How I Ran My First Marathon

We were approaching our three-year wedding anniversary when I decided I wanted to run a marathon.  As they say happens in marriage, you become comfortable with your significant other and before you know it, some of that pre-wedding day chub you had worked so hard to shed before the big day starts to creep back into your life uninvited.

Well, I had a few different reasons why I wanted to run a marathon.

1. I wanted to prove to myself that I could…
2. I wanted to see what all the hype was about…
3. I wanted to get in tip-top shape before trying to conceive…

Now, running a marathon had been on my bucket list for a while.  People I knew who had already run one, claim the experience is like no other and the runner’s high at the finish line will keep you coming back for more.  When told this, I would wonder what about it made this so appealing to people… I could believe the marathon experience was a lot of things including a feeling of accomplishment…definitely!  A way to get in to shape…most likely!  Addictive… not so sure about that…

So, I decided it was time for me to check this line item off my bucket list.  It was June 30, 2013 that I officially registered for my race of choice.  I had been running a few times a week (2-4 miles) for about a month at that point just for fitness.  I chose the Philadelphia Marathon, set to take place November 17, 2013.

To prepare for this hurdle I bought and read Running for Women:  From First Steps to Marathon by Kara Goucher, an Olympic distance runner.  I highly recommend this book as it’s a quick read and breaks down all you need to know to run a marathon.  The writing style is almost conversational at parts, and includes helpful tips on things like well-rounded training and avoiding injury.

Goucher included training plans for the different race distances including 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon.  Her plan for the marathon distance was for 15 weeks.  Seeing that I had closer to 18 weeks to work with, counting from the time I registered to race day; I added a few “transitional” weeks on the front end of the schedule to help work up my mileage.  In addition, I added cross training, yoga, pilates, and strength training into my weekly fitness routine.  My typical week looked something like this*:

*I didn’t feel right including her exact running schedule week by week but this gives you an idea.  There are several free schedules online if you google “marathon training schedule”

If you wanted to simplify the schedule, you can eliminate the “extras” that I had added.  I should mention that traditionally, you would run your “long run” on Sundays; however, I chose to do mine on Saturday mornings so it wasn’t haunting me all weekend long.  Let’s break down my schedule further.

Golf:  My husband and I would try to play together once a week, either 9 holes on the course or hitting a bucket at the driving range.

Easy Run:  This run day would consist of 4-5 miles at an easy pace.

Pilates:  I would do one of my pilates workouts on DVD or a toning routine that targets certain muscle groups.

Hard Run:  This run day would consist of ½ mile intervals (2-6 times). I would start with a half-mile warm-up followed by ½ mile hard effort and ½ mile easy effort (that counts as 1), repeat the number of times designated and finish with a half-mile cool down.

Cross train/Strength train:  These days I would do 30 minutes on either the spin bike or elliptical trainer, followed by 30 minutes of weights for both upper and lower body.  She included strength training workouts that I loosely followed, but mostly did my own strength routine.

Yoga:  I would do one of my yoga DVDs from my collection.  These days would range anywhere from a quick 15 minute to a more intense 60-minute practice depending on the day.

Long Run:  The long run is, undoubtedly, the most important component when training for a marathon.  It builds strength and endurance as well as exercises lung capacity.  These runs ranged from 6-20 miles in distance depending on the week.

To Sum Up…

I have always been a rather self-motivated personality type so the biggest thing I had to do was decide I was going to run a marathon.  I know that sounds vague and anti-climactic but it’s true.

Once I made the decision, I researched which one I wanted and registered.  I bought a book, read it and made a plan using the running schedule provided.

I followed my running schedule religiously, especially the long run distances, never skimping or changing the mileage.  The rest of my additions to the schedule were more flexible in my mind.  For example, if I had a meeting for work one night or dinner with friends, then I was more apt to skip a cross training session or yoga day, etc.  Even if I had a scheduling conflict on a “run day,” I would just do it the next available day and would never skip it altogether.  I will admit that toward the end of the schedule, as race day was nearing, I did miss or reduce mileage on a few weekday runs due to inclement weather (problem living on the east coast in the winter), and once daylight savings time hit it was tricky getting my run in before it got dark.

This modified schedule really worked for me.  By having a schedule to follow, it eliminated any uncertainty in the process, as I knew exactly what needed to be done each day, I just had to get it done!  Though the “extras” were not necessary to prepare me for the marathon distance, I feel that they improved my overall fitness and flexibility, in turn, reducing risk of injuries.

This marathon journey was also an experiment to see how successful such plans were and how easy it would be for a beginner to take on 26.2 miles from a dead start and no prior experience in the world of road races.  As it turns out, it was very easy!  Like I said, it was the deciding to do one that made the biggest difference for me.  Once I had decided, I knew I could do it as long as I was smart about it and followed my plan.

Race day started around 4:00am.  I dressed in my race outfit, ate an energy bar and banana, pinned on my bib and walked from my hotel to the starting line.  Security had been tightened for races across the country in the wake of Boston.  It was a bit chilly waiting around and I wished had brought more layers to discard.

Finally, the announcers did their introductions and the national anthem was performed.  That was probably the point that I was the most emotional.  I felt proud to be there; proud of my decision to participate in such an event and proud to be a citizen of this great country…I knew it was going to be a good day.

As I was waiting at the start line, I was surprised that I didn’t feel really nervous, anxious or uncertain.  At that point I guess I knew I had done what I could and needed to trust in my training and trust in myself.

The gun finally went off for my group and I was off.  The miles flew by.  The crowds were amazing and the music was motivating.  I was listening to my ipod playlist I had made for race day, but I could hear their music over my own at times.  It’s funny because certain pop songs I wasn’t a big fan of before race day I, now, love.  The best example is Rihanna and Eminem’s song, The Monster.  That song used to get on my nerves and whenever it came on the radio, I’d switch to another station.  Now, I’m sure it will be included on every race day playlist from here on out.  It is so motivating because it reminds me of how I felt on that day, running alongside thousands of others, in my first marathon.

So, upon completion of this line item on my bucket list, I can say with certainty that this experience was rewarding beyond words.   It was everything people had claimed it to be.  I did feel accomplished…I did get in great shape… and believe it or not, I am a little addicted.  I’ve run two half marathons since then and am currently training for my second full marathon to take place at the end of May (I’ll be posting weekly updates on my training progress).

I recommend the race experience to everyone. Whether you start with a 5K and work your way up or do what I did and go for the big kahuna right off the bat, you won’t be sorry.  If I can do one, so can you!