Just Like Starting Over

Four months to the race!  This week was the first official week of my marathon training.  All the running I've done up to this point has been what I would like to call my psych up phase.  This is the real deal now.

The last time I trained I used a training schedule called The Non-Runners Marathon Trainer (TNRMT) which I highly recommend for first time marathoners.  It of course has a training regimen but it also tons of information about running and how your body will react to it, psychological techniques to training and nutritional information.  My Aunt Margaret used it when she trained for her race and recommended it to my dad who recommended it to me, and my husband and my brother and my brother-in-law.  Suffice it to say it is highly recommended by our family.

In my quest to improve my race time I've acquired another training book that I've decided to use this time around.  It's called 4 Months to a 4 Hour Marathon.  It has training regimens for a 4-hour, 4:15, 4:30 and 4:45 hour marathon.  I'm shooting for 4:30 for my race in Nashville.  However, I'm not as impressed with this book.  Sure it talks about what to eat and wear but it doesn't include the all important mental aspect of running the race.  So I've decided to reference TNRMT throughout my training.

I must admit my first week of training did not go off without a hitch.  The training schedule is as follows: Monday - run, Tuesday - cross train, Wednesday - speed training, Thursday - run or cross train, Friday - rest, Saturday - long run, Sunday - rest.  I got everything in...just not on the scheduled days.  As a mommy I have responsibilities to my son.  He always comes first.  Linus did not feel well this week and fitting training in proved to be a challenge.  But like I said I got it all in.  And I can feel it.

I'm trying to be careful not to fall into the trap of saying I couldn't run because Linus this...or Linus that.  I guess the blog will help me avoid that.  I encourage my readers to take me to task if I start to use my baby as an excuse rather than an inspiration.

The first week of training is the hardest in my opinion.  Even though the mileage this week is only higher than the taper down weeks it is extremely difficult to get back into the swing of things physically and mentally.  At several points during the week I thought to myself "What have I gotten myself into?" and "I'm never going to be able to do this again!" But the first week is hard.  It was hard when I trained for Delaware and it's going to be hard this time too.  My body hurts because it is trying to makes itself stronger for the next week, and the next and finally the race.  I forgot how hard the first week is because it's more pleasant to think about how good I felt in week 10 when I was cruising along thinking how much I like running 15 miles at a time.  I know the last sentence sounds crazy but I promise that really happens!

This is a week that I definitely needed my dad to encourage me.  It's weeks like these that I really miss him.