Marathon Training Snapshot

I'm ready...

September of 2015 I was running the loop at Cherokee Park and stopped at the top of dog hill. I sent my sister-in-law a text that said, "I think I'm ready." I started my running 2.0 journey A YEAR prior and was already in a rut. I ran the Fall 2014 race series and the Triple Crown in Spring 2015. I managed to run 650 miles for the year (which was a huge accomplishment), but something was missing.  I wasn't getting any better despite the number of races I had completed. Heck, I didn't even know what it meant to "race." 

On January 1, 2016 I announced that I set a goal to run the Derby Festival Marathon. I had no clue what I was in store for and I NEVER in a million years would have imagined that I would have enjoyed my journey as much as I did. I chose the KDF Marathon because of obvious reasons.... 1. I could force highly encourage all of my family and friends to line the course (they didn't disappoint). 2. It's my hometown marathon. 3. I've been inspired so much from handing out oranges for a long as I can remember at this race. 4. Did I mention my friends and family could come?

This was on the wall at Fleet Feet when I signed up for the training group. 

To get started I joined a local training group at Fleet Feet Sports. My sister-in-law trained for her first marathon with a group and I thought it would be a positive move for me to push forward in the mountain I was committing to climb. I adopted my SIL as my personal "coach." She answered any question I had and gave me a huge amount of support. I quickly realized that I had been missing out on being a part of the wonderful running community in Louisville.  A community that welcomes all shapes and sizes and all paces. Looking back now, this sounds so silly, but being a back-of-the-packer was something that made me REALLY anxious. This journey has not only transformed the way I view running, but the also the way I view myself as a runner. I remember signing up and Solomon (training coordinator) said, "It'll be good. It'll be fun." At that moment, I didn't believe him. I was terrified. 

My journey "officially" started January 9th with a six mile run. I walked into the store and was a nervous wreck. I knew I could run 6 miles because I had followed the advice of my SIL and built up a little base. Those 6 miles were lonely. I didn't branch out and I fell right where I thought I would-in the back. It's my own fault. The next week we had a time trial and I ran 2 miles in 19:26. I was SHOCKED! It also gave me a push to be better because I saw I was capable of doing better. Before that run, my brother told me, "You are not running hard unless you feel like you are going to puke." (That advice has stuck with me 6 months later and I used it when I ran a mile time trial last week, but that story is for a different day.) I wasn't going to be able to do this alone-I couldn't continue going to the store and running alone. Luckily my SIL (I guess I could call her Kathy) and her friend (well, my friend too) Brittany encouraged me to branch out. I started talking to people and reaching out through the Facebook group. I quickly found a lot of friends that shared in something that I enjoyed and that shared a common goal.

Basically, the rest is history. No really, Leigh, Ruth, and Kelly quickly became my close-knit running partners, but there was a collection of many more that I could turn to at any time with any question. I saw them 3 to 4 times a week for large chunks of time. We learned what it was like to "race" and push ourselves to new paces and distances. We learned about each others families, careers, what we wanted to eat after our long Saturday runs, and so much more. I learned that I do enjoy running with others.That idea was totally foreign to me and one that I PUSHED away for SO LONG. It's a regret. Yep, I am 100% owning up to a regret. I regret not making any running friends family sooner.  I learned that I can set goals other than to "just finish." I learned that water is oh so good for you (duh!). I learned that a good nights rest is so very important. I learned that if you eat mac-in-cheese (because it sounds like a good spring break treat) that it will make running 8 miles really tough (Ruth got me through that one.) I learned that waking up early on a Saturday morning is therapy-straight up! I learned that running teaches you so much about yourself. Honestly, it's hard to put into words, but running changed me and for that I am thankful. 

Here is my training in a nutshell, because at the rate I'm going....this could quickly get out of control. 

Per the guidance of  Fleet Feet; training consisted of 2 "normal" running days, 1 long run day, 1 type of running workout day, yoga sprinkled in, and I included 1 day of cross-training. We were given a schedule to follow along with some guidance and motivation in a weekly email. Three of our 4 run days were from the stores with routes already made. I definitely enjoyed branching away from my neighborhood. I tracked all of my activity on a calendar and picked a new bit of quotespiration for each month. 

January: 
89 total miles
Long Runs: 5, 6, 8, 10

"Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most." Fleet Feet wall

Our first long run!

February:
117 total miles
Long Runs: 14, 10, 16, 9
14 and 16 were new longest distances!

16 miler photo op! 

Anthem 5K 29:51 (Holy schnikes, a 5K in under 30 minutes. Who am I?)

Sometimes you are proud of what the watch says. #fact

Craiger completed the Triple Crown!

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try!"


March:
130 total miles
Long Runs: 18, 12, 20, 13
18 and 20 were new longest distances!

Seems that all of our long runs in the rain were a prep for the big day!

Rodes City Run 10K 1:03:06 That's definitely a 2.0 journey PR by nearly 5 minutes. Now, I need to chase a 1.0 journey time from 2003 of 58:25. I didn't even know I ran in 2003!
Papa John's 10 Miler 1:44:46 PR of almost 19 minutes from last year, but even better because it even beat my first PJ10M from 2008 of 1:47:01.

"It never gets easier, you just get better!"

10 Miler PR's

Boyce began her 2.0 journey after having a major knee surgery! 

Cutest cheerleader! 

April: 
138 total miles
Long Runs: 22, 18, 12, 10, 26.2!
KDF Marathon 5:34:37 PR!!!! 

Our last taper run took us past the finish line.

We almost blew off the bridge, but this was one of my favorite long runs!

Our 22 miler took us way over to IN.

The Big 4 Bridge became our "friend,"

"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up." Babe Ruth 

The BIG day!

                              
I could not have done this without my sister-in-law putting that little spark (that I wasn't even sure I had) in me. Because of her encouragement I ventured out. Then as I ventured out, I quickly realized I couldn't have done this without SO MANY others from Ruth, Leigh, and Kelly to my students asking me how many miles I have to run, or the weekly text messages from Brittany, or the phone calls from my cousins...I SERIOUSLY cannot name how many of you inspired me to keep working towards my goal. It wasn't easy and it's going to continue to be tough as I set more goals, but it's all about the journey and I am thankful running has become a part of my life journey...again.

                                      

This is what Lacie thought about marathon week. 

xoxo-Kim

Seems that after this reflection, I'm going to need another post of the actual marathon itself. :)