Over the past several months, I have been doing a lot of experimenting with how my body works. First with diet and exercise, then with sleep (which is still something my boyfriend and I are fiddling with). I have learned very quickly that my body can do anything I tell it to with proper training and enough food. And that's pretty awesome when you think about it.
It occurred to me some time ago that I have never physically pushed myself. I've gone hiking in the summers and climbed several times, I even tried out aerial silks for the first time this summer. But I haven't really committed myself to any kind of intense training. I haven't been much of an athlete. Sure, I have my workout routine that keeps me in shape (20 minutes cardio, 20 minutes lifting), but I don't often push this awesome machine that is mine.
So, after a few inspirational talks and a blog post from a lovely lady who just completed her first triathlon, I decided that if these people can do it, so can I!
I will be participating in the Lansing Marathon on April 21st, 2013.
Yay! Whoooo! All the feels!
Except it's going to be intense.
But the good kind of intense.
The average training plan for someone who has running experience, but who has never run a marathon is 22 weeks. The average beginner should be running 20 miles/week when they first begin training. That's about 3 miles a day. Along with the actual running, it's crucial to be doing strength exercises to adjust your body's joints and tissues for an intense amount of work. Most of the plans I have read suggest alternating every other day between running and strength training for the first several weeks. Weekends, particularly Saturday, are the long distance days. This is going to be so crazy.
If I start today, 22 weeks puts me at the end of February. This give me an extra six weeks between the end of training and the race to build up my body just a little bit more before the marathon. I'm loving this plan.
The next important thing about training for a marathon is diet. I've asked my friend Alli, the lady I mentioned earlier that completed a triathlon, for some advice as well as looking up a couple of different dieting plans. (By the way, check out Alli's blog post about her triathlon here!) They all said pretty much the same thing: listen to your body. I should be having a lot of protein along with tons of raw veggies and fruits. Whole grains and pasta will definitely help in giving me energy. My basic plan is to eat lightly throughout the day and have a bigger dinner that includes lean meats, eggs, or other sources of protein. As far as weight is concerned, it is expected that I will lose a fair amount just by these plans alone. In reality, the smaller you are, the faster you are.
I'm laying it down right now, as I have in the past when it comes to diet and exercise, that this is NOT about losing weight. This adventure is about strength, speed, and above all else, discipline. Though I don't know specifically how I'm going to be feeling, I know that this is going to be challenging. But I am so ready for it!
So, it's settled. I am training myself to run 26.2 miles in one race. Holy. Monkeys.
Here we go!!
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