Lettsss do this! I have exactly 1 week until Marathon #2 training begins! Starting on June 22nd, Billy and I will be training for the Marine Corps Marathon. Race day is Sunday October 25th, 2015 in DC/VA. It will be almost exactly 1 year since our 1st Marathon in Baltimore and I’m definitely filled with lots of mixed feelings!
My first thought: “Can I even do 26.2 miles again?!” You would think after I’ve already done it once, I’d already know I can do it and the confidence thing would be the easy part. But, I gotta say, I still have my doubts. I sometimes wonder what possessed me to enter the lottery for this race back in March. The lottery is basically just luck of the draw, and both Billy and I were lucky enough to get in! Lucky us, we get to pay to run 26.2 miles, right? Don’t forget the “free” T-Shirt. We get that, too. Yay.
Jokes aside, while I am nervous and still mustering up the confidence that I can and will be able to do this Marathon thing again, I am also getting very, very excited. The Baltimore Running Festival was an amazing 1st Marathon experience, and I loved everything about that race. I loved the pride I felt for my city, and the overall excitement of participating in and completing my first Marathon (especially since my family was there and Billy and I got to finish our 1st Marathon together).
As I start mentally preparing for the Marine Corps Marathon, I realize that this race will be special for a whole different set of reasons. It will be such a unique experience to run with service men and women, to see their friends/families cheering for them, and to honor the fallen heroes of our country. This race will definitely be about more than just me and my finish time.
While I start preparing for the 1st week of training, I have set some goals for myself.
#1: Focus on recovery (stretching, heat/ice, soaking, etc)
#2: Work on strengthening (calves, quads, glutes, hips)
#3: Increase speed (at a gradual rate and only during pace runs)
My ultimate goal is to one day qualify for Boston. This will be my 1st race that I will attempt to do that. I hesitate to post this, because it may take me several tries before I qualify, as it is very hard to qualify. My age group is one of the most competitive, making it even more challenging. In order to qualify for the 18-34 age group, I’d have to finish in less than 3 hours and 35 minutes AND be one of the fastest in my age group to enter. Basically, my 1st Marathon I completed in 3:55. So, I have quite some time to cut. Not impossible, but not highly practical either. Wish me luck!
On the shopping list to get ready for training:
· New kicks
· New socks
· Running sunglasses
· Epsom salt
· Fuel (going to try some new kinds: beans, chews, and beef jerky- hey, Meb does it)
· Foot massage balls
· New running tanks for the heat
· Wall calendar to track workouts, goals, and progress
Tune in next week for my first day back in action! In the meantime, why not let me know what races you're signed up for this year. Or, what fitness goals you have this year! I'd love to hear what you're up to, too!
My first thought: “Can I even do 26.2 miles again?!” You would think after I’ve already done it once, I’d already know I can do it and the confidence thing would be the easy part. But, I gotta say, I still have my doubts. I sometimes wonder what possessed me to enter the lottery for this race back in March. The lottery is basically just luck of the draw, and both Billy and I were lucky enough to get in! Lucky us, we get to pay to run 26.2 miles, right? Don’t forget the “free” T-Shirt. We get that, too. Yay.
Jokes aside, while I am nervous and still mustering up the confidence that I can and will be able to do this Marathon thing again, I am also getting very, very excited. The Baltimore Running Festival was an amazing 1st Marathon experience, and I loved everything about that race. I loved the pride I felt for my city, and the overall excitement of participating in and completing my first Marathon (especially since my family was there and Billy and I got to finish our 1st Marathon together).
As I start mentally preparing for the Marine Corps Marathon, I realize that this race will be special for a whole different set of reasons. It will be such a unique experience to run with service men and women, to see their friends/families cheering for them, and to honor the fallen heroes of our country. This race will definitely be about more than just me and my finish time.
While I start preparing for the 1st week of training, I have set some goals for myself.
#1: Focus on recovery (stretching, heat/ice, soaking, etc)
#2: Work on strengthening (calves, quads, glutes, hips)
#3: Increase speed (at a gradual rate and only during pace runs)
My ultimate goal is to one day qualify for Boston. This will be my 1st race that I will attempt to do that. I hesitate to post this, because it may take me several tries before I qualify, as it is very hard to qualify. My age group is one of the most competitive, making it even more challenging. In order to qualify for the 18-34 age group, I’d have to finish in less than 3 hours and 35 minutes AND be one of the fastest in my age group to enter. Basically, my 1st Marathon I completed in 3:55. So, I have quite some time to cut. Not impossible, but not highly practical either. Wish me luck!
On the shopping list to get ready for training:
· New kicks
· New socks
· Running sunglasses
· Epsom salt
· Fuel (going to try some new kinds: beans, chews, and beef jerky- hey, Meb does it)
· Foot massage balls
· New running tanks for the heat
· Wall calendar to track workouts, goals, and progress
Tune in next week for my first day back in action! In the meantime, why not let me know what races you're signed up for this year. Or, what fitness goals you have this year! I'd love to hear what you're up to, too!