Marathon Training

I did it again - I signed up for another year of marathon training! Big deal, right? I've been doing it for three years! Well this time it is a much bigger deal (to me!) because I signed up as a RUNNER! My goal has always been to run a half marathon and I've run off and on during past halfs but I have never been able to run the full 13.1 miles. I've talked about "becoming" a runner but never fully committed. Until now. I made the commitment and I'm going to do it! I'm scared - very much so! - but I BELIEVE in my ability to do it.  I will have to follow the training schedule one-hundred percent and I'm committed to doing that because I really want to succeed. And, to take it a giant leap forward, I not only signed up for the half marathon training program, I extended it and signed up for the FULL marathon training! I've not dreamt beyond running a half but I'll see what I'm capable of accomplishing! You don't know until you try, right?! I have walked three full marathons and numerous half marathons (not to mention walking 60 miles in three days for three years in a row) but I want MORE... I'm ready to take it a leap further and really start running.

I have made another big change this year too. I'm not signed up with the same program as before but have decided to try a different one. A smaller group and one where I will get more individualized training. I have joined Max Muscle, the Official Training Team of the Vancouver USA Marathon! Trevor and Tracy Bryant, owners of the local Max Muscle store (on Facebook), have helped me for the past three years. Not only have they taught me about fueling my body during walks / marathons, they have always been there with an enormous amount of encouragement and praise. They always make me believe in myself and my own abilities. I love seeing them any time I'm out there training or during an event. They motivate me. I have been a work in progress for a long time, never really getting to the finished product, but it is time (past time, really) to make it all happen. With their training and expertise, I know I can accomplish it. They will provide all the tools - I have to provide the effort! Official training starts January 6th. The Hazel Dell Half Marathon is February 24th (sign up here). The Vancouver USA Marathon is June 16th. Great dates to look forward to!

With so much improvement in such an unbelievably short amount of time because of my spendy custom orthopedic inserts (I got them two weeks ago!), I can finally look ahead again and know that my marathon days are NOT over! I was pretty depressed and discouraged there for awhile because of the ongoing, never ending pain but not anymore! My foot obviously is not completely healed but I am definitely on the road to recovery with many, many more walking/running miles ahead of me!

My back seems to be a sleeping giant again. I never have a backache and the leg (nerve) pain has calmed down quite a bit. I'm no longer taking high doses of Ibuprofen (I refused to take anything stronger!), no longer taking Neurontin (thank goodness... fuzzy head and lack of ability to think were major side effects!), and am not currently getting acupuncture treatments. I really only suffer when I'm in a vehicle, sitting for long periods of time. I've jogged off and on and although it sometimes makes the nerves irritated causing leg pain, it really hasn't become a major issue again.  Keep sleeping, giant, keep sleeping...

I'm healthier and stronger than ever before and I continue to keep my weight under control. OF COURSE I still need to lose the rest of my extra weight (blah, blah, blah... ongoing story of my life!) but that's all part of this "work-in-progress-going-for-the-final-finish-line" goal sitting right in front of me now.

I can do it. I'm going to do it!

Lets go, Bullseye! It's time to run!

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"We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort." ~ Jesse Owens