My 5 Aspirations Training For A Marathon

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.  

~T.S. Eliot

Workout: 

• 9km Long Slow Distance Run
•  30 minute Pilates & Yoga Stretching
  

This whole pursuit of training for a marathon has me pretty freaked out!!  It is just that feeling of the unknown makes me so nervous (because I am a control freak).  So I have been reading a ton of books, websites, blogs, etc. to figure out this marathon training thing.  It all sounds pretty straight forward, but when I sit back and actually think about running all those miles every week, I get so overwhelmed!!  So I have narrowed it down to 5 things that I will focus on for the upcoming season.

Going for a run in my new, spiffy compression sleeves.

1. Keep A Training Journal: This a great way for me to track my workouts/mileages each week as well as meal plans, so I can I know what worked and didn`t work.  I am particularly worried about staying on the top of the energy requirements for running long distances.  From what I have read, it all seems to be trial and error.
2. Get Some Professional Help: I think signing up with a local beginner marathon training group is a great idea.  Unfortunately, as I working mom with three kiddies, I don't have the time to join one.  However, there are a ton of resources on-line.  I recently purchases a beginner marathon program from the Runner's World website to get myself started. It only cost me $29.99 which I think it is a great price for a beginner like me!
3. Get The Right Gear: With the hours of running I will be doing in the upcoming weeks, I should not cheap out on my running gear.  Back in the day I worked at a local running store where I learned so much about the importance of well-fitted running shoes.  So my birthday treat from my hubby will be buying a good pair new runners.  In addition, having other things such as a heart rate monitor is also beneficial for setting my pace and ensure I am engaging the right energy systems.  There are other things such as GPS watches but these can be very expensive.  I have opted to buy MapMyRun on my phone instead of paying for a separate GPS.  It has been awesome for tracking my routes!
4. Have a Training Buddy For Support:  It may be difficult for me to find a running buddy among my friends since most of them think I am crazy for running a marathon.  Thank goodness for technology because I connect with many other runners on twitter chats such as RunChat and FitFluential.  A great way for me to get advise from other experienced from others as well as support for my progress.
5. Realistic Goals: Well since this is the only marathon I have ever done, my goal is to actually complete, even it takes me 5 hours!

YOU CAN FIND ME TRAINING AT