I am a full month into my marathon training. I am using a schedule written by a running legend, Hal Hidegon. I am choosing the Intermediate I training plan because though this is my first marathon, on advice from my mom, I want to slightly increase my mileage from the bare minimum.
So far I am doing better than I expected. I’m not exactly sure what I thought marathon training would be like but I didn’t expect it to be this…easy (knock on wood). It’s more about putting in the time than anything else. The increase in mileage and intensity is really forcing me to watch what I eat. I made the mistake of making a batch of Tea Cakes earlier in the week and I felt like a Tea Cake during my subsequent runs. Note to self: only good-for-me foods allowed!
I am pushing Bob, our jogging stroller, on all my runs except the long runs on Sunday. Every Sunday we go to my parents house, they watch Evie and I enjoy a stroller-free run. I LOVE Bob (a BOB Revolution, hence the name) and would highly recommend it to anyone
(totally worth the rather steep price) but any run without Bob is world’s easier than even the shortest runs with him. There’s just something about pushing a 20 pound baby in a 25 pound stroller that adds an extra level of difficulty to something as simple as running.
I am beginning to experience a little joint achiness after each run but I am running more miles than I have ever ran before. Weekly and sometimes semi-weekly visits to the chiropractor are helping me stay shin splint and hip pain free.
My weekly mileage is up to 30 but I’m headed to 44. The most difficult miles of the week are the “plus” miles – those extra miles tagged onto the end of my long runs that make them longer than the long run the week before. Exhaustion, body aches and boredom all make those the most grueling miles of the week.
Last week my long run was 12 miles…it took 2 hours. Two hours is a long time to think about…everything. Sometimes I think about the upcoming week, sometimes I do math in my head, sometimes I think about my grocery list. I always enjoy the peace and quiet around my parents house but I’ve GOT to find another route…the 1.5 mile out-and-back that I’ve been running is starting to get old. Jason has started calling them “country miles”, he says it doesn’t seem as far if you talk about it like that. 8 country miles vs. 12 actual miles. I suppose he’s right. BUT…
…my longest run is scheduled to be 22 miles…that’s 14.5 country miles…no matter how you say it, that’s a lot.