Hi All,
Well, I started training for the Nashville Half Marathon this week. I am following a 12-week program off of Dave McGovern’s racewalking web site (and in his books). I am taking the Bricks to Bricks class again to learn more about training, but decided to follow Dave McGovern’s plan this time since I took his seminar last spring.
I have already decided that boot camp (have I mentioned I am attending boot camp at Indy Boot Camps? LOL) has improved my form and pacing quite a bit. I did a check of my resting heart rate and in 6 weeks I have dropped my resting rate 4 beats! In addition, PT Bruiser is quite impressed with my push-ups and pull-ups. Woot! Woot!
If all goes according to plan, I will walk 5 half marathons this year to keep me on track in my training and then walk a marathon next January. Currently, I am hoping to do the following events.
April 30 - Nashville Country Music Half Marathon
June 11 – Carmel Half Marathon
August 14 – Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon
September 3 – Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon
October 23 – Rock n Roll St. Louis Half Marathon
January 2012 – Phoenix Marathon
I have several family members and friends that are very concerned about me doing so many half marathons in one year. To them I say talk to the sock! The half marathons are to keep me walking to see if I can walk the marathon.
Seriously though, my friends and family have a point. With this screwy knee of mine I could seriously get hurt. However, I believe (as well as my Sports Medicine doctor) that if I train properly I should not have a problem. Will it hurt sometimes? Absolutely! However, a lot of the people that walk or run have pain when they do it.
Personally, I will be able to handle the disappointment of not being able to do the marathon if the reason is physical. The reason I like to do the walks, and set these challenges for myself, is entirely mental. If you have never walked or run a half marathon you might not understand that the challenge is more mental than physical, especially for non-athletes.
Getting to and maintaining a healthy lifestyle involves not just going through the motions (the easier part), but beating the demons that keep you from it when it gets rough. It is extremely hard to change. Whether you are trying to quit smoking, lose weight, or some other bad habit compliance is tough work. As my friend Laura said to me in an e-mail; “….dedication and discipline.” Yes, it requires dedication and discipline.
For me, it is not about the physical feat of completing a marathon that makes me strive for this goal. I am seeking to show myself that I can win the mental battle. This accomplishment will remind me that I can beat any challenges that come further down the road. The token medal will always be a remembrance.
Thanks for reading,
Kristi
Published to http://kristiasher.blogspot.com
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