Tag: LA Marathon Training

Preparing for the LA Marathon

For the past 12 weeks, I’ve been training for my first marathon, the L.A. Marathon and it’s finally (almost) time to go out there and see what I’m made of.  I’ve been a bit of a mess this week.  I’m really excited and anxious to get out there and get it done.  But, at the same time I’m nervous and of course, I’m questioning my training.  I skipped a few runs and didn’t make it to the long run of 21 miles that I wanted reach.  At this point, though, all I can do is trust that I can finish strong because not finishing is not an option.  

Aside from getting myself mentally prepared to tackle 26.2 miles, there’s actually a lot of “stuff” needed for race day.  Here’s a quick list of what it’s going to take for me to get out there on Sunday.

And now it’s time for me to get a little bit mushy.  I am seriously awed by all the amazing people in my life.  From encouraging messages to waking up at 4am to run with me, I am so grateful to everyone who’s been with me through these crazy training weeks.  My hubby and kiddos who never doubt that I can do this.  My sister who is coming to L.A. to cheer me on, I may or may not have guilted her into it 😉 I just couldn’t do this on my own, that’s for sure. Thank you so much!  I’ll be thinking of ya’ll big time while running through the streets of LA on Sunday! XO 

10 Things I’ve Learned from Marathon Training

I announced last month that I was all signed up for the LA Marathon on February 14, so I thought I’d share a bit of how my training has been going.  With just 36 days to go, things are getting serious.  

10 Things I’ve Learned from Marathon Training (so far!):

  1. I can wake up at 4am and run endless amounts of miles in the cold and dark morning.  

  2. Even if it’s sunny in the winter, I should wear sunblock.  I will tan.

  3. Life will revolve around running.

  4. I can chafe in places I didn’t realize were possible.  

  5. It’s best to run long miles with a group or a friend.  

  6. I need more running clothes.

  7. A good pair of running shoes is hard to find.

  8. I’m always hungry.

  9. Songs I used to like can become annoying after hearing them so many times on my runs. 

  10. It’s ok to be proud of my accomplishments during this journey.

So far, my longest run has been 17 miles, just this past Sunday.  I was most definitely walking with a bit of a wobble afterwards, but I ended up not being as sore as I thought I would be.  Although the idea of 26.2 miles is still pretty daunting, I feel that I will be able to do it.  On runs where I am alone, I try to envision what it will be like to run the streets of L.A. and take in the sights. I try to imagine the sound of the crowds cheering us along the way.  I look beyond that and picture myself crossing the finish line and seeing my family at the end waiting for me.  I can almost see their faces and I just hope they’ll be proud of me then.  That one day, they’ll know I’ve done all of this for them.  It’s these thoughts, these emotions, these visualizations, that keep me going.  There’s no quitting now. 

 

L.A. Marathon 2016 Here I Come

I remember my first half marathon 2 years ago when I said, “I’ll never run a full marathon!”  My cousin, who is a marathon runner, laughed at me and just said to me, “Never say never.” Well, here I am today announcing I have signed up for the L.A. Marathon on February 14, 2016.  Who am I? I may have lost my mind! 

The truth is, I have been itching to run a marathon and I’ve even said  my goal was to run one before I turned 40.  Now, it looks like I’ll be running it before my 39th birthday.  I seriously started talking and looking into running a marathon for 2016 a few months ago.  Jason (the hubs) told me to think about it right after I ran my latest half marathon, the Laughlin/Bullhead Half Marathon, earlier this month.  Right after I finished that half marathon and I was enjoying the post-race festivities drinking my free beer, we talked about how I felt and what it would mean to run, basically the entire race again.  Maybe it was the beer or the adrenalin from having just ran but I said that with a little more training, I think I could do it.  Say what? Did I just convince myself and my husband that I could do this?!? 

Now it was time to find a race.  I was pretty sure I wanted an easy course.  As if running 26.2 miles anywhere would be easy, right?  I enjoy downhill, so the Mountains2Beach Marathon in May looked like a winner.  However, after doing a bit more research, I found out that it’s an official Boston Marathon Qualifier.  This meant that most of the runners were seriously fast runners. It also didn’t seem to have the fun party atmosphere I think I need to get me through 26.2 miles.  On to the next race!  I was interested in the St. George Marathon  because it was close to home and it’s also a downhill race.  However, the idea of it being a lottery and that I may not get chosen, didn’t appeal to me.  Not for my first marathon.  Then began the google searches for “best marathons for beginners” and “the most fun marathons”.  This is how I came upon the L.A. Marathon.  It seemed to have what I was looking for in terms of fun and crowd support.  Although, there are some hills throughout the course, the last few miles are downhill and end at the beach.  Plus, I’ll be running through all the famous landmarks including, Hollywood Blvd and Rodeo Drive!  How cool is that?  

I wasn’t too sure I had enough time to train, since it was just about 2 months away. But, I had just ran a half marathon so I felt like I was half way there.  I took a look at Hal Higdon’s novice marathon training plan and wouldn’t you know it, if I started training that week, I’d be right on point.  It was meant to be ❤  I signed up last week and have officially began my marathon training.  

So, who’s done the L.A. Marathon before? Love it or hate it?  Best thing about the race? Worst part of the course? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Any experienced marathon runners out there with any tips or suggestions on training? Anything!! Yea, I’m nervous and excited all at the same time! Here’s to starting 2016 with a bang!  XO

Just looking at this gives me butterflies in my stomach!! 
Just looking at this gives me butterflies in my stomach!!