2 days ago I had the horrible realization that my marathon is on September 15th - not 29th as I originally thought. If any of my readers has every run or trained for a marathon, you know that this is a catastrophic realization! 2 weeks less of training time!? Katie you are such a duntz! Use your calendars! USE THEM!
It was 11 at night and I almost jumped out of my bed and pulled on my running shoes out of shear terror. But, always being the cool-headed person I am (ha.) I rolled over and went back to sleep - okay I rolled over and watched another episode of Jersey Shore - don't judge, I'm on vacation. Sue me for wanting a little trashy TV.
Immediately I whipped out my ever handy iPad (when I got it I didn't think I'd use it and now it has become permanently glued to my hand - look how technologically trendy I am!) and started mapping out my training plan. Turns out I realized just in the nick of time because I have exactly enough weekends to squeeze in a 13 mile run, 16 mile run, 19 mile run, and 22 mile run before giving myself a little over 2 weeks of rest time before the big day. The marathon gods are looking out for me!
Other good news is that I pretty much always keep myself in half marathon shape - with 9-13 mile runs on the weekends - so it's not a complete trainwreck that I messed up my calendar. I could probably go out a run a marathon tomorrow just because I've already done a few and I'm as hardheaded as they come. But for the sake of feeling semi-decent during the race (I don't think anyone ever feels "good" during a marathon) I suppose I'll train right. Also, I want to reduce the amount of time I walk around like this for the days following:
It was 11 at night and I almost jumped out of my bed and pulled on my running shoes out of shear terror. But, always being the cool-headed person I am (ha.) I rolled over and went back to sleep - okay I rolled over and watched another episode of Jersey Shore - don't judge, I'm on vacation. Sue me for wanting a little trashy TV.
Immediately I whipped out my ever handy iPad (when I got it I didn't think I'd use it and now it has become permanently glued to my hand - look how technologically trendy I am!) and started mapping out my training plan. Turns out I realized just in the nick of time because I have exactly enough weekends to squeeze in a 13 mile run, 16 mile run, 19 mile run, and 22 mile run before giving myself a little over 2 weeks of rest time before the big day. The marathon gods are looking out for me!
Other good news is that I pretty much always keep myself in half marathon shape - with 9-13 mile runs on the weekends - so it's not a complete trainwreck that I messed up my calendar. I could probably go out a run a marathon tomorrow just because I've already done a few and I'm as hardheaded as they come. But for the sake of feeling semi-decent during the race (I don't think anyone ever feels "good" during a marathon) I suppose I'll train right. Also, I want to reduce the amount of time I walk around like this for the days following:
So yesterday started my first day of "official" training with a 10.5 mile run through the Utah desert heat. Let me tell you , there's a HUGE difference between training for a marathon in October on the east coast and training for a marathon in July in Utah. Like a 1 minute, 30 second per mile difference. I'm still feeling frustration with the times I've been putting down up here in this mountainous, high altitude triathlon training mecca. In Boston I was a just a few weeks of hard training short of breaking a 20 minute 5k, and here I'm boogying down if I get a 24 minute 5k. Pathetic. So pretty much shot are my hopes of breaking a 4 hour marathon time - and I was so close at Mount Desert Island! Why, oh why, did I stop to pee!? Less snacking, Katie, more running.
So I've decided to change up a few things in the coming weeks to prepare. First of all, no more eating licorice for lunch and drinking diet coke for dinner. This whole adjusting to graduate school thing really messed up my whole semi-healthy diet. I went from grilled chicken, whole grains, and salads everyday to grabbing a nutri-grain bar on my way out the door and eating peanutbutter for dinner. Obviously nutrition plays a huge factor in marathon training success - and my low nutrients, high sugar diet just isn't cutting it. I also don't think I've been eating enough calories a day simply because I'm so busy I forget to. If I had to guess I think I've lost about 7 lbs since I started here - my evidence is that all of the business-casual pants I bought right before I moved now are being held up with safety pins. Keepin' it classy.I really didn't mean to lose weight, but between 8 hours of class a day and training more than I ever have before and not having enough hours in the day to make a proper meal, it just kind of happened. But I'm not the type of girl who wants to lose weight - every pound is really important to me because it keeps me going! And what I'm losing is muscle weight, no fat. So I really want to work on gaining that back a healthy way. Plus I don't want to buy new pants.
Also I think I'm in a constant state of dehydration. The air is so incredibly dry up here I'm surprised even the fish get enough water. So I'm going to start running with a fuel belt more often - I did it yesterday and I actually sweated the whole run, that's never happened up here before! The only bad thing is I feel like I'm running with a corsette on, so I have to take "breathing" breaks.
Another things is that I think I need to finally invest in some new running shoes. I'm addicted to my Saucony Fastwitch racing flats - which now have the sole of a flip-flop. I can actually feel the heat of the street through my shoe within the first mile. But I love them so much I can't stand to retire them! But it might be necessary...they have approximately 0 support and cushioning anymore.
To summarize, marathon training will include:
1. Long runs
2. Eating more fried chicken
3. Wearing my hydro-corsette
4. Buying new kicks
Honestly, I'll probably just do number one. But here's to hoping!
-me
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