Sunday, July 21, 2013

Couch to marathon in 8 months

For the first time in my life, I am enjoying running. As long as I can remember I thought that running was hell. Sweating, panting, side cramps, nausea... What could be worse? I used to dread the half mile time test in elementary school, I remember feeling nervous and queasy all day. The stretching test however... That was my forte. Then the mile run in middle school and high school- that was awful too. I don't think I ever ran the entire thing without walking.

You may ask why I started training for a marathon.

I don't think I have an answer. I have multiple reasons: Luke wants to, I want to practice focus and discipline, I have the time, I have been craving a big goal, etc. None of those feels like an answer! I guess I just started and now that I've started I'm not going to stop.

Back in February I finally joined a gym about about a year without exercise! I'm ashamed to even write that. I started by running very very short distances. Half a mile, 3/4 mile, a mile, 1.25, etc. It took me FOUR months to work up to being able to regularly run three miles. It was really tough too! Thankfully I have a support network of runners who would encourage me and tell me to just keep going. 0-3 was definitely harder than 3-6, or 3-9!

Marathon training started the first week of June with 3 mile runs Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Then on Saturday I had my first big long run- a whopping SIX MILES! I had never run more than three miles and I was terrified. I thought- there is no way my body can do this. I'm not strong enough, I don't have enough stamina and endurance. Luke and I ran the six miles together and got lost, so thankfully I had my GPS on. And I did it! I ran six miles! It felt great afterward and terrible during. But I was SO proud of myself. I remember thinking "so this is why people do physical tasks that sound awful".

I'm now a month and a half in to training! It has been harder and easier than expected. Sometimes the long distances aren't bad at all. 5-6 miles has become relatively easy for me, and I never thought that would happen! The hardest bits are scheduling when to run, eating the right fuel and keeping hydrated, and staying positive. When I run I often end up comparing myself to other runners and feeling like I'm not good enough, fast enough, strong enough, etc.

But I'm doing this. and I'm not going to stop.


(hopefully!)


No comments:

Post a Comment