The voice of experience...
because lets face it, reason is not my strong suit.
So I saw on Facebook yesterday the Outer Banks Bootcamp's Flying Pirate Training event pop up and memories of last year flashed through my brain like I have heard happens moments before your death. (not that I have talked to anyone that has actually died but .. oh never mind) Just fleeting thoughts of struggles, failures, triumphs, and over all success. It dawned on me that there are others out there on the fence about their first half marathon and if they should try.
The easy answer to that is YES YOU SHOULD TRY. What exactly is holding you back? Fear??
What do you have to be afraid of? You can already run, most of you that I am talking to have already completed 5k and 8ks! The day I showed up for my first training for the Flying Pirate last year I could run, I certainly could, I owned that whole minute I could run. Yes you read that right ONE MINUTE! That was as far as I had ever run before in my life. The rest of the story of that first day can be found here.. The first day, it's an unbelievable story... even to me who lived it.
Today I wanted to knock you off the fence and over the dark side of running half marathons because I too need to devote my time and attention to completing the same task. I have decided to run five half marathons this year and the first is barreling down on me like a freight train loaded with pig poop. (don't ask I don't know either). Anyhoo I thought I would relay a little bit of my experience to you in hopes to help and maybe derail some fears.
1. You CAN do this. If you can run a 5k now, you can run 13.1 then.. and I did say RUN, not walk and run, but run.
2. You don't have to be fast.. you just have to go and not stop.. that easy.
3. It takes dedication, and by that I mean dedication to yourself, something I lost after the first half and am working on getting back.
4. Trust your coaches, they know what they are doing, even when you don't think you can, they know you can and will show you the way. They won't do the work for you but they will point you on the right path.
5. Stop drinking if that is your thing... TRUST ME.. I didn't listen it made it rough. I am not saying tetotal it.. I am saying drink a glass of wine a week not 6 or 7 bottles.. hey don't judge.
6. Show up for ALL training, Friday and Sunday included. They are IMPORTANT! You can not skip Sunday's. If you miss Sunday's you must be mentally prepared to run the long distances alone. (I can't do this my brain doesn't work that way)
7. If you get a blister, fix it, try everything to fix it, if you can't fix it, keep running, nothing bad will happen, your foot will just half rot off and you will get a staph infection that requires multiple shots in the ass but you won't die. Ok wait that isn't what you should do that is what I did and no one should do the things I do.. well not the stupid stuff anyway. Fix it! That is the bottom line FIX IT! They make stuff, find what works for you quickly. I recommend mole skin, neosporin, and the glueless gauze.
8. Cut the crap, eat for your run, your body will thank you. Mine still hates me for what I haven't done correctly I am working on it.
9. 8 will help in losing some extra pounds if you have extra pounds, again your body will thank you, you know how we run with those 10 lb weights in bootcamp and we are soooooo happy when we get to put them down. Try it with 50 extra, it is painful. My knees are also still plotting my death. I have vowed to them that this year will be better. I mean you can't lie to your own knees right.
10. TRAIN WITH GELS. Do not .. I repeat DO NOT try them for the first time 5 miles from your car. It is not pretty and you will have to have someone come pick you up in a school parking lot and your coach will call you an hour later worried because you never made it back and you will have to fess up that you nearly crapped yourself. For the love of Betsy do NOT try them for the first time during your half marathon, you will find yourself in one of those long porta potty lines. PS after the first time it doesn't happen again.
11. Don't over train it gets you no where, I have a repeat offender of this and quite honestly have to fix it. What happens if you over train, you spend a year spinning your feet. Welcome to my world. I am no more ready for a half marathon today than I was a year ago, physically that is.
12. Appreciate your trainers and those that run beside you for weeks on end.. Christine I still love you!!!
13. Last but not least! Believe in yourself! Have faith in yourself! Strive for your Goals!
So now that you have my 13 rules of first time or third time marathon running, get your hiney off the fence and come have fun! I look forward to this journey again and I really hope to see some new faces crossing that half marathon finish line. Errrrhmmmmm Elly.. Amanda..Thuy not to be naming any names here.
