Marathon Training - Week 1

Marathon training 1, Me 0

I knew this first week was going to be hard, but the heat made it harder than I expected.

I wanted to ease back into running so I took Friday as a rest day, since I had run the 3 days prior. I had intended to run Saturday. I thought I would go to the park, they have a track around the park that is 2 miles. The surface is much more forgiving than the roads I normally run on, and I thought a change of scenery wouldn't be bad. I asked the kids if they wanted to go along. There are several different playgrounds at the park, and they could play while I ran.

We got to the park around 8:45, a little later than I wanted, but it wasn't super hot out, and I only needed to run 3 miles. As we're pulling in I read the sign at the entrance. I had forgotten today was Community Day at the park. No problem, they were down at one corner, we would play at the other. I see some runners walking around and it hit me again that there was a memorial 5k today, too. I was hoping it started at 8:00. I talked to a couple of runners and they tell me the race isn't until 9:00. One asked me if I was just there to run. I told him, yeah, I just wanted to get a workout in. He told me to run anyway, they were all runners they'd understand. I thanked him and walked the kids to the playground in the woods where it was shaded. The track around the park isn't that wide, and I didn't want to be in anyone's way. I hadn't seen the kids that much this week either. I decided I'd run later. I played with my kids at the park.

We were near the track and I told them that when the runners came by we'd have to cheer. We heard the race start and after a little while I told them to start watching. We saw he first runner, we cheered, he waved, and my son started counting until the next runner. It was about 20 seconds. The next runner went past, we cheered again, then there was a little break. After those 2 they started coming in more clumps. There was maybe only 40 runners, if that. They ran 2 laps, we cheered for all of them twice.

I never did get my run in yesterday. It was too hot during the day. Once evening hit I thought do I really want to run now, then 12 hours from now go on another run?

I made the decision to start running in the mornings. It won't be as hot and humid, and I'll get to see the kids more in the evenings. I'm not wild about getting up at 4:00, but I used to do it for work and after a week or 2 it won't bother me.

If it wasn't Father's Day today I'd have run early. I stayed home to make a big breakfast and all that good stuff. I didn't get out of the house until almost 9:00. I looked at the thermometer before I left and in the sun it was 105. I got 2 miles into my run, I had a pounding headache. I'm running and thinking if I keep going I won't have any shade for the next 6 miles. I knew it was only going to get hotter, and my headache was only going to get worse. I turned around and came back. My 10 mile run today was only 4 miles.

This week was a learning experience. I WILL DO BETTER FROM NOW ON!

Onward and Upward

28.55 miles down
671.45 to go