(no subject)
Time: 9:45am
Running Time: 3 hours, 6 minutes
Miles: 18
I'M GOING TO RUN A MARATHON!
Awwwwwwwwww damn, it feels good to say that and actually feel confident about it again! I ran 18 freakin miles today! EIGHTEEN! It was one of my best runs thus far, and I feel better right now than I have after a run in a very long time. I am so proud. I ROCK.
When I first started this training, I said that I was going to use the run/walk method that Jeff Galloway teaches and swears by, but I soon said forget that and I haven't really thought about it since. Well, there's this marathon blog that I read of this girl named Hollie who ran her first marathon last year. It's a very detailed account, and she's so funny, and a really good writer, so I read her entries from time to time. Today when I was reading I read that she used the run/walk method and it got me to thinking about it again. So I pulled out Jeff Galloway's book and reread some of it and decided that I'd try run/walk today, since I was dreading this run so badly and really not sure if I'd be able to do it. IT WORKED WONDERS!
I walked one minute after every ten minutes (or mile, give or take) of running. Sixty seconds went by so damn fast each time, but that short break really rejuvenated me each time, so I could run the ten minutes in between faster than I'd normally be able to. Jeff pointed out that the average person will lose about 15 seconds off their time for each minute they walk instead of run. So for 18 miles, that's less than five minutes I lost, and for 26.2 miles, it's less than seven minutes I'd lose. And really, I think I gained much more than five minutes today by walking at intervals because then I could run so much faster the rest of the time! It was amazing. And I feel so much better after this run than I ever have! So I'm going to use run/walk in the marathon and that thought makes me feel a little less anxious about the whole thing. If anyone think it's wussy to use run/walk, I'll give them a piece of my mind. Most people can't even WALK more than a few miles, let alone run them, let alone run 26 of them, even with some walking in between.
So anyway, about my run. I didn't wear my belt thing today and it was nice to not have to hassle with it. The new shorts I bought yesterday have deep pockets so I used them for my chapstick and some Kleenexes (in case I had the sniffles, or if I had to squat on the side of the road!... still haven't had to do that yet, thank God!) and my goo pack. I carried a water bottle today for the first time so that I wouldn't have to worry about finding water sources or staying close to my apartment. It was annoying at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly, and the sloshing sound it made was very rythmic and kind of soothing. And it was so nice to be able to have water whenever I needed it! I decided to head out on the highway and see where it led me... I ran out of Muskego, through Big Bend, and Waterford probably would have been my next town but I turned around a little early due to construction. I got all dusty (I really need a shower!) from the torn up road and almost got hit by a few cars and Mack trucks, but besides that, I really liked running on the highway because there wasn't much thought involved in where to go next...I just kept on going.
Running for three hours is a long time, but the time goes surprisingly fast. All the books I read say to repeat different mantras to yourself in order to stay motivated and distract yourself a bit. I do that a lot, and today I did them almost constantly. With the rhythm of my feet and the sloshing of my water, I had my own little musical going on in my head.
I feel good, I feel great, I'm gonna run a marathon.... I am powerful, I am strong, I'm going to run a marathon..... Just keep running, just keep running, just keep running, running, running.... (to the tune of "just keep swimming" from Finding Nemo).... Anyway, those were a few I kept saying today.
The weather could not have been more PERFECT today. Barely seventy degrees and just a little sunny with a constant cool breeze. It was AWESOME. After an hour and a half I ate my goo pack, and at two hours I was back at my apartment for a bathroom break and to get a new bottle of water. I ran down a different highway for my last hour. At two and half hours, I started getting really bad hunger pangs. I had thought about eating when I was at home but I figured I could wait another hour. The last two or three miles were a little rough, but once I got near my house and saw my pedometer timer click past three hours, I got a sudden burst of energy and I just ran so fast. I felt so amazing... When I was almost done I picked a spot about a hundred feet away and envisioned the finish line of the marathon. Today was the first time I felt worthy of doing that and it felt great. I even threw my hands up in the air when I was done like I surely will when I finish the actual race! I couldn't help smiling a bit, and I almost felt like I could cry I was so proud! I know, I'm a big dork but I can't help it. I'm sure I'll cry on marathon day when I'm done. I can't believe I ran 18 miles!
I figured out the margin of error on my pedometer and then figured out that I covered 18.2 miles today to be exact. I took 29,942 steps. People are recommended to get 10,000 in a whole day to stay healthy and I tripled that just on my run! I ate a protein bar and now I'm going to soak in a cold tub and then take a shower. I have one class today, at 4:30 until 7:10.
Eighteen miles is only two miles away from the infamous WALL marathoners always talk about. I was feeling really tired at the end today, but I think the wall was a little further off than two more miles. I think if today were the marathon, I would have eaten a power bar at about two and a half hours, and then done another goo pack around three or three and a half and then hopefully gotten through the rest. I have no idea what my time will be for a marathon, but I keep having four and a half hours in my head. I know a lot of first timers take more than five hours, but I just don't see myself taking five whole hours to do it. Who knows though!
