Running and I weren't always friends. My only reason for signing up for cross country in high school was because I thought the guys were cute. I wasn't particularly good at running. I cried after my very first race because "it hurt so bad." My mom thought that I would never run again. Little did she know that I would do it all over again and again. Well, whatever the motivation, I started to like running. I realized that when I worked at it, I actually got better. I was never great in high school, but I did manage to be the captain of the varsity girls cross country team.
I stopped running in college. I'd do it on occasion, but never seriously picked it up again. In law school I realized that all my partying days in college and some in law school had taken their toll on me and I had gained weight that I wasn't happy about. I figured I'd run before, so why not try it again? I didn't do it exclusively. I joined a gym and did work out classes too. My 3rd year of law school I lost ten pounds. I knew running would help me keep that weight off.
When I moved to Atlanta I started running again to maintain weight loss and had the idea to sign up for a race as motivation. My "first" race was May 9, 2009 - Race for the Cure 5k. I realized how much I missed running and from then on I ran almost 1 race a month throughout 2009. I also ran my first Peachtree Road Race (always a goal of mine). After that 10k I knew I had to do a half marathon. I signed up and trained hard and finished my first half Marathon in October 2009 with a time of 1:59. I teared up at the end of the race and thought I was going to pass out when it was over. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Although it was tough I knew it wouldn't be my last time running 13.1. I signed up for another half marathon and ran it in March of 2010 finishing with a time of 2:03. This time I didn't cry and actually finished with a smile on my face.
I haven't been running that consistently since March. I started running again in May after my second half Marathon. I ran my second Peachtree in July. Running sort of took a back seat though because I played tennis this past summer and fall. I have had a mixed allegiance and most of my time was spent playing tennis rather than running. I love tennis, but running is something I have really been missing these last couple of months. I ran throughout the fall off and on as I could, but I wasn't super motivated. I was lacking inspiration. I follow several running blogs and many of the bloggers were running Marathons the month of October. As they blogged about all of their Marathon experiences I couldn't stand it any longer. I had always wanted to run a marathon, but I was always so scared. 26.2 miles- are you serious? That is twice as long as I had ever run. As I read about these girls experiences, I knew that I could do it too. A few days later, the rock n roll series was having a promotion for 20$ off any marathon. That was enough for me.
That day I signed up for the Nashville Country Music Marathon. I wanted something out of town, but still close enough for me to drive to. Also, I wanted something in the spring. I couldn't possibly wait till next fall and I wouldn't be ready this winter - and who would punish themselves by running a marathon in the summer? So there I was and I decided Nashville was it. A great place for my first. I know people sometimes go to big cities like NYC or Chicago, but what is I absolutely hate it? Then I have spent all of the this money and flown somewhere to finish a marathon? Just doesn't seem worth it to me. If I love it, or want to do it again, then a big city is next on the list, but for now Nashville will work just fine. Also, the plus is that my parents will be able to come. They really enjoy coming to my races and I can't imagine running my first marathon without my mom seeing it happen.
So here I am, getting ready for a marathon. A marathon -- people!! I still can't believe it. I've had success with Hal Higdon, so I am sticking with his training schedule. I am base training now and start official marathon training in early December. Base training consists of 3-4 mile runs several times a week. That gives you a good start to marathon train. The marathon training schedule is 18 weeks long and consists of 4-5 days a week of running with one long run per week. My longest long run is 20 miles. The extra 6 miler on race day will be intense, but I know I'll make it!
Thanks for checking out my blog and following me on this journey! After the end of this I will be able to check a life goal off my list and I'll be able to say that I have run a marathon! SO excited.