The Marathon Journey

27 08 2012

Training for a marathon is a journey. A very different one for each and every one of us who decide to register for 26.2 miles. My journey has been full of ups and downs as I already wrote about. The Lakefront Marathon is six weeks away. That’s not far at all. I registered in February. That seems like a million years ago.

I had some simple goals this time around like have fun and don’t get injured. I am very excited that I have not sustained any injuries or visited an orthopedic doctor in a long time. This is big people. What has happened is I am not having fun. I’m getting increasingly worried that marathon training is going to make me hate running. And while I know a lot of the shitty runs I had this summer were weather related, but that doesn’t change how demoralizing they were.

I do not doubt my ability one bit to finish the Lakefront Marathon, what I doubt is my desire to do it. And there is no way I will be able to run 26.2 miles on October 7th if I don’t want to be doing it. Two Saturday’s ago I ran through Madison on my way to another half marathon finish. Of course I somehow managed to get the summer plague (or just a cold) the day before the race and wasn’t able to have the race I wanted, I did still finish. I remembered how much I enjoy racing the half marathon.

This weekend is my first scheduled 20 miler and I will not be running it.

My marathon journey has come to an end.

I will not be running the Lakefront Marathon this October.

And I’m okay with that.


Comments : 6 Comments »
Tags: , , , ,
Categories : Just Me, races, Training

The emotions of marathon training

6 08 2012

I had one of those terrible horrible make you question why train for marathon runs this weekend. I know those are bound to happen. I know it’s the weather, but it is so defeating. I was mad. I was upset. I wanted to get to my planned mileage. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. It just wasn’t going to happen.

Now I expected there to be ups and downs during my marathon training. That is bound to happen. This is the third time I have trained for a marathon. I kind of know what to expect. I also know to expect the unexpected and that so much is out of my control. But I wanted this to be different. I foolishly thought it would be easier. I have no idea why, but I thought it was going to be. I have the experience of having run a marathon and having not made it to the starting line. I know the good and the bad. That doesn’t make it any easier. Not even a little bit. I wanted this to go smoothly.

I was supposed to be training with Sara, but it’s summer and life happens. We are both really busy. We still get to do a lot of out weekday runs together, but we have barely been able to match up any of our long runs. We did have one totally amazing run on what can only be described as a magical day. It wasn’t hot, it wasn’t humid, it was actually nice running weather. I want that all the time. I know that’s unrealistic, but it’s what I want.

I never expected the summer from hell. I know summer running isn’t easy, but this is horrendous. It’s killing my spirit and my desire to run. But I am not ready to give up. I still want to run the 26.2 miles. I still want to cross the finish line. I still want to do it all. I want to do the 20 mile training runs. I am prepared for the ups and downs that will come over the next few months. And on October 7 I will toe the start line with Sara by my side and we will both cross the finish line with smiles on our faces.


Comments : 9 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Categories : Training

Running Break

12 07 2012

I’ve been pretty much training consistently since November 2011. A few weeks ago my coach threw out the idea of a break. I immediately responded with the dates I was going to be in Phoenix knowing full well I had zero desire to run there. Lows of 87, highs of 111. It was hot to say the least. Little did I know that Milwaukee would get blasted with a disgusting heat wave right before I left.

I live in Wisconsin. I train in Wisconsin. I do not like running in heat. I would rather run at 30 degrees than 80. I like snow running. I like a cool breeze on a fall day. I am not meant to run in the heat. I was fairly convinced another summer running in DC would have killed me. That was gross. When it is 80 and 81% humidity at 5:00am I know there is no hope for the day. Some days (run date with Sara days) I can drag myself out of bed and run in that crap. Do I want to? No. But will I want to run when it’s 97 degrees after work? Hell no.

Let’s just say this vacation came at a good time. I needed the break I was close to burnout and running wasn’t fun. Instead of running I floated in the pool, drank beer, ate, drank margaritas, floated in the pool, drank wine. It was rough.

And there was my cousin’s wedding so I did have to get dressed up, but then there was more food and drinks.

Blue Marriage-rita

image

I caught the bouquet.

I come from a large extended family and now that we are all grown up we don’t get to spend a week in the summer on a lake together. Weddings seem to be the only time we do get to hang out. I love getting to see my cousins. We may have grown up 1500 miles apart, but we spent time together every single summer. That being said, we have lots to catch up on when we see each other ever year or so now. People are married. They have kids. They bought houses. They have careers. We decided that next summer we need a cousin get together. I would call it a Hill Cousins Gathering, but too many of them no longer or never had that last name. So watch out for next summer when we choose a lake house and play for a week. Just like our childhood, except no parents and booze.