Alright, a cold bath is callin my name. I'm gonna run a marathon! I'm really happy right now. :)
Running Time: 3 hours, 6 minutes
Miles: 18
I'M GOING TO RUN A MARATHON!
Awwwwwwwwww damn, it feels good to say that and actually feel confident about it again! I ran 18 freakin miles today! EIGHTEEN! It was one of my best runs thus far, and I feel better right now than I have after a run in a very long time. I am so proud. I ROCK.
When I first started this training, I said that I was going to use the run/walk method that Jeff Galloway teaches and swears by, but I soon said forget that and I haven't really thought about it since. Well, there's this marathon blog that I read of this girl named Hollie who ran her first marathon last year. It's a very detailed account, and she's so funny, and a really good writer, so I read her entries from time to time. Today when I was reading I read that she used the run/walk method and it got me to thinking about it again. So I pulled out Jeff Galloway's book and reread some of it and decided that I'd try run/walk today, since I was dreading this run so badly and really not sure if I'd be able to do it. IT WORKED WONDERS!
I walked one minute after every ten minutes (or mile, give or take) of running. Sixty seconds went by so damn fast each time, but that short break really rejuvenated me each time, so I could run the ten minutes in between faster than I'd normally be able to. Jeff pointed out that the average person will lose about 15 seconds off their time for each minute they walk instead of run. So for 18 miles, that's less than five minutes I lost, and for 26.2 miles, it's less than seven minutes I'd lose. And really, I think I gained much more than five minutes today by walking at intervals because then I could run so much faster the rest of the time! It was amazing. And I feel so much better after this run than I ever have! So I'm going to use run/walk in the marathon and that thought makes me feel a little less anxious about the whole thing. If anyone think it's wussy to use run/walk, I'll give them a piece of my mind. Most people can't even WALK more than a few miles, let alone run them, let alone run 26 of them, even with some walking in between.
So anyway, about my run. I didn't wear my belt thing today and it was nice to not have to hassle with it. The new shorts I bought yesterday have deep pockets so I used them for my chapstick and some Kleenexes (in case I had the sniffles, or if I had to squat on the side of the road!... still haven't had to do that yet, thank God!) and my goo pack. I carried a water bottle today for the first time so that I wouldn't have to worry about finding water sources or staying close to my apartment. It was annoying at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly, and the sloshing sound it made was very rythmic and kind of soothing. And it was so nice to be able to have water whenever I needed it! I decided to head out on the highway and see where it led me... I ran out of Muskego, through Big Bend, and Waterford probably would have been my next town but I turned around a little early due to construction. I got all dusty (I really need a shower!) from the torn up road and almost got hit by a few cars and Mack trucks, but besides that, I really liked running on the highway because there wasn't much thought involved in where to go next...I just kept on going.
Running for three hours is a long time, but the time goes surprisingly fast. All the books I read say to repeat different mantras to yourself in order to stay motivated and distract yourself a bit. I do that a lot, and today I did them almost constantly. With the rhythm of my feet and the sloshing of my water, I had my own little musical going on in my head.
I feel good, I feel great, I'm gonna run a marathon.... I am powerful, I am strong, I'm going to run a marathon..... Just keep running, just keep running, just keep running, running, running.... (to the tune of "just keep swimming" from Finding Nemo).... Anyway, those were a few I kept saying today.
The weather could not have been more PERFECT today. Barely seventy degrees and just a little sunny with a constant cool breeze. It was AWESOME. After an hour and a half I ate my goo pack, and at two hours I was back at my apartment for a bathroom break and to get a new bottle of water. I ran down a different highway for my last hour. At two and half hours, I started getting really bad hunger pangs. I had thought about eating when I was at home but I figured I could wait another hour. The last two or three miles were a little rough, but once I got near my house and saw my pedometer timer click past three hours, I got a sudden burst of energy and I just ran so fast. I felt so amazing... When I was almost done I picked a spot about a hundred feet away and envisioned the finish line of the marathon. Today was the first time I felt worthy of doing that and it felt great. I even threw my hands up in the air when I was done like I surely will when I finish the actual race! I couldn't help smiling a bit, and I almost felt like I could cry I was so proud! I know, I'm a big dork but I can't help it. I'm sure I'll cry on marathon day when I'm done. I can't believe I ran 18 miles!
I figured out the margin of error on my pedometer and then figured out that I covered 18.2 miles today to be exact. I took 29,942 steps. People are recommended to get 10,000 in a whole day to stay healthy and I tripled that just on my run! I ate a protein bar and now I'm going to soak in a cold tub and then take a shower. I have one class today, at 4:30 until 7:10.
Eighteen miles is only two miles away from the infamous WALL marathoners always talk about. I was feeling really tired at the end today, but I think the wall was a little further off than two more miles. I think if today were the marathon, I would have eaten a power bar at about two and a half hours, and then done another goo pack around three or three and a half and then hopefully gotten through the rest. I have no idea what my time will be for a marathon, but I keep having four and a half hours in my head. I know a lot of first timers take more than five hours, but I just don't see myself taking five whole hours to do it. Who knows though!
Alright, a cold bath is callin my name. I'm gonna run a marathon! I'm really happy right now. :)