop-out and not do it and tucked it away.
I went back to the gym one more time and tried another mile, again with the same results. I tired going faster, and couldn't. I tired watching tv, didn't work. I even tried pacing myself to music. I chose the song "Dance Macabre" by the band Ghost to keep pace with. This made my run slightly easier, but not enough to actually go fast or cut down time. So I did what an ambitious person does. I just stopped. I stopped due to a combination of work and adjusting to having two kids. Finding time to get to the gym was challenging. I knew the Y has child care, but I honestly didn't want to take my infant out in a public place with other kids, in the middle of winter and the peak of flu season. Eventually I just cancelled my membership, as I wasn't utilizing it and just wasting money.
So months went by without even the attempt to run.
Here's lesson 1: Don't wait until 3 months before your marathon or half marathon to start training. I'm sure anyone who's a runner and reading this are probably cringing, and for good reason. Once I realized "Shit! My run is fast approaching I NEED to start running!" My husband and I found a treadmill on sale and bought it. Here I restarted my training. This time I was able to do 2 miles in the time it previously took me to do 1. I will add that in the interm I had been walking 1 mile everyday, and doing other workouts that included cardio conditioning several times a week. Just so you know I wasn't being a total lazy ass.
But again, I wasn't running nearly enough. It wasn't until August that I really started putting in the miles. I also did something smart! I bought a new pair of running shoes.
Lesson 2: Don't run on old shoes. Those ones that you've been wearing everyday, don't wear those. Basically it's not good for you. You're poor feet deserve just as much support as they give you everyday. So like Nike says "Just Do It". Get yourself a good pair of running shoes. They won't be cheap, but you're feet will thank you. I had been wearing a pair of running shoes that I wore for almost two years daily. I thought since they were in decent condition they'd be fine. Well my feet told me otherwise.
From here I became more dedicated to my run. I was adding a mile on every week with the goal being to eventually get to 13 miles. I had made 3 miles my base run. Meaning on my "fast" running days I'd run 3 miles rather than 1 mile. As for my "long runs" every week I just added a mile. As I mentioned the goal was to get to 13 miles. Which, I never did. I got to.....6 miles! My longest run training was 6 miles. That is half of what I needed to do. So here's the third lesson.
Lesson 3: Don't run for HALF of your intended run! Seriously, how dumb was that!? So by the time my race day came I had honestly never actually ran 13.1 miles consecutively. I had run 30 miles total in a month. But really that's pointless if you can't do them back to back. During training it's suggested that you run a 5k and a 10k to help you prepare. I did a 5k (3.1) miles, but not the 10k(6.2miles). But that's not the lesson. I completed my 5k and almost died. Which seems odd right? Since 3 miles had become my base run I should have killed that run with no problem right?! Well these runs are outside! Shocker? Not really. My whole training had been inside on my treadmill. You remember the one I got on sale. So not in the whole 3 months I had been training did I actually run outside.
Lesson 4: Take your ass outside! Running inside is totally different than running inside and vise versa. I had no idea how to keep my pace without a running belt underneath my feet. So I did what should have been expected. I ran too fast at the start and puttered out way before the end. Since I burned all my energy within the first half of the first mile I ended up walking, yes WALKING, the whole second mile. I just couldn't get my gusto back. I did finish running, but it took forever and I felt horrible. Plus the fresh air was purging my lungs of so much mucous I was coughing up gross shit for the rest of the day.
After that horrible running performance I really wasn't confident that 13.1 was something I could grasp. Like, maybe I really was just fricking crazy thinking I could every do this. My next goal was to run a few times outside. Mind you this goal was presenting itself just 1 week before my half marathon. Well shocker, I didn't. I ran one more 3 mile run, inside, on my treadmill the week of my run. That was it! I guess maybe I just left it to chance?
Fast-forward and the day of my half marathon was here. I'm in the start line, my number is pinned to me, and it's go time! After my 5k I had at least taken a lesson from it and learned not to go out flying. I lowered my pace and took it slow to conserve energy. I mean I had to do this 13 times after all. I got through 3 miles a little faster than my average mile run. Which was ok. After I started a run/walk combo, enjoyed the sites and the company of my friend. Who I'm so happy ran with me! Got through miles 6 and 7. Then hit a major wall at mile 10. Now do you see here why you're supposed to run this distance prior to the actual run?
My body was not conditioned to go that far. Although my cardio was doing fine my hip flexors and hips were just not there. They both started locking up and tightening, making it harder just to make the simple motion with my legs to move forward. I also blame my first pregnancy for the serious weakness I have in that area, but that's a different story.
I did manage to run the last half of the last mile and I ran through the finish line. It took me 3 hours and 33 minutes total to finish. But I did it! All those individuals whom I had been admiring a year before I had become. It was an amazing feeling!
Although I had made so many training mistakes and seriously procrastinated for so long, I still managed to finish. The best part was seeing my husband and my sons in that last stretch watching and waving to me. The second best was finishing with my friend Rachel. She was so awesome and patient with me and made it a really great experience.
Today as I'm writing this I'm super sore, several Advil deep, and was so certain it was a one and done experience. But I'm actually contemplating doing it again next year, and aiming for a better time. Maybe I can convince other friends to start a team and to train together? Who knows?
But one thing is for certain. I know exactly how I shouldn't train for the next one!
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