Are We There Yet?!

Today marks the start to the second half of my 20-week marathon journey. It’s getting real folks! Only 67 days to go!!! I am constantly being asked by friends, family, fellow runners, clients, & co-workers how the marathon training is going, so I thought it would be fun to share some stats. While I have had a couple of setbacks—mainly the brief foot injury & the lovely summer weather, I’ve only missed a handful of workouts. I feel pretty laid back about my training thus far, but I am looking to amp it up over the next 10 weeks!

Here is some fun info about the last 10 weeks:  

• Total Distance – 238.31 miles
• Average # of Weekly Miles – 23.83 miles
• Total # of Runs – 34
• Total # is Hours – 37:03:37
• Calories Burned – 23,970+ {where is my ice cream?!}
• Longest Run – 16 miles
• Shortest Run – 1 mile
• Fastest Paced Run – Timed 1-miler for the Summer Series (6:54min/mile)
• Slowest Paced Run – 4-miler with a new client (14:50min/mile)
• # of Races – 5
• # of “other” fitness workouts – 9 Stroller Strides classes + 1 Barre class
• # of 24-hour shifts worked {trust me, this matters!} – 10 (plus 9 12-hour shifts & a single 8-hour shift)
• Most Favorite Workout – Speedwork day at the Granby HS track where we smoked the firemen. I met all my interval pace goals that day & still felt great!
• Most Disliked Workout – Tough 12 mile long run on August 1^st – which I promptly “recovered” from with our annual Tubing Trip that same afternoon.
• # of Twins + a Hubby Who Have Survived the 1^st Half – 3 {hehe!}

Thoughts for the next 67 days—

Over the next 10 weeks, my weekly mileage will increase to maximum of 54 miles/week, by mid/late-October. My longest run will be a 22 miler. I am hoping I can survive this. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?! Because I am such a mental runner, I need to see the numbers to believe I can actually complete the marathon—both to simply FINISH & maybe at my goal pace/time. My ultimate goal is to continue to remain injury-free & healthy. I am being proactive with an ART (Active Release Technique) session tomorrow & will likely keep this up every few weeks until race day. I’m still taking a Magnesium supplement to help my beat-up muscles. Hydrating is also VERY high on my priority list daily & I am chugging about 100oz. of water per day. In theory, I would take one Epsom salt bath per week…… but ha, life happens! I also plan to get a massage once or twice before the big day—as well as a day or two after the marathon {I hear this helps tremendously!}. Mostly, I am looking forward to the start of beautiful autumn weather & less humid days. As far as races go, I have 3 on the calendar prior to the Richmond Marathon—a 5K & two 10Ks. I may add one longer distance if it works into my training schedule. I think that is about it!

Any thoughts or tips from my veteran-marathoner-friends would be happily welcomed!!

Happy Running!