To Finish What You've Started.

I suppose I was well-intentioned when I originally said that I would document my marathon training through this blog. 

Whoops. 

Well, I guess I'm here now, aren't I? 

I am a month and a half into training for the 2013 Detroit Marathon. I guess I can confidently say things are going okay so far. Except one tumble which left my face looking less than desirable for about 2 weeks. Let's just say I'm glad I don't date ever. I was looking like a hot mess. 

This week has been admittedly rough. I'm feeling especially sore and tired. And I felt dizzy yesterday, which wasn't cool. I drank a ton of water yesterday and today and that's helped a bit. But I have taken it easy these last two days because of it. I've got 12 miles planned for Saturday, so hopefully I can hold myself together until then. 

Mentally, it's been going decent as well. My long runs can get a little lonely and boring towards the end. And sometimes I'm pretty sure no one around me understands why I'm doing this. (Except the hand-full of runners I know). And truthfully, I still feel a little weird about it. 

I feel weird because it's something that not many people do, and goodness knows I never would have seen myself doing. But here I am. 

I was talking to a friend earlier about finding motivators. My motivator is to finish what I started. On October 20th, I want to be able to proudly say, "I ran a marathon today". I really do. 

Next week my training plan calls for 14 miles. That'll be the farthest I've ran. It's only .90 more, but still. I'll be passing up that 13.1 mark, with no medal or crazy crowd waiting for me. And the following week I'll have to do more, unlike the lovely resting week I give myself after the half marathons. 

So here I am, still going at it. Pray for me. Things are about to really pick up and I could really use the support. This mess isn't easy. 

But I guess, in the long run, that's why we do it. 

80% Mental. 40% Physical.

I am three weeks into my marathon training. So far so good.

I'm still not a fan of wind. Breezes I can get down with though. It's beautiful. I purchased a hat that wicks sweat so that's been key in the prevention of sweat in the eyes. One more thing I learned, don't run at a metro park without bug spray. Last Saturday I got attacked by horseflies. Though swatting them away helped me not focus on how much I had to run.

Running is a mental game. Just like in the movie Little Giants (yay childhood!), they said "Football is 80% mental and 40% physical". Though the math doesn't quite add up. It makes perfect sense with running. My mind goes a million miles a minute when I'm running. The constant, "I'm tired". "I have to run THAT many more miles". "I could stop..." It's a constant battle. I wonder if I'm the only runner who does that. And yes, I am referring to myself as a runner. I think I deserve it.

My longest long run thus far has been six miles. It felt so good when I got done. My knee hurt later, once the endorphins wore off, but still. Tomorrow I have to run seven miles. What's one more?? That's my new philosophy for my long runs, "What's one more?"

I talk to God a lot when I'm running. I know He's the only reason I have to strength and ability to actually accomplish this mess. I am essentially breaking myself down mentally and physically and it's putting me in a nice and vulnerable place to be able to talk to God. It's pretty great. I praise Him for giving me the strength and motivation to try and accomplish this goal. And I plead with Him to take the fatigue and horseflies away. It's one of those things where you can never ask God for something too little. I know we forget that sometimes. That God is there for the day-to-day things as well.

God's so big, He's even in the little things.

Well that's my running update so far. I want to post something just for lady runners, but y'all will be sufficiently warned beforehard. :)

God Bless you all. And happy running.