Friday, March 04, 2005
Warmer weather, fat boy, marathon or bust!
I ran my 12KM route last night. The sun was out, the snow melting, temperatures reached 3°C - I ran several minutes faster than normal, 80 minutes.
I was thinking about my marathon(s) again as I was running. I leaning towards just doing one in September and maybe fill in with a couple half's.
I received an e-mail from a new friend that told me her marathon time, it was not what a lot of people would say was fast. I thought about that a lot.
I've been thick (okay fat) almost all my life, with the exception of 8 years in the military (borderline even then). In 2002 I decided to start running (at 110 Kg), I think I ran 100 meters and had to walk, home! I tried it again the next day and promptly gave up for 6 months. But during this time I lost 10 Kg and when I started up again, same 100 meters, I kept going run-walk-run-walk until I could run several kilometers at once.
Today I am down to 76 Kg and have run up to 25 KM at a stretch. My goals this year are to reach 72 Kg and to run my first marathon. I really don't care if I finish in 4:30 (expected time base on half) or 7:00. I just want to finish, I want to feel the feeling that I felt when I finished my first half-marathon, this "feeling great" feeling that I know people feel when they finished their marathon.
I don't think we should worry about things like "times" when we accomplish something for the first time that most people can only dream of. Of course 4:30 would be awesome, and I will try to accomplish this, but if I don't I have already promised myself there will be no negative vibes about it!
Most people in my office kind of gawk in amazement when I say "I ran 12 kilometers last night" for training, and many say "Oh, I could never do that". The same kind of shake their heads in bewilderment when I say I want to run a marathon. They just don't understand!
I was thinking about my marathon(s) again as I was running. I leaning towards just doing one in September and maybe fill in with a couple half's.
I received an e-mail from a new friend that told me her marathon time, it was not what a lot of people would say was fast. I thought about that a lot.
I've been thick (okay fat) almost all my life, with the exception of 8 years in the military (borderline even then). In 2002 I decided to start running (at 110 Kg), I think I ran 100 meters and had to walk, home! I tried it again the next day and promptly gave up for 6 months. But during this time I lost 10 Kg and when I started up again, same 100 meters, I kept going run-walk-run-walk until I could run several kilometers at once.
Today I am down to 76 Kg and have run up to 25 KM at a stretch. My goals this year are to reach 72 Kg and to run my first marathon. I really don't care if I finish in 4:30 (expected time base on half) or 7:00. I just want to finish, I want to feel the feeling that I felt when I finished my first half-marathon, this "feeling great" feeling that I know people feel when they finished their marathon.
I don't think we should worry about things like "times" when we accomplish something for the first time that most people can only dream of. Of course 4:30 would be awesome, and I will try to accomplish this, but if I don't I have already promised myself there will be no negative vibes about it!
Most people in my office kind of gawk in amazement when I say "I ran 12 kilometers last night" for training, and many say "Oh, I could never do that". The same kind of shake their heads in bewilderment when I say I want to run a marathon. They just don't understand!
# posted by Jack : 3:54 PM
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You're right - most people don't understand. But that's okay :-) I have no time goal for my June marathon. My goal is to have a great time - and not get bitten by a snake!
I was in a running clinic with Jeff Galloway a couple of weeks ago. He said basically, once you have trained for (and run) a marathon, you can then pick your "maintenance" level. You could in theory run a marathon every third week, or 18 miles, or drop by to 12. Whatever floats your boat. It's all about what you want and what time you are willing to put into maintaining that level of conditioning.
Hmmm... sounds like pretty good advice to me, I think I'll put that in my boat and roll with it! Thanks for the input!
I got a lot of great stuff out of that running clinic. If you want to e-mail, I'll be glad to share info! Always looking to get others addicted as well mwah ha ha!
I agree with Neca. I have several friends, not quite as slow as me (their times are 6-7hours)who run many marathons in the same year. It is most definitely the mind and positive thinking that will get you through it, even with training.....Dawn
# posted by 
: 9:08 PM
: 9:08 PM
I remember when 3 miles wasa crazy distance for me. Now its become the easy runs. Just 3 miles. Its wild how your perspective changes.
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