All in all, the break was awesome and much needed. I came back this week and have run all three runs so far including my speed work. I’m hoping I can build off this and quick marathon training ass.


Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : Just Me, Training

June in Review

1 07 2012

Another month gone. And we are suddenly halfway through the year. I am generally happy with where my running is. This was busy month with some serious motivational issues for me. I still can’t really say what it was, but I had 9 mile week. I don’t really want to dwell on that anymore.

Total Mileage: 109
Miles with Sara: 69
Total Miles to date: 638
Longest Run: 15.86 miles of hot, humid, miserableness – longest run since August 2010
Races: Ragnar Chicago; Bacon Race – 1st in my age group!; Rock’N'Sole Half Marathon

And in the midst of all of this I closed on my new house and moved. Buying a house is probably the most grown up thing I have done. A huge thanks to my parents who helped me with the move. Thankfully this move was 800 times less stressful than the last. I love my house.

I am now marathon training. It’s not a question anymore. October is only 3 months away. I foresee some mental freakouts before I get to the start line. But I have my coach and Sara to talk me down. My remaining race schedule is much more reasonable than the early part of the year.

July brings a trip to Phoenix (ew 112 degree forecast); my brother coming home!; the Big Ten 10K with my fave race buddies, Mo and Kelsey; and some long distance runs that I need to mentally prepare for.


Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Categories : friends, races

Marathon Training: The Beginning

6 06 2012

Remember when I signed up for the Lakefront Marathon back in February? So it’s been a few months and while I know it’s out there I haven’t really thought about marathon training. Well that’s not completely true. I have thought about it, but not in the sense that it should start soon. Then Kelsey had to go and tell me it is in 18 weeks. And then Mo blogged about it too. Stupid friends. I was happily living in my own world.

The good news: I have a ridiculous base to go into marathon training with this time. I have run 25-30 miles a week almost every week since November. The only month under 100 miles since October was January. I run 12-14 miles on any given weekend.

The bad news: I have never successfully trained for a marathon. Yes, I have completed one, but I got injured, never ran my 20 mile training run and had to completely change my goals

The good news: I am a strong and smarter runner now. I am not training alone or blindly. In addition to having a running coach I have Sara. Running with Sara is fantastic. I know I have gone on and on about this, but I never truly understood how helpful it is to have a running buddy so well matched to your own abilities.

So in essence I’m not exactly sure when “official” marathon training starts, but it’s going to happen and I am going to be ready for it.


Comments : 5 Comments »
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : Training

I’m running another Marathon

4 02 2012

I did it. I registered for the 2012 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. I will be running 26.2 miles again. It’s been awhile. My one and only marathon was the Philadelphia Marathon in 2009. I had no idea what I was doing then. I had run my first half marathon only 4 months prior. I bought a book (I did do some research) and followed the intermediate plan. I finished, which is really the only thing that matters in your first marathon. I finished within my B goal which was set after I injured myself and had to stop running four weeks out from the marathon. I was very happy with how it went. I am pretty sure I cried when I crossed the finish line. Running a marathon is not something I ever thought I would do once and I did it. I ran 26.2 miles and while I know no one can ever take that away from me I want to do it again.

I want to prove to myself that I can train for 26.2 and not get injured. While I want to ignore 2010 completely and block out the disaster that was training for the Chicago Marathon, I can’t. I have to remember how I over did it. I have to remember what happens when you run through the type of pain that you shouldn’t run through. I will not dwell on the emotional roller coaster I went through, but I will learn from my mistakes.

This time I will run it with friends. With people I know I can run races with. Friends I love running with. I will train in the city I will race in. I will get to train with lots of other people training for the same race. I will be able to do the training runs in Milwaukee. I don’t have a time goal this far out. I am sure we will come up with one as we get closer. For all three of us it will be getting through those late miles that haunt us from past marathons. I will not let marathon training take over my life. I do look forward to post long run naps because those rock. I will not be afraid of those 16+ mile runs. I know I can do it.

On October 7, 2012 Maureen, Sara and I will cross the finish line, together. And it will be awesome.


Comments : 12 Comments »
Tags: , , , ,
Categories : friends, Just Me, races, Training