Hellooooo to a new marathon training season. A new season of double digit runs through slush, ice, and wind, and a new season of interval workouts on a ‘lil 200 meter track. Doesn’t sound awesome right? But of course, like a lot of things, the good still manages to outweigh the bad.
I ran my first marathon in May last year, and it was one of the biggest accomplishments of my life. I honestly couldn’t believe that I’d been able to set my mind to something so huge and push myself to work for it all on my own, without motivation from a training group or anything of the sort. Just me, myself, and hundreds of miles. I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world though. Having to be my own source of motivation ended up being a real test of my dedication and self discipline. It might sound good in theory, but when that 8 a.m. alarm goes off on a Sunday morning telling you it’s time to get out in the cold and run for a few hours…it feels nearly impossible.
Training through a Vermont winter was far from ideal, but the second time around I feel like I have a better idea of what I’m in for. There seems to be a couple of keys to getting out there and getting it done, and that’s 1. scheduling and 2. being flexible. I’m lucky that this semester I have a class schedule that allows for me to get my workout done before lunch rolls around every day (because let’s be honest, the later it gets, the less likely I am to get it done). Designating a certain time to get my runs in really helps me hold myself accountable and be honest with myself. While scheduling helps to get me in a routine, I’ve found that it’s also important to be flexible – and to be able to make changes based on things like snow…lots and lots of snow. When I started training my first time last year I was determined to do everything exactly how my schedule told me to, but I’ve come to realize that not only is this not realistic, it’s not healthy either. Sometimes life gets in the way, and it’s always important to prioritize your own wellbeing over getting a certain workout done.
While I’m nervous to begin the daunting cycle of marathon training again, I can only think about how accomplished I felt when I crossed the finish line. For anyone thinking about training for an event like this, all I can say is go for it. You won’t regret it. And even if you fall short of your goal, you’ll have learned so much about yourself along the way.
Image 1: https://www.skinnyrunner.com/running-in-snow-and-ice/