Monday, June 10, 2013

Lengthy Goals

Oh my gosh I am so sore today.  On Saturday mornings, I take this Cross Fit style class where we: run, do "flying" burpees, jump squats, lunges, pushups, and then side shuffles.  Then we repeat that 4 times.  At the end we do some more pushups and planks and supermans and then we (finally!) stretch.  It's an hour long class and it just about kills me.  Which means, of course, that's it's my favorite.

When I look around at the other people in the class, I can so easily divide everyone up into groups.  There are the people who want to be there, give it their hardest and leave dripping sweat.  There are the people who come and try but take a lot of water breaks and make faces at the instructor because can-you-believe-he-is-asking-us-to-like-push-ourselves?  Then there are the people who must think that just being at the gym makes them get in shape.  Fitness by osmosis, I gather.

I went for a physical last week, and my doctor asked when I was going to run a marathon.  Not if.  When.  And I said "Oh, no, that's for crazy people.  I mean, the first marathoner dropped dead!"  He encouraged me to do it, but I complained again, "Isn't it bad for my knees?" He assured me they made great knee replacements now.  I just couldn't talk him out of it.  He is also a semi-runner like myself (we run but it's not our only form of exercise, and we only occasionally train for a race) but he wants to push himself to run a marathon before he turns 40.  
Only Phil's size 14's could make my feet look petite.


So on Sunday, I went for a run with all of this couldI.shouldI.wouldI train for a marathon running through my head.  It was hot and muggy out and I ran the first 3 miles at a good 8:30 pace, then I ran back home and picked up John-Paul (age 10) and Andrew (age 8) to run a couple miles with me because they are supposed to run a Father's Day 5k with Phil next weekend.  J-P ended up walking back home due to a chest cramp from doing this that morning:
Ten years old, and he's finally staring to earn his keep.

But Andrew and I ran on, I made sure we were pacing ourselves at 11 minute miles and we chatted the whole time and I dropped him back off at the house after 2.2 miles and then ran another mile to make my total mileage six for the day.  That's my standard run length, but I was a bit sweatier than usual #cantstandtheheatgetoutofthekitchen.  While I was running nice and easy with Andrew, I realized that I could probably run a marathon at this pace.  It would take me almost 5 hours to finish though, and that's where my darn competitive side kicks in and says that's not fast enough.  And if I'm not going to train to run it at my fastest, then is it even worth it?  Then my lazy side tells my competitive side to go take a hike.  And my competitive side says "Oh I'll take the longest, hardest, and fastest hike ever!!" and storms off.

So right now, I'm just starting to contemplate running a full marathon on the sooner side of later.  I am telling people that I will run the half marathon again in March, so that should hold me accountable, because if there's one thing bigger than my competitive streak, it's my Irish pride.  Maybe after I finish that race, I will discern (nothing like a good Catholic discernment) if I think a full marathon will be possible.  But until then, it's back to my weekly mix of running, arc machine, kickboxing classes, cross fit workouts, and spinning classes.  So I can keep eating things like this.... 

...with a side dish of zero guilt!

21 comments:

  1. That's the only reason I run...to keep eating! That dessert looks delish! And you know you can run a marathon....it's just do you WANT to run a marathon. It's a lot of training but wouldn't it be great to be able to say you did it and slap a 26.2 sticker on your car?

    I am going to force myself to run a 10k this fall (I'm a very slow runner and I'm old remember!) and then I'm going to contemplate a half marathon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, to run again! I'm so excited for you. You'll totally do great.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Colleen Martin, you're a beast! I shudder to think what group you'd put me in if I took that class...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was just thinking of this recently. My running is SO slow and I'm still such a beginner. Despite running a 10k and a 5k in the past month and a half, I honestly can't run 30 minutes right now. I've been doing a run/walk and now that my races are over, I think I'm done with that. My goal now is to build up to 30 minutes straight and then build from there. I'd like to do a half in the next year, but I have a feeling I'll be pregnant again in the next year sometime too... hahah sighhhh We'll see if I ever get in a marathon. One day maybe!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good for you! This is a very inspiring post... if I wasn't so pregnant, I think I'd grab my running shoes and head out. :) I assume you'll let us know when you complete your marathon?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Colleen...dooooooooo it! I have only run a 10k in my life, but I was witness to a marathon in Hawaii that my family ran (several years back) and it was one of the greatest things to be a part of. Honestly. I hear there are so many fun ones to sign up for (ahem, like Hawaii). Even, I think Nashville has one with different bands on every corner - or something like that.

