Let’s start this post with the positive — today’s weather? AMAZING. When I met my group (@ 4:50) it was 62 degrees. When I got home it was 58. It felt SO NICE to run to the first water stop without having to wring out my clothes.
{So happy to be done — and not super sweaty!!!}
The negative? I did 20 minutes of sprints/hills on the treadmill yesterday – and I regretted it today.
My legs were SORE (despite stretching and foam rolling). I made it through 11.25 miles with my group at a 10:00/mile pace (and wasn’t the slowest!), but it definitely wasn’t easy, like it should have been considering the gorgeous weather!
That said — you really DO get what you give. Running long distances is not natural for me. I have to really work at it and I have NOT been working at it lately. I’ve been phoning it in. Well, as much as you can phone in running. And today just proved it to me.
I’m (generally) not worried about speed in Savannah. I just want to finish and finish strong. My biggest fear is not that 100 million things will go wrong or that I will get a DNF, but I won’t enjoy the experience. Now, I KNOW I won’t be loving life after I finish, but if someone asked me if I would ever run another full marathon again – I want that answer to be yes.
I have IMMENSELY enjoyed (most) of my marathon training (these past 2 weeks aside). I especially love the long runs. I love feeling like a badass after 18-20 miles. I want to do this again. I think. And I want to WANT to do this again.
I just have to keep giving to get there.
What scares you most about new challenges? It is the challenge or the risk of failure? It’s definitely the latter for me.
I absolutely love that last one!
I know — so awesome, and SO TRUE.
I generally don’t care about failure one bit. But, just starting a challenge can seem overwhelming to me.
To be honest, that surprises me!! Not that it’s a bad thing – I wish that I didn’t fear failure as much as I do.
Great post. I can’t say I’ve enjoyed the journey, but it has been interesting. It makes you learn a lot about yourself. What I have really learned is the difference in “I can’t” and “I don’t want to.” I run my first marathon in less than 7 days. I’m not in as good of shape as I could have been. But I do know this…I will finish!
I can’t believe your marathon is NEXT WEEK!! You are going to do awesome. Just relax and have fun. Because you know there is a lot of relaxing when you are running 26 miles. Am I right????
You will definitely finish – and I can’t wait to read about it!
As a person who just ran her first mile EVER in April and being rather slack on consistently running, I’m terrified I will dissapoint myself in my 10k this month. Not that I won’t finish (because I will) and not that I want to run the whole way (because I probably won’t) but because I might not be proud of myself when I finish. Like you, I want to finish strong… And I’m just a little worried I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.
I think you have the right attitude going in and that attitude will always be 99% of how you feel and think. I know you are going to be so proud of the accomplishment that you will definitely do it again!!
I often read this blog but have not commented before. You definitly have the right attitude here I wish you luck with the running but wanted to share my favourate quote of the moment (which is why I am commenting!) “worry is a mis-use of the imagination”!
Thanks for this, gave me a little encouragement. I haven’t been motivated at all to run lately, I think I trained for too long cause I’m tired & ready to be done!
One of my favorite songs!!! (you knew that right?) The weather has been much cooler here too but you know what? I kinda miss the hot. I guess I was used to it.