If you would have asked me nine years ago if I would have ever considered running a marathon I probably would have stated the obvious that in order to run a marathon I would actually have to start running at some point.
I can still remember the first time I ever ran a mile (on a treadmill no less)...I was fairly convinced that I was going die. My heart was thundering in my ears, my chest was so tight with lack of breath I could literally feel my face plumping up and turning red. Let's not even discuss when I decided to move my running from the treadmill to actual pavement. Note to all: unless you can find self propelling pavement make sure you take your time with this transition.
Never fear, it does get better and years later I have completed a marathon and run hundreds of miles just for the pure enjoyment of it. Now I'm doing something I really never thought I would do, a second marathon. For those runners out there, that may seem like no big feat but this runner never planned on enduring the 26.2 miles again. I did it, I had conquered it and I was content with that.
Something always niggled at me. Each year as October loomed, I ran my morning route and would see people training, running with a purpose, remembering what it felt like to cross that finish line. After I had completed the first marathon, I wanted nothing more than to throw my heart rate monitor/ watch across the room and just run for however long I wanted at whatever pace I wanted. Time heals all wounds and I have found myself wanting to overcome the challenge again. This time however, I was taking someone with me.
I lucked out finding a partner who is fit, athletic and loves to run. (well maybe love is too strong a word) but he enjoys it and is good at it. He's super fast compared to me but never really went further than 10 miles before. What I lack in speed, I make up for in endurance. We had a lot to teach each other.
So we have embarked upon this journey together and it has been an entirely different experience this time around. It hasn't been easy either. Exercise had fallen by the wayside during the winter months because I wasn't feeling well. After some surgery to fix the problem, we started on the road back, very slowly. Since I could barely finish three miles, we started training very early. Little by little we've built up to our current long run of 12 miles.
It hasn't been all pretty either. Marathon training can be grueling when you are trying to do it on your own. There are days you feel like you could keep going for hours and there are days you look at your Asics with utter disgust and loathing. The difference with having a buddy is that they are there to call you on your excuses. They stand there and watch you put your shoes on and push you out the door if needs be. It doesn't make the run any easier but it is nice to know that you're not going it alone.
If you have ever thought about doing a Marathon but hesitated - don't. If your healthy, you can do it. You don't have to be super thin or built like a pro athlete (I'm surely not!) to feel the amazing sense of accomplishment that comes with completing 26.2 miles.
The single most important thing to remember is what the title of this post says "It's all about the buildup". Take your time and increase your mileage weekly by extending your weekly long run. If you're a beginner, two maintenance runs a week and one long run on the weekend are more than enough to see you to the finish line.
Jeff Galloway and Hal Higdon have excellent training programs for beginners and their websites hold a wealth of information. If you're worried about how you will ever find a running route long enough, you can calculate the mileage and plan your route on MapMyRun.
If you don't know much about nutrition or how to fuel yourself properly when you hit the higher miles Nancy Clark has an informative book Nancy Clark's Food Guide for Marathoners
Cross training on your non-running days is also very important. I may be biased because of my passion for yoga but I do believe it is absolutely the best mental and physical workout you can give yourself when your not running. If you haven't tried yoga yet...stay tuned...they'll be an entire post dedicated to how you can take that first yogic step.
The last thing I'll recommend is keep a journal or a blog or whatever is easiest for you but keep track of your journey. I do regret not writing down my first experience at marathoning, a mistake I hope to remedy this time around.
