Things I should have done better in my first marathon training program: Things I should pay better attention to in my next marathon training program: 1) Don't skip so many long runs. I only ran 20 miles one time instead of the 3 times that Pfitz had planned for me. I also skipped an 18 and maybe a couple of the 17's also. Only one of these was due to injury (the glass foot week). The rest were because I somehow found an excuse to not do it. 2) Don't try to run more than 45 miles a week until my body is better prepared. I knew going into the 55 mpw (peak) plan that I was being overly ambitious. I knew I would have to cut out some recovery runs to keep the mileage down. However, I'm bull headed and still had to run a couple 50 mile weeks - probably just so I could say I did. 3) Don't smoke. I know this obvious to those of you on the outside looking in. But when I was just "sneaking" one or two - here and there. I thought I could get away with it and put them down again. I was wrong. My training suffered for it. Both in not able to give what I wanted and using it as a crutch/excuse to skip runs. 4) Don't overeat. I had planned, silently, to lose another 5-10 pounds while doing the training plan. I thought, "I've already lost 25". Losing another 5-10 should be easy with all these miles. Wrong again. It's too easy, for me anyway, to pile on the calories with the excuse of "carb-loading". I'm down 5 pounds already since the marathon and really want to get to or below 185 before Cowtown (that's 10 more pounds for those of you out in TV land). 5) Don't skip the MP runs Pfitz doesn't put many MP runs into the plans. My upcoming 12 week plan only has one for example. I think my 18 week one also only had one. I had good reasons for skipping it last time. I just didn't have the gas that day and it was hot. Next time, I need to try a hell of a lot harder to get it done. If I can't do it when prescribed, then I need to reschedule it. I think the MP run would have been a good confidence booster while teaching my body what marathon pace feels like. It's also pretty close to an extra tempo run - which would be a good thing. Again - I'm not down in the dumps about any of this. Just being realistic about some negatives/mistakes/poor choices (whatever you want to call them) I made during training. I hope the act of me writing them down helps me to not make them (or at least as many) again next time. On the positive side of things, I learned a hell of lot. About training for a long distance running event. About my body. About eating healthier. About muscles that can be painful - that I never imagined I had. Etc. Etc. I'm still sitting on a 25 pound loss. I've run over 950 miles this year. And in early February of this year - I was a slug on the couch. I also didn't smoke - for 6 months of the year. So all in all a fantastic year. Thanks for reading, if you made it to here. And please, someone remind me to read this again if I start slipping in my training for the next marathon!
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
Has been
"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, 'In this world, Elwood, you must be' - she always called me Elwood - 'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant."
Jennifer mm#1231
Speed my steps along your path, according to your will.
Chicago winter running
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...Don't listen to anyone else about what you should do if it goes against your experience. In terms of clothing (I ran my PR in a cotton shirt b/c I'd done my long runs in it and considered it "lucky"), training, eating- if it's worked for you on your long runs, you'll be fine for the marathon. ... I like that phrase, "Trust your training, Respect the distance." But also, don't (as I think of it) "run the race twice". If you're obsessing about every mile, you'll be mentally tired heading into it, already expecting the fatigue. Make your number one goal finishing so that you're still happy at the end of the race, regardless of your time or goals. Its always a great accomplishment to finish!
San Francisco - 7/29/12
Warrior Dash Ohio II - 8/26/12
Chicago - 10/7/12
Michelle
... I learned that the human body is gross - montly issues and tummy troubles at mile 10.
You're funny Runner 67 ha ha- (read your About Me section). Thanks for the laugh!
You know, I just don't think I could deal with being a woman.