Much Love to all
15.23.14.9.20.
Re
So I saw on Facebook yesterday the Outer Banks Bootcamp's Flying Pirate Training event pop up and memories of last year flashed through my brain like I have heard happens moments before your death. (not that I have talked to anyone that has actually died but .. oh never mind) Just fleeting thoughts of struggles, failures, triumphs, and over all success. It dawned on me that there are others out there on the fence about their first half marathon and if they should try.
The easy answer to that is YES YOU SHOULD TRY. What exactly is holding you back? Fear??
What do you have to be afraid of? You can already run, most of you that I am talking to have already completed 5k and 8ks! The day I showed up for my first training for the Flying Pirate last year I could run, I certainly could, I owned that whole minute I could run. Yes you read that right ONE MINUTE! That was as far as I had ever run before in my life. The rest of the story of that first day can be found here.. The first day, it's an unbelievable story... even to me who lived it.
Today I wanted to knock you off the fence and over the dark side of running half marathons because I too need to devote my time and attention to completing the same task. I have decided to run five half marathons this year and the first is barreling down on me like a freight train loaded with pig poop. (don't ask I don't know either). Anyhoo I thought I would relay a little bit of my experience to you in hopes to help and maybe derail some fears.
1. You CAN do this. If you can run a 5k now, you can run 13.1 then.. and I did say RUN, not walk and run, but run.
2. You don't have to be fast.. you just have to go and not stop.. that easy.
3. It takes dedication, and by that I mean dedication to yourself, something I lost after the first half and am working on getting back.
4. Trust your coaches, they know what they are doing, even when you don't think you can, they know you can and will show you the way. They won't do the work for you but they will point you on the right path.
5. Stop drinking if that is your thing... TRUST ME.. I didn't listen it made it rough. I am not saying tetotal it.. I am saying drink a glass of wine a week not 6 or 7 bottles.. hey don't judge.
6. Show up for ALL training, Friday and Sunday included. They are IMPORTANT! You can not skip Sunday's. If you miss Sunday's you must be mentally prepared to run the long distances alone. (I can't do this my brain doesn't work that way)
7. If you get a blister, fix it, try everything to fix it, if you can't fix it, keep running, nothing bad will happen, your foot will just half rot off and you will get a staph infection that requires multiple shots in the ass but you won't die. Ok wait that isn't what you should do that is what I did and no one should do the things I do.. well not the stupid stuff anyway. Fix it! That is the bottom line FIX IT! They make stuff, find what works for you quickly. I recommend mole skin, neosporin, and the glueless gauze.
8. Cut the crap, eat for your run, your body will thank you. Mine still hates me for what I haven't done correctly I am working on it.
9. 8 will help in losing some extra pounds if you have extra pounds, again your body will thank you, you know how we run with those 10 lb weights in bootcamp and we are soooooo happy when we get to put them down. Try it with 50 extra, it is painful. My knees are also still plotting my death. I have vowed to them that this year will be better. I mean you can't lie to your own knees right.
10. TRAIN WITH GELS. Do not .. I repeat DO NOT try them for the first time 5 miles from your car. It is not pretty and you will have to have someone come pick you up in a school parking lot and your coach will call you an hour later worried because you never made it back and you will have to fess up that you nearly crapped yourself. For the love of Betsy do NOT try them for the first time during your half marathon, you will find yourself in one of those long porta potty lines. PS after the first time it doesn't happen again.
11. Don't over train it gets you no where, I have a repeat offender of this and quite honestly have to fix it. What happens if you over train, you spend a year spinning your feet. Welcome to my world. I am no more ready for a half marathon today than I was a year ago, physically that is.
12. Appreciate your trainers and those that run beside you for weeks on end.. Christine I still love you!!!
13. Last but not least! Believe in yourself! Have faith in yourself! Strive for your Goals!
So now that you have my 13 rules of first time or third time marathon running, get your hiney off the fence and come have fun! I look forward to this journey again and I really hope to see some new faces crossing that half marathon finish line. Errrrhmmmmm Elly.. Amanda..Thuy not to be naming any names here.
Much Love to all
15.23.14.9.20.
Re
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