and it begins....

After almost 7 years of running, 5 of which I would consider myself truly a Runner, I have added a new challenge to the calendar.

A Full marathon.

Yipe!

I've completed 11 half marathons and countless 5 & 10ks at this point. It seems like the right time to become a Marathoner, despite my utter fear and conviction that this is crazypantsinsanity.

I figured one way to keep motivated and maybe drag some folks along with me on this journey was to stat blogging about it. It might not always be interesting, it may just end up being a log of each training run and how it goes and what I go through. But if it gives me something to think about as I'm out  on the long runs, then it will have served its purpose.

I just started my training schedule last week- right after Thanksgiving. So far I haven't had to do anything that I haven't done a million times over for all my previous events. I did have to take more down time then I had intended between my last Half and the start of training. I had intended that time to be focused on speed and short spurts of work- intervals, fartleks, hills, etc. Instead that time was spent trying to heal another bout of plantar fasciitis which I'm convinced was agitated by a tight achilles tendon. After a month of babying my foot and only running once a week in events that went no longer then 10k, the time had come. Time to start this bitch.

The first week was pretty straightforward- I started with my 3 mid week runs, 2 were approx 5 miles each at no set pace. They both sucked, 'cause I was a bit out of practice, but it was manageable. The 3rd run was on a day where it started out drizzly, and then turned into a downpour. I wasn't really ready for that, so I shortened the run and only did 4.2 miles. It was a cold and really gross run. I got home and was so bone cold I didn't even walk the dogs before I left for work. Poor kiddos didn't get their morning wander, but honestly, neither was in a rush to get sopping wet anyway.

First week long run was 6 miles. The Hubby graciously decided to do it with me, and we tackled the Griffith Park hills route- something it seems every runner in LA has done a million times over, but I had never done. It is gnarly- a really long hill cut into sections of smaller hills- a loop of about 5.5 miles (we tacked a little on the end to hit my distance) half of which feels straight up. I was worried about it since my downtime had made me bad at hills again. In the end I did ok, and I look forward to tackling it again, but I did almost cry twice. The fear of people seeing me cry and run simultaneously is the only thing that stopped me. That and knowing the Hubby would say to me- "you can do this, its just a hill, let's get it done"- why make him do that when I can do it to myself?

This week was a bit better- despite my legs being less solid after those hills. Monday and Tuesday were both 4.8 miles days- and were heavy legged days as well. It all got done, but it wasn't pretty. I also wasn't sleeping well, which never helps. Today was a 5.7 mile day, and it was the coldest one yet- a start of 39 degrees. It's rare that I keep my gloves on for an entire run- usually I warm up and take them off. Not today buddy. Not today.

This weekend, my long run will get sidetracked a bit- but for the better. I'm taking part in a race I've done for 5 years- the Santa Monica/ Venice Christmas run. I will do both the 10k and 5k ( 45 ish min break between the 2) for a total of approx 9.3 miles. More then I need to do at this point, but for some reason I really love this event and want to do it every year. There's not even a medal, so I can't begin to tell you why I enjoy it so much.

I feel like I'm beginning this adventure, with a  half marathon coming up in a few weeks (it fit into the training schedule, and there IS a medal, so why not) which will be my first where I'm not trying to better myself, just logging the miles. Then January which will be epically messy at work AND the biggest build month of my training life.... There is a lot to come that scares me, and intrigues me, and I just hope my legs can handle all this work I'm about to put them through.