Move-It Monday: Journaling Announcement and Day One

So...this is pretty much a sewing blog.  But I'm going to add another element that will probably take up more space for the next few months.  I have several projects I haven't posted about yet so I have some material for when I don't get around to actually sewing anything new.  Hopefully that will work out well for me.

Oh.  I said I was announcing something.  Here goes: I'm doing a marathon.  I'm using The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer as my guide.

image via Amazon

This is not the first time I've made this announcement.  It is the third.  It's not my fault.  Okay, it's half my fault.  Twice before I have been serious about doing this and thrown myself into the pre-training to get ready for the "real" training.  Both of those times I ended up pregnant before getting out of the pre-training program.  So, yeah, it kind of is my fault I've never done it yet.  The difference this time is that I have completed the pre-training.  Yay!  Mother Nature was even kind enough to give me the go-ahead by letting me know it's all clear on the baby front.  Although I'm sure that at some point in the training I will wish to be pregnant rather than running.

Until yesterday I've said to myself and others that I'm going to see how the training goes and then from there decide how far to continue and possibly sign up for a marathon.  I started researching local marathons to see what would be available around the time I complete the training.  The Provo Halloween Marathon takes place a few weeks after my training schedule ends.  That one looks like a lot of fun and I even have an idea for a costume to wear.  Adding a couple of weeks to the training will give me time to redo any particularly challenging weeks, as well as some time to find someone willing to go on the long runs with me.  I've got my eye on a couple of people who would be able to jump right in to the training program.  We'll see how that goes.

I want to run a marathon to say that I've done it.  I don't particularly like running but that's what needs to be done to complete a marathon.  So I'll do it.  I've done a lot of hard things in recent years and I like the sense of accomplishment that I get from knowing I tackled the hard thing and won.  I helped build our house (nine of them, actually), spent 18 months away from home as a missionary, and given birth without medication.  If I can do those things I can run a marathon.  I don't plan to do it super fast, or even do it all without walking, I just plan to finish it.

As I train I want to journal my experience.  It's kind of a big deal, though I'm trying to treat it like it's not.  I want to be able to look back and see the progress I've made.  So here goes the first journal entry:

Real marathon training started today.  Woot!  It's nice to have a three mile distance for the first "real" day of training.  I've been doing that for the past two weeks so I knew I would be successful.  What I really wanted was to be able to run the full three miles at a 6.  Didn't happen.  After reading the first chapter in the book I'm feeling better about that.  It seems quite likely that my heart rate at a 6 is not ideal for a sustained run.  It's too fast.  I'm thinking a 5.5 is better for my pace.  Over-training would be bad.  I have no desire to be injured.  I'm also running at a 1.5 incline on the treadmill so there's an accomplishment right there.

I've never gone more than three and a quarter miles so tomorrow's four mile run will be new territory for me.  And then my first five miler on Saturday.  I'd be lying if I said I'm 100% confident and not even a little bit nervous about all the running to come.  I get it in my mind that five miles is an easy distance.  That works great until I remember I've never gone that long.  Little by little.  Everything over about 3¼ miles is all new territory.