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| Photo courtesy of Muddy Shoes Photography |
Last week, the boys and I enjoyed a wonderful vacation at a beach house in Nags Head, North Carolina with our very good friends. We felt incomplete since Andy couldn't join us, but we focused on the fun and really had a marvelous time.
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| He loves his mommy ;-) (photo: Muddy Shoes Photography) |
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| Kiddos at Jockey's Ridge(photo: Muddy Shoes Photography) |
I had a lot of time to reflect while on vacation. My big revelation: There is a big difference between vacationing with your kids when you're fat/unfit and still-kind-of-fat/fit.
During vacations past, I often just existed as a smiling face in the background of photos. I always had fun, don't get me wrong, but so many things were hard to do - it was hard to keep up with the kids when I was 100+ pounds overweight. It was embarrassing to be seen in a bathing suit. I skipped certain activities because I feared weight limits or was worried about being able to haul my fat ass up on a jet ski. There was a lot of looking on and smiling. I enjoyed watching my kids, but I longed to be part of the action.
This vacation was so different. Because Andy couldn't make it, I felt some extra pressure to step up. I drove a jet ski! The life jacket fit, and there was no hauling of ass to get on - I simply hopped up. (I really didn't care for the jet ski experience because fit or unfit, I will always be a granny-type driver). I still don't look great in a bathing suit, but I'm perfectly ok in wearing one, and swimming/playing/schlepping to the beach in one. I climbed a lighthouse with my kids, and the 200+ stairs in intense heat and humidity didn't phase me. I ran up the sand dunes without breaking a sweat. And I enjoyed 4 glorious morning runs for a total of 13 miles. I even logged my fastest mile (10:18) on a particularly hot and humid morning. And this all felt good. So, so good.
Vacation success was just the boost in confidence that I needed because today is the day I start training for the Columbus Marathon (Note: although I haven't been Catholic in many years, whenever I say "I'm training for a marathon" I feel like I should make the sign of the cross over myself).
My initial plan was to follow Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Plan.
After some thought, I've tweaked that plan a bit to come up with my own training plan. Here is my 18 week plan:
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun
Week 1 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 3 miles Rest 6 miles Body Sculpting
Week 2 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 3 miles Rest 7 miles Body Sculpting
Week 3 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 4 miles Rest 5 miles Body Sculpting
Week 4 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 4 miles Rest 9 miles Body Sculpting
Week 5 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 5 miles Rest 10 miles Body Sculpting
Week 6 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 5miles Rest 7 miles Body Sculpting
Week 7 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 6 miles Rest 12 miles Body Sculpting
Week 8 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 6 miles Rest Rest Half Marathon
Week 9 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 7 miles Rest 10 miles Body Sculpting
Week 10 Rest 3 miles Jazzercise 7 miles Rest 15 miles Body Sculpting
Week 11 Rest 4 miles Jazzercise 8 miles Rest 16 miles Body Sculpting
Week 12 Rest 4 miles Jazzercise 8 miles Rest 12 miles Body Sculpting
Week 13 Rest 4 miles Jazzercise 9 miles Rest 18 miles Body Sculpting
Week 14 Rest 5 miles Jazzercise 9 miles Rest 14 miles Body Sculpting
Week 15 Rest 5 miles Jazzercise 10 miles Rest 20 miles Body Sculpting
Week 16 Rest 5 miles Jazzercise 8 miles Rest 12 miles Body Sculpting
Week 17 Rest 4 miles Jazzercise 6 miles Rest 8 miles Body Sculpting
Week 18 Rest 4 miles Jazzercise 2 miles Rest Rest MARATHON!
I've made several changes to the plan.
1) The original plan has you running 4 days per week including 3 runs Tues/Wed/Thurs. I completely eliminated one run per week (the shortest one - almost always 3 miles throughout the training program, but never more than 5 miles) and replaced with a one hour jazzercise session. I know this is a HUGE change, but one with which I am comfortable. I think. Gulp. I do not run back to back days, and I strongly feel that is part of the reason I've remained injury free for the two years I've been running. 3 runs in a row? Nope. Don't want to risk it. If an experienced runner is reading this, and thinks I'm making a huge mistake I would love to hear from you.
2). I believe jazzercise is a good replacement for the fourth short run. The cardio is intense, plus I get some strength and ab work.
3) I will do a 50 minute "Body Sculpting" class at Jazzercise as my "cross training" day. I've really enjoyed this class, and the work on my core. I know core strengthening is pivotal to becoming a better runner. My core is pretty much bread dough wrapped in marshmallow fluff. It needs some work!
Overall, this plan seems pretty doable to me. It's kind of crazy to look ahead at this point and see a week where I will run 10 miles, take a day off, and then run 20 miles. Oh gosh, I'm doing the sign of the cross over myself again!
On the car ride home from North Carolina, the kids started to give me ideas for my marathon training/running play list. Both boys think I should run across the finish line to Imagine Dragons' "On Top Of The World." I love that! (not to mention that I love their confidence that I will be running across the finish line!) I told them I wasn't sure I can arrange that song to play at the exact time, and G told me not to worry about it - he'll bring a speaker and play it for me. <3 p="">
Here goes nothing, folks!
