I'm not a fast runner. Never have been and probably never will be, and that's ok. Realizing that, I have made goals centered around going farther rather than faster.
This spring I ran two challenging half marathons in three weeks [ this one and this one ] and survived. So it seems logical, to me anyway, to up the ante and take the next step - run a marathon.
I did a little reading and settled on Higdon's Intermediate I Marathon plan mostly because it's pretty straight forward. I don't have to keep track of intervals, etc.
I did make a couple of minor changes though.
(1) I only run 4 days/week because historically my legs start to break down if I run more than that. So I dropped one of the lesser distance weekday runs and replaced it with cross training [swimming, yoga or pilates; I haven't dusted off the bike yet].
(2) My long runs are on Saturdays only because that's what works with our schedule.
Having a plan is a good first step. Another good thing to do is pick a race. Those who know me know that I don't like big crowds or a lot of flash and bling. I also like to help folks and support good causes. This means I tend to look for races that benefit non-profits or causes I can whole-heartedly support...in addition to fitting my tight budget and tighter schedule.
Without further ado.... Marathon #1 is Freedom's Run on October 13th in Shepherdstown, WV. This is a relatively challenging race because the first half is on the towpath which is flat and boring; the second half takes you through Antietam Battlefield which is quite hilly.
Marathon #2 scheduled for 3 months later on December 1st is the First Descents Marathon. Flat as a pancake and next to the ocean in December. This race should be easy - but - being next to the ocean could make it very windy with a good chance of rain or even snow.
This post is long enough so I'll tell you later why I chose 2 races relatively close together.
And I hate to have a post without pictures so I'll part with this little gem. We went to a Frederick Keys game last night so we could see Cowboy Monkeys herd rams into a pen. No, I'm not kidding.
I thought it was a little weird, but you can judge for yourself...
picture swiped from the Keys site
4 comments:
Congrats on your marathon decisions! Where does the second marathon take place - I went to the link but couldn't seem to find the state. Just curious.
Very exciting and a good plan of action to make the marathon training work for you!
The second one is in DE at Cape Henlopen State Park.
My MIL lives near Denton so it would be a relatively short drive for me from there.
That's exciting, Freedom's Run is a great one, I loved that one for my first (and thinking maybe doing it again this year!).
This is so exciting! This brought a huge smile to my face.
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