Eighteen Days Left Until the Colfax Marathon 2014

Less than three weeks left until the Colfax Marathon and I feel incredibly excited and nervous.  I've come a really long way.  I started amping up my mileage at the end of October last year and officially started training for this race in November, 23 weeks ago.  Since then, I've run 852.23 miles, and lost over a minute in my marathon pace.  I get up at 5:00 am consistently, and burn over 1,500 calories before I make my boys breakfast.  Six months ago, I dreamed of running 6 days a week, but worried the constant impact on my joints would kill my endurance.  It's had the opposite effect.  I am stronger, faster, and more determined than ever.

Last week was my peak training week.  I ran 67 miles total.  I remember looking at this week months ago thinking, "How on Earth am I ever going to get there?  I am tired running 35 miles a week, is it possible for me to double that number?"  I remember my friends and family thought I was crazy.  They would look at my schedule and say, "Wait, are you serious?"

To get over that self doubt, I devised a genius plan: Don't Look Ahead.  I followed the Hanson's Method to a T.  If they said run slow, I ran slow, knowing tomorrow would suck if I didn't.  On the days where I needed to run fast, I ran fast.  I didn't cheat myself and I pushed really hard.  Speed work days taught me I'm stronger and faster than I thought.  I checked off the workout every day and marked it in green, yellow, or red marker, allowing for daily reflection and growth.  Green days signified I ran well and wanted to continue.  Yellow was okay.  I was glad to be done, minor aches and pains were small annoyances but I pushed through.  Red days were agonizing.  I never bailed on a workout but I desperately hated myself on those days.  Thankfully, I only self-loathed occasionally.

By not looking ahead, I managed what was in front of me.  Somehow, I ran myself to this point.  I am excited to see how this race goes.  I am also terrified.  Five freaking months of training need to pay off.  I took it very seriously.  I didn't bail, cheat, or skip on workouts.  I started taking 3-4 ice baths a week (after every hard effort), 1-2 epsom salt baths a week (recovery days before bed), and I rolled out twice a day (once in the morning after I ran, and once before bed.)  I've never focused on my diet so much before.  Yes, cupcakes and brownies love me, but I ate fruit and vegetables at least 10 servings a day.  I made my own energy bars each week and focus on whole grains and lean protein.  This training period has been life changing.

Because I get up so early, my husband gets up with the boys every day and gets their day started until I get home.  He has been patient and understanding and somehow willing to deal with my exhaustion and obsessive behavior.  

All this hard work will pay off.  When I began this journey 5 months ago, I wanted to get a 4:00-4:05 marathon time on this difficult course but my tempo, strength, and speed sessions were significantly faster.  I adjusted my time to be sub 4:00, hoping to push myself a little more.  In the last month, I've noticed my kick is stronger and I am learning how to work with my body when it hurts.  I use more of my body now to run, not just my legs.  I'm becoming more efficient and finding new muscles and tone in my legs, arms, stomach, back, and shoulders telling me it is working.  Eighteen days to go, I'm ready.


~Roadburner

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