    What a great accomplishment, that's what I say. I wish we lived closer and I'd totally train with you - unless that is, you are a fast runner and then I'll just wave at you as you run by :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well I'll be the party pooper and say that I just don't get how running can be fun. Maybe I am missing something. I like other exercise but running I don't understand. But I can't believe that you haven't run a marathon yet. You seem
    Like you would run multiple ones by now. I bet that you would finish faster than you think.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJune 10, 2013

    I ran my first (and only) marathon when #3 was 15 months old. It took about 4.5 hours and it wasn't disappointing at all that it took that long. I took up speedwork the following summer and got my half-marathon time down under 2 hours and was happy. Then, well, I've had three more pregnancies and my husband is planning to run a marathon in October and asked if I would do it with him. I must say...I echo the comment that the real question is whether you WANT to run it. the training is long and grueling. It's such a great feeling to run a marathon, but the commitment to the training is what is keeping me from commiting to running another one....

    ReplyDelete
  9. YOU ARE AWESOME. i love reading this while having contractions and 2cm in hospital - great way to take mind off of labor - haha by thinking about running!
    I also can't believe JP is 10! geesh

    ReplyDelete
  10. O girl you motivate me!!! you are awesome.. love the picture of your son mowing lawn priceless!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I ran my first (and probably last :) marathon (NYC) a few months before I got married because I figured once I started having babies it would be a lot more difficult. It was pretty time consuming but I trained with one of my best friends (4 hour runs every other Saturday) all summer & fall leading up to it so it was fun. (Plus we were both engaged so we had plenty to talk about! ;) My dad ran a lot of marathons when I was growing up & NYC was his favorite so I'm glad I can say I did it. From now on, though, I'll probably just stick to half marathons. Oh and be sure to factor grocery bills into your budge once you start training - my stomach was literally a bottomless pit!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oy... I'd love to keep up with my couch to 5K workout... but it's nearly impossible now that I have school. It gets in the way of catching up on blogs... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh wow. I signed up for a .5 marathon 6ish months after bebe numero 3 is coming. It is going to be killer! I did a .5 marathon after #1 and thought about it after #2 but never got motivated enough. Love that you exercise with your kids. LOVE IT!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi! Ditto what Ellen Johnson store!! Lol. Just updating my blog, first time ever, and saw some new followers. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. This post totally makes me want to start pushing myself to run further and faster. I like running, but have like zero competitive side and never really got into the idea of a marathon or half marathon. I think you should do it though, if you WANT to but don't let your dr. or whatever push you into it. I thought his knee replacement surgery comment was kinda flippant. I tend to think it's better to keep your own knees and have never run a marathon than run a marathon and need a knee replacement. That's just my opinion though. My cousin ruined his knees by running in high school and college and hasn't been able to run since he was in his 20's.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My toughts? Only run one if you really want to. I mean REALLY. Training is long and hard and both times I got to 40+ miles a week, I questioned why I was doing it and swore I would never do it again. If I did not REALLY want to run a marathon, then I am not sure I would have made it through the thick of marathon training.

    I ran both of my marathons slow and I was totally ok with that. I wanted to enjoy the race, not feel like I was dying. BUT, I ran my first much slower than I wanted to (due to injury) and I was NOT happy with how I did. I had to do another one because I was not happy with myself . . . and I am not competitive AT ALL. So if there is any part of you that would not be happy with an 11 min/mile pace . . . wait until you can run one faster or else you will be running a lot more than just one! There are good pace predictors out there. Put in your first half marathon time to find you what pace you could run a marathon in. I run mine about a 1 min/mile slower that it says I should (I am injury prone and know that a faster pace for 26.2 would not work for me).

    Ok, all of that is to say . . . if you want to do it . . . GO FOR IT!

    ReplyDelete
  17. If you think you want to do a marathon, you should absolutely go for it! The excitement of crossing the finish line is so worth the training!

    As far as the competitive streak - it won't even matter one you're at the race! In those last excruciating 6.2 miles and one you finish, you'll just be so amazed at what your body can do that you won't even be thinking about your time!

    Anyways, I say go for it!! It's definitely a ton of work, but so exciting, and the feeling you get from it is indescribable!

    ReplyDelete
  18. If you love running, then do it. I don't love running and I've only ever done one 5K but I was glad that I pushed myself to do that much. Running just is not my thing. Maybe it's because I can run all day long, but I still can't eat things like you pictured. For me, it is literally 85% diet and only 15% exercise as far as thinness goes. I do the exercise to keep the muscles and the ticker healthy, but I get no real rewards in the weight department unless I follow a strict diet. Which is why I am still fat and I exercise every day. But I'll get there. You will too! (do it).

    ReplyDelete
  19. You are so inspiring (and crazy). My thought is that if anyone can do it, you most certainly can. Um, me, not so much. I don't have a competitive bone in my body, so I have no desire to accomplish (and do well) a marathon. You go, girl! OR, the other option is to say you are gonna do it, start training and then Phil works his magic and you end up preggers sooner rather than later. Just sayin'. Lol.

    And yes, I exercise so I can eat desserts such as that as well. Heck, I am sitting here now drinking a cappuccino (I skipped the Butterfinger I really wanted) as a reward for the wimpy 2.5 miles I ran this evening. Lol.

    ReplyDelete
  20. What an inspiration you are!!! Please please keep us in the loop!

    ReplyDelete

Talk to me...