From Here to There…

So I last was finally typing out-loud that I’m beginning the long journey to a marathon. This is definitely not going to be a short road, and even though I’m looking at either late 2014 or early 2015 – which, right now – seems like SO FAR away, we all know how time flies. I’m expecting it to come quicker than I would probably like it to.

And even though it seems so far off, I have a long way to go before I’m even ready to begin training, much less RUN 26.2 miles. So part of my training begins now in multiple ways which I’m going to touch on over the coming (days, weeks, I don’t know – whatever works!) blog posts.

First things first – getting my running back following the surgery in February. I’ve already begun the long, slow journey to “regular” running again when I restarted Couch to 5k (C25K) back on June 4. And I have a continued slow-building plan all mapped out through early next year. The C25K program that I am using is an app for my iPhone by Zen Labs and it’s pretty bare bones, but it meets the need! It lasts 8 weeks (the “original” C25K program is 9 weeks and is available at www.coolrunnings.com) and gradually builds you up to running a 5k – or in my case, running for 30 minutes straight. You might be wondering why I say for me it will be 30 minutes instead of a 5k? Well, because there is NO way that I am going to be running 3.12 miles in 30 minutes – that’s an under 10 minute/mile pace! Crazy fast in my book…hahaha

Check it out here

Following my “graduation” from C25K I will do an Easy 10k Training app with Jeff Galloway from Lolo Fitness – a company, I must add, that makes some pretty awesome fitness apps!! This program follows a walk/run ratio, which Galloway is famous for, and runs for 13 weeks. I plan on doing a 4 minute run/1 minute walk program, but you do have the option of using “just run” if you don’t want to do an interval training program.

And Check This One Out Here

Once I am done with that program in early November, I will transition over to a half marathon training plan for 16 weeks. I am currently set to use a plan developed by Runner’s World SmartCoach. The thing I like the most about Runner’s World’s plan generator is that you plug in your information, so it gives you realistic training times that gradually build your speed over the training period; and it doesn’t hurt that they build in active recovery time every fourth week. They are very smart AND efficient!

Create Your Own Plan Here

Okay, so short detour…I really like the SmartCoach program too because I have it as an app on my iPhone – BUT here’s the weird part…I can’t re-find that app in the iTunes store. So I’m thinking that they no longer support it but because I downloaded it before they got rid of it that I still have it?? Has anybody heard of this? But see – I can prove it – here it is…open on my phone:

I’m glad I have it and it’s rather convenient to be able to just open up the phone and see what is on the plan for the day without going to a printed sheet of paper. But I’ll also admit – it doesn’t have much capability outside of it giving you the exact same info that you can get on their website. You can’t rearrange days or anything and it doesn’t do any kind of tracking or actual coaching. It just provides the basics, but it was free, so who am I to complain?

So anywhoo – that gets me through pretty much February 2014…and well, I haven’t decided what to do from there! I guess I will see how I’m feeling and if I’m feeling pretty good I’ll start training for a fall marathon. If I’m feeling beat-up and rundown I’ll just keep going in maintenance mode and begin training for a spring 2015 marathon.

You marathoners or folks that have recovered from injury – what do you think of that plan? Am I on the right track?? Any advice or suggestions is more than appreciated!

Source - Thank you, Heather for this one!!

So the Journey Begins...

I finally admitted to myself, probably about a month or so ago that I am going to HAVE to do a marathon in the near future - near being 2015, but whatever, when you are talking 26.2 miles that IS the near future! I then cemented it by purchasing this thing:

Buy it for yourself here

And then I posted it to Facebook so there would be no turning back.

Okay, so this thought - this idea - this crazy thing has been brewing in my mind for quite some time. My original thoughts about anyone that ran a marathon was that they were straight up crazy. Then it became the thought of wow - those people are weird...who would want to run that far?? Then it started to worm its way in, you know, that little nagging voice of "they can do it, why can't you?" And then I started to actually believe that little nagging voice - why CAN'T I do it? Then I said some off hand remark to my hubby about a year and a half ago about doing one and he said - you never will. *GASP* He threw down the gauntlet but I wasn't ready to pick it up just yet. 

And then the knee disaster hit and I've been through a ridiculous amount of pain, stress, and now finally, rebuilding and I realized that I just might be able to do it...just ONE TIME anyways. Just to get the magnet and the medal and to be able to say "I did it!" What finally pushed me over the edge? This ridiculous Abs Challenge that I've been doing with my family this month.

I don't know the original source of that thing - that BEAST - up there, but let me tell you - it is NO JOKE! I went into this month thinking I would never be able to do it. At the very least I thought I could do all the crunches and leg raises, but the planks and sit-ups were extremely questionable. A few days before June started I didn't even think that I could do a sit-up. I hadn't done them since I was forced to in school for President's Physical Fitness Tests! I certainly hadn't done any since birthing four kids over three pregnancies, gaining and losing ridiculous amounts of weight, and completely ignoring my core for the most part. So I decided to just see...could I do even one? So I laid down and propped my feet under a table in my home office/fitness room and assumed the position, and then DID IT! And it wasn't even that bad...okay, turns out it was a total myth that I couldn't do a sit-up. So then June started and I kept moving through the challenge, and what do you know? I was able to do it...ALL! Granted, we still aren't done with three more days of actual workouts left, but I am fully confident that I'll accomplish it. And I wasn't even a little bit sure just 26 days ago and then today I did 110 sit-ups, 170 crunches, 60 leg raises and held a 100 second plank - that's 1 minute and 40 seconds!! (I know for many that is probably just barely getting started...but for me it is quite an accomplishment! I remember last summer building up to a 90 second plank and I have to tell you, I was trembling like a leaf by the time it hit a little over 1 minute...holding it for the full 90 seconds was very difficult. And today, it was hard, but there was minimal tremble). #PROGRESS

Getting through all the pain and suffering of the knee infection and subsequent surgery, physical therapy and recovery and then doing the abs challenge made me truly realize that I am more capable then I give myself credit for on a regular basis. I can push through discomfort. I am mentally capable. I am (working on) physically capable. I totally believe that I can do it! I know it will be hard, but I also know that hard is conquerable.

So it turns out that my hubby knew what he was doing when he used that reverse psychology; he knew that telling me I couldn't/wouldn't would be enough to eventually push me over the edge...and here I am free-falling. And so the JOURNEY begins.