Friday was a run day but my legs were still sore (from the bike ride and the running and swimming I had done Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday), I didn’t want to go, and I wondered as I headed out the door why oh why am I doing this? Enter stinkin’ thinkin’ …. if I feel like this on my second day of training how will I make it? I just kept going and ran the 4 miles I had committed to when I started out but as I live and breath every step of that run felt like the last 4 miles of a marathon. I was hurting.
Result:
Friday’s Run (avg pace 11:34)
mile 1 – 10:30
mile 2 – 10:57
mile 3 – 11:04
mile 4 – 11:27
mile 5 – 11:47
That didn’t make me happy but then again, I did it. It still left me wondering why. Why, why, why do I subject myself to this pain? I’m not sure I really know but I think it is because if I don’t have a goal that is just a little out of reach I will just putz along or maybe not work out at all and be a slacker. I’m not quite sure,Saturday I took a rest day. My legs were still sore and I had to go on a marathon shopping spree with my daughter because her Senior Ball is coming up and we need to find The Best Dress EVER! I also felt like I was coming down with a cold. So, grumpy and tired we hit the boutiques and came up empty handed. Oh well… tomorrow is another day, I thought. I also thought it might be nice to rest one more day but then I would be sabotaging my training plan even more than I already had.
| The Plan | The Reality | |
| Mon | Rest | Rest |
| Tues | Run 5 Miles | Run 4 Miles |
| Wed | Swim | Swim |
| Thurs | Run 5 Miles | Rest |
| Fri | Rest | Run 5 miles |
| Sat | Run 5 miles | Rest |
So see, I didn’t have much of choice but to run Sunday because The Plan called for an easy run (no distance specified). This morning I was sort of hoping to wake up too sore and too sick to run but no such luck. Nope – I felt fine. After reading a.maria’s excellent post on pacing I decided to try really hard to do the same and aim for more even splits. By the time I got out it was looking very dark and rainy but what the heck? I figured I would just head out for a 6 mile run and if I needed to turn back due to pain or rain I’d do it. It rained, I ran.
Result:
Sunday’s Run (avg pace 10:48)
mile 1 – 10:18
mile 2 – 10:33
mile 3 – 10:49
mile 4 – 11:32
mile 5 – 10:54
mile 6 – 11:19
Booyah! My times look better, I made it and I don’t feel sorry for myself any more. Oh happy day. My buns are sore but that’s to be expected, right?
The Plan for this week:
Sunday Run 6 miles (done!)
Monday Swim (done!)
Tuesday Yassos unless it is raining and if so I will go to the pool so I can sneak into the gym and use the treadmill)
Wednesday Swim
Thursday 6 miles easy
Friday REST!
Saturday x-training/strength training (bike? maybe)
So tell me what it is that motivates you to train for a marathon or if you aren’t training for a marathon what gets you out the door and on the road or the trail? Maybe someone will write something that makes me say YES! That’s why I do this because really, I’m just not sure
21st-century-mom.com 
Well I was going to write about the Prom at my house but you want to know what drives me out to run. Well, it usually boils down to how good I feel afterwards. It takes a target race and a training plam to keep me running regularly. Training for a marathon was a mental decision, 100%. It kept me focused and distracted at the same time.
I was gonna say so that I can eat, but then David went and wrote something real…It’s for the accomplishment. Pushing myself, accomplishing something that I never in a 100 years thought I’d be able to do…makes me feel good about myself. (Does that make me shallow??)Plus, honestly? When I run long and hard (hard for me), I am just not as anxiety-ridden as I am when I slack. So, it’s really cheap psychotherapy.
p.s. Great runs!! sometimes you really need to ease up on yourself. (I think. cuz I’m such an expert.)
I wish I could offer you something in relation to your question about motivation…the only thing I can say, though, is that you impress the hell out of me!
I originally started running to lose weight, I figured if I could run a marathon I’d be pencil thin – but 2 years and 3 marathons later – I weigh exactly the same. So now, it’s just the feeling after – the “I did it”.
After a “positive split” a great run and a good plan for this week.
I commend your progress! I have no motivation. I suck.
YAYYY even pace!! i’ve got a half-marathon this weekend and i’m gunna try to do the same.um. but a minute slower than you, cuz hi, i dont run that fast!GOOD JOB!as for why i run… i don’t know. i ask myself the same thing all the time. but the thing of it is, other than it just being hard… i don’t have a reason for why NOT to run either, ya know?plus, i’m a young’n… i have a lot to learn about myself, and my place in life. running for me is just such an amazing metaphor to life… i’ve learned a lot about myself, what i am capable of, what i’m willing to work for, and it truly does transfer over to what i want out of life.i dunno though. i think as you run the reasons WHY will just reveal themselves to you, when you’re ready. ya know?