I'm running a marathon.
Nate is away this week, we leave bright and early Friday morning for the beach. I have pottery Thursday night, so I have to have us all packed and ready to go before 7 pm Thursday night. We are doing a family portrait so I've been outfit planning. Food planning. (Adding in the GF element is a twist, of course). The end of year insanity is upon us with class picnics, teacher gifts, etc. The wee ones still expect to be fed while I am simultaneously trying to empty my fridge to vacate the house. There is, of course mad laundry, The garden. Oh, training. The toe. Various social obligations. Planning some long runs at the beach. And you know what? It hit me yesterday, while on the treadmill being introduced to a new friend who has run 8 marathons............
I GET TO RUN A MARATHON!
I GET TO CROSS A FINISH LINE!
I GET TO SEE MY BABIES AND MY HUSBAND AND MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO LOVE ME AT THE END!
I GET TO DO SOMETHING FEW PEOPLE DO!
And I can't freaking wait to really get started.
June. It's almost here.
Excited for you! I was just saying something similar about my half marathon this weekend. I have been battling tendonitis that won't go away for the past few weeks (you know, because I keep running...ha!) and I know my time will not be anywhere near where I was hoping. But to keep things in perspective for me, it's still going to be a blast. Instead of comparing myself to previous or future race times or other runners, I am just grateful to be able to get out there and run. Time passes quickly. People get sick, injured, unable to get out of bed, let alone run (or whatever their physical enjoyment may be). We are lucky for our health and bodies that can move...for one mile, 13.1 or 26.2. It really is a wonderful thing.
ReplyDelete(Am also making lists currently. I can relate if on a smaller scale than your current to dos!) Have a wonderful vacation weekend!
How will marathon training be different than what you are doing now, other than working up to longer distances?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the beach. I sure miss it. And I miss running, and exercise in general. If you feel some extra weight while running at the beach, that would be me, tagging along in spirit!
Good luck to you Karly, in your race this weekend!
Thanks, Megan. :)
DeleteKarly I"m so excited for you!!! Is this the one you are doing with Jordan, or a different one? Good luck, friend. I will say that the second 1/2 that I ran, where I was just pacing a friend and not running for a time goal, was by far the more fun of the two ~ I hope that you have a blast and enjoy every moment.
ReplyDeleteThats exactly how I felt talking to this woman that my friend introduced me to ~ hearing her talking about sobbing at each finish line just got me so inspired and excited......and after having no family at my past two races due to Nate being out of the country the prospect of having loved ones not only at several points along the route, but at the finish, gets me choked up every time I think about it, you know? What a gift, this gift of health and determination and support :)
Have fun this weekend, which day is the race so that I can be sending you kick ass vibes from afar?
And Meg, all that really changes is that I start following a formal plan. I'm following one I found in a book called "Advanced Marathoning" on the recommendation of a bunch of total strangers on the Runners World forums. I'm adapting the plan to the mileage that I am currently running, and just following a more formal plan, slowing down a lot of my runs very intentionally, adding some intentional hillwork on specific days, speedwork etc etc etc. Really just following more of a plan and then you will see a very intentional upping of my long runs over the weeks and months as I build up to a 20 or 22 mile run a few weeks before the marathon, then taper down before the race itself.
Yep, it's the one with Jordan and is on Saturday. Damn that school schedule that kept you from coming. Would have been a blast. :) I just need some ignore the stupid ankle pain vibes. It's not going to get better without rest, so it can just shut up until after Saturday. ;)
ReplyDeleteLove that you will have so much family support. I still get choked up at the start of most races as well as seeing those who are soldiering through to make the distance in the back of the pack. Those people who struggle and persevere really are inspiring. Gratitude really makes life happy. Sometimes it's hard to find, but that's usually when we need it most, right? :)
Can't wait to see how things switch up a bit when you start the actual schedule. It's nice just to have someone else give you a formula sometimes as long as you still keep some flexibility. Sounds like you already have this down way sooner than I learned the lesson!