Ready or Not - Last Marathon Training Update!
This is the last update before the marathon because I will be running it in two weeks!
If you’ve missed my running saga, here’s a quick recap.
Back in February Mitch decided that he was going to run a marathon. It’s been a bucket list goal for me, as well, but I’ve tried to train for one a few times in the past and always got injured. Since he decided that he was going to do one, I couldn’t not do one. Now is the time! And so, I started running immediately. I didn’t do any wild and crazy runs. I started out running 20 minutes a few times a week and then I built up from there, officially starting a training program in March.
Around the same time that training officially started was when I started to experience ankle pain. I didn’t know what it was but I took the best and most responsible approach and acted like it wasn’t there at all.
That didn’t work too well so I panicked purchased some new running shoes in hopes that the pain would resolve itself with some extra support.
Nope.
And so, April 30 was my last run. It was a 7 miler that took me wayyyyy longer than it should have because I was in so much pain. That’s when I knew that running was done for a bit.
I hoped to take off a week or two and be back at it, which is hilarious because it took almost 2 full months to get back to running.
During the off time I still trained with strength training sessions and biking. I biked double what my running miles were and tried to hit as many hills as possible. I know that it’s not nearly the same, but it was the best I knew how to do at the time. At the end of June I started incorporating some sprints into my training once a week. Afterwards my ankle would hurt for a day or two and then be okay. Last week I decided to run and see how far I could make it. I was at the beach and I ended up doing 3 miles, a sprint workout in the sand, and then 3 more miles which had me at almost 7 miles. Compared to a marathon, that’s not much at all. But compared to what I did do the past 2 months, I will take it. That momentum from running those miles had me out there getting it yesterday too. I ran 5 miles and debated going further but decided against it because I didn’t want to push myself too much. I would rather conserve for marathon day than to tweak something now.
Seeing that with each passing day we are getting closer and closer to the marathon, I am getting more and more nervous while also feeling very unprepared. I rationalized with myself that I don’t think I’ll ever be someone who feels prepared for this. This is a big deal and it’s not something I am going to continue to pursue after this is over. So even if I did each training session perfectly, I still think I would feel unprepared.
Another fear is that I will be way too slow. I go into these “what if” scenarios where I am the slowest person and everyone leaves before I finish or something. To combat this I looked up a few marathons I know of and looked at peoples time. Seeing that it took a lot of people a long time to complete them eased by fear. I have a rough goal idea of what time I’d like to finish, but in general I’m not going out there to win any medals. And my goal time is still well below some of the slower times I saw. When it comes down to it though I’m just looking to complete the miles and if it takes me as long as some of those last place finishers, then so be it because they are still finishers.
I’m still planning on running over the next two weeks. I’m not going to head out for a 20 miler or anything, but I am going to keep as consistent as my ankle allows. I’m also going to practice presence as much as possible. Instead of worrying about a chunk of hours on a Saturday morning, I am going to do my best to keep calm. In the grand scheme of things the run is a very short amount of time. I’m sure that it won’t feel that way in the moment of running it, but leading up to it this is the mindset I am choosing to focus on to keep myself as centered and calm as possible.
One last thing is mindset work. Visualizing myself running and finishing the marathon healthy. Mind over matter for this circumstance, big time!
That’s where I’m at.
Send some good vibes my way on July 22nd. They will be so needed and appreciated! Looking forward to sharing another update in 3 weeks once I check off that box!
