Dedicated Runner

This week I logged the most miles I've ever run in one week, 43.  For the first 3 marathons I was never able to maintain a 5 day training schedule, but this time I have stuck to it. Only 5 weeks left until the Detroit marathon and I am feeling ready.  There have been lots of times of I have wanted to quit and I have as many reasons (excuses) as the next person to ease my guilt if I were to quit.  I work a lot of hours. I have 2 kids and an awesome hubby.  I do volunteer work.  The list goes on and on, but, quitting is just not in my make up.

"Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible."
  ~Doug Larson

I started getting serious about running an a whim.  I saw the movie the Bucket List (best movie ever) and I put these things on my list:
1) Run a marathon
2) Learn to speak Italian
3) Become a master gardener

Since running a marathon was the most time sensitive I went for that one first.  The rest is history.  I am now training for marathon number 4.  The reason I share this with you is because I wasn't a runner before and now I am a marathoner.  You may not have a goal of running a marathon, but there may be other aspirations that you have that you haven't started to work towards yet.  Believe me; you can do whatever you want to do.  You just have to decide to do it and stick to it.

"What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The first thing to do is to get started.  Start small and celebrate all of the small wins along the way.
The next thing to do is to tell as many people as you can about your goal.  Sharing your goal not only gives it more stick-to-itiveness it gives you a resource bank.  You will find that many people who you share your goal with have had similar goals and can give you valuable tips on how to be more successful.  I would have never found Hal Higdon's training guide or the super valuable GU if I had not shared my goal with others.

There is no limit to what we can do as long as we are willing to set the goal and get started.


"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream"
-CS Lewis

Monday
rest

Tuesday
5 miles

Wednesday
10 miles - last week I mentioned how this 10 mile route has street, dirt and trails.  I forgot to mention that at about mile 7, right where you start going "only 5k left" there are 4 flights of stairs.  There's only 5k left, but you run it on rubber band legs.

Thursday
5 miles

Friday
5 miles

Saturday
5 miles

Sunday
18 miles.  What a Sunday!  Run, eat like a 16 year old boy, pass out.  Wake up and eat, pass out, repeat.