Starting to run again after my "rest" feels like beginning all over again. I came across the term "marathon shuffle," whereby your body is so fatigued you can barely put one foot in front of another. I empathise. I hit that wall at the 1 kilometre mark in my 3 kilometre goal. Every step is a choice to keep going. In these hardest moments in the run, like in life, I feel Spirit has forgotten me. Why me? Why is it harder for me? Everyone else can do it? I guess in a spiritual context the word choice would be replaced by freewill. I can always stop. But really, where's the fun in that?
PS - The Gazelle has gone back to university so I am looking for another running partner (any offers? Must not get embarrassed easily). This link is in honour of her running with me....remember your pinky promised!
5 comments:
that is the funniest video , true determination ! hahaa
Hello from Scotland Julia! Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but I was running a marathon at the weekend ;-). I think it's great that you have decided to run and I have read everything you have written in your blog about it. You have done the hardest thing already by just getting out the door and starting! Clothes, watches, even pace etc don't really matter. Just do what feels right for you. I do advise plenty of rest days especially at the beginning of your running career. You asked a question in your fb message about whether you should focus on running longer or faster. That depends on what you want to do! If you want to run marathons then go for longer but if you want to run short races in a 'fast' time then go for speedwork. The pace is all relative. When I started running I set myself a goal of a 5k race. Once I'd run it I wanted to go further and it escalated in distance because I've found it easier to go for longer distances at a slower pace rather than kill myself trying to improve my PBs on shorter distances. You have to find out what you want to do. Do you want to race? Join a club? Or carry on running just because you enjoy it? I've waffled on enough! I'd love to know what your thoughts are.
Vikki x
good advice from Vicky :o(
Thank you so much Vikki for your detailed and very generous response! Ultimately my bucket list goal is a marathon so guess I will aim for the further distances. Just a few further queries.....how long did it take you to run 5 km? And when did you start running. Feel free to throw expertise at this blog, it is appreciated. Belated Happy Birthday.
That's ok Julia, you know what I was like at toddlers, I can talk about running for hours on end! Claire is saying it's much better at toddlers now that all the runners have left ;-). I'm really pleased that your ambition is to run a marathon; I bet there are some really cool maras where you are now.
Back to your questions. I started running in 2004 and the first race I did was a Race For Life 5k. I did it in 32 minutes. My training had consisted of a couple of runs a week round Mineralwell Park. I did one 10k race in 2005 in a time of 67 mins. In 2006 I did two 10k races and brought my time down to 56 minutes. By then I had joined JogScotland. Then I got pregnant in 2007, but on the day I did the test I ran a 10k in 53 mins! Started running again 6 weeks after having Magnus in Feb 2008 and I did four races that year including my first half mara. Then I joined Stoney running club and got seriously addicted!! I did fourteen races in 2009 including my first marathon. Then in 2010 I did eighteen races including my first ultramarathons! I'm telling you all this to show the dangers of joining a club ;-). I love doing races, I think they are great fun and so sociable. I am basically running as it has improved my social life! I also find it much easier to run with someone else. When I trained for my first half marathon I did one short run at the club on a Tuesday then I did my longer runs up to 12 miles with my friend on a Saturday morning. Then when I trained for the marathon we added a Thu short run and took the long runs gradually up to 23 miles.
Do you think you will do shorter races and build up to the marathon or just aim for the marathon? There are many training schedules online to help you. I basically added one mile per week on to my long runs in the weekends leading up to the race (for the half) but with the mara I had 'longer' and 'shorter' weekends . Hope this helps. Hope you are enjoying your running x
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