13.1 X 2 =26.2

I'm baaaaack....

I know, it's been nearly 4 months since I posted last!  Life has been super busy!  The school year ended at full speed.  I think spring and summer time just makes you realize how dirty and unkempt your house is so my house has a million projects going all at once.  More about those things later....

Anyway, remember that New Year's Resolution of running a half marathon?  Well, I DID IT!  It was definitely one of the biggest accomplishments of my life.  Though I run quite often...  Though I truly love running...  Though I think about running all the time...I still don't see myself as a runner.  I never thought in a million years that I could run 13.1 miles.  But, I did.  

Me, running the 500 Festival Mini Marathon in Indianapolis.

That feeling of accomplishment, of doing something I never thought I could do, was extraordinary.  I loved knowing that all my hard work and God's giving me the ability to do this was the reason I crossed that finish line!  And did I mention I did it in 2:03:41?  Not bad for an IT band issue that plagued me since February 13th!!  

Well.....now I need a new goal....a new challenge.  26.2.  It's only double the 13.1.  I felt like death at mile 12.  I injured myself training for 13.1.  But what the heck?  26.2, why not?  

So new goal:  run a marathon.  I have been doing TONS of research on training plans, proper nutrition, stretches, injury prevention, etc.  I found a lot of great blogs with tons of info and inspiration.  But NONE of these bloggers are like me.  They all seem semi-professional.  They all seem like running comes so easily to them.  They all must have tons of time in the world to live, think, eat, breath running.  So I plan to document my non-professional marathon training and experience.  It won't be pretty.  It won't be easy.  It will just be real.  

I adapted my training plan from a friend's training plan for her marathon.  She worked with people at a local running store to develop this plan and one of her major goals was to run it injury free.  My major adaptations included:  1)  Starting at a higher mileage long run, because I was already running 10 miles once a week 

2)  Changing the longest run to 23 miles.  Most training plans that I saw only got to 19.  I just don't think that's enough for me.  I know that I mentally need to get closer to 26.2 than 19.  My boyfriend (a real runner) and I brainstormed and came up with weeks 11-17 based loosely off of other plans.  

Week	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Total
1 6/2	12 mi L	Off	5 mi N Weights	3 mi E Core	Off	4 mi P Weights	5K Race	24.1
2 6/9	14 mi L	Off	6 mi N Weights	3 mi E Core	Off	5 mi P Weights	Swim Core	28
3 6/16	12 mi L	Off	6 mi N Weights	4 mi E Core	Off	6 mi P Weights	Swim Core	28
4 6/23	14 mi L	Off	6 mi N Weights	4 mi E Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	5K Race	34.1
5 6/30	15 mi L	Off	7 mi N Weights	4 mi E Core	Off	7 mi T Weights	Napoleon Tri?/Off	33
6 7/7	16-18 mi L	Off	7 mi N Weights	4 mi E Core	7 mi N Weights	Swim Weights	5K/10K?	40.2-42.2
7 7/14	12-14 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off	26-28
8 7/21	18 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi N Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	5K?	33/36.1
9 7/28	12-14 L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	Off B2TB	28-30
10 8/4	19 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	Off Aaron’s 5K	35
11 8/11	14 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	Off	30
12 8/18	21 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	Off	37
13 8/25	15 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off	30
14 9/1	22 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off	36
15 9/8	16 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off	30
16 9/15	23 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off Tri?	37
17 9/22	23? mi L	Off	Swim	4 mi N	Swim/Off	Off	Fort 4 Fitness ½ Marathon	40.1
18 9/29	Off	3 mi E	Swim	7 mi P Core	Swim/Off	6 mi N Weights	Off	16
19 10/6	15 mi L	Swim	Off	6 mi P Core	Off	5 mi N Weights	Off	26
20 10/13	10 mi L	6 mi Core	Off	3 mi E	2 mi E	Swim?	Off	21
21 10/20	Columbus Marathon

Looks pretty, right?  We will see how it goes....I am on week 2.  

Here's another way I plan to simply update on my real-person marathon training, I will fill in this chart each time I post as a quick reference of how this training is actually going!  

6/12/13	Week 2
Greatest Moment…A real girl’s great moments	This week my long run was 14 miles!!!  That’s the farthest this body has ever run.  Oh, at mile 13 I was starting to get bored.  I do believe I began to sing OUT LOUD.  Your welcome world.
Worst Moment…A real girl’s worst moments…let’s be REAL	HOLY HOTNESS.  I have never run more than 6 miles in temps above 75.  This is new to me.  This stinks.  On my attempted long run on Sunday, I only completed 8 miles before nearly DYING.
Training Schedule…A real girl only has 24 hours and 7 days a week	I am not good with being on time, schedules, rigid-ness.  The schedule is kind of stressing me out.
Injury…A real girl gets injured sometimes…	My right pointer-finger toe (does that make sense?) is bruised under the toenail after my 14 miles.  Step on my feet and I feel as if I am going to die.  Right now, my knees (not just the right, the left too) are feeling a bit stiff….eek.
Nutrition…A girl has gotta eat…	In an attempt to beat the heat, I am trying to wake up early to run.  How on earth do people make it through a long run?  I don’t have enough calories or water in my system…even after eating breakfast!
Problems…A girl has always got problems…	-Staying hydrated on a run -Heat
Insightful Moments…Somewhere on that road a girl has got to have some great ideas	I break up my course into “sections.”  My 14 mile run had 4 sections.  It makes it seem so much easier than 14 miles.
Fashion…A real girl loves to look good while running	Still loving my Brooks Ravenna 4 blue and neon yellow shoes!

Like I said, this is training for a marathon for REAL people. I am not a pro.  I am making this up as I go along.  The goal is to finish the marathon.  I don't need a certain time.  I don't need to PR.  (I just found out what PR means like 2 months ago.)  Just finish.  And maybe find something out about myself along the way.