As I write this, I’m almost 2 weeks into my Boston Marathon training. I sat back and rode the high of being accepted into my dream race for a week or so, and then got down to business mapping out a training plan.
To date (1/6/22) I’ve checked off:
- 6 runs (which includes my first tempo run, hill workout, and long run)
- 3 strength workouts
- 3 complete rest days
I’ll continue to post updates on my training throughout the next few months with greater detail as to what I am doing/how I am feeling, but today I want to chat about training plans.
Mapping out a training plan was a much more stressful and anxiety-provoking experience than I anticipated it would be. Maybe some of you can relate.
Here’s how it went…
I sat down at my desk with high energy, loads of excitement, eager eyes, and the internet at my fingertips. As noted previously on my blog, I’ve done the marathon thing before and it didn’t go well. For that race, I followed a training plan James created (and when I say “followed” what I really mean is that I used it as a guide and added a stupid amount of intensity).
I could have tried following James’ plan again and actually commit to abide by it, but this is a fresh start. I want to take what I learned from that experience and apply it to something new.
My first step was to go online and search Marathon training plan. This produced millions of results and after clicking on five or six links, I became overwhelmed and confused by how different each plan looked.
Which one was best? Which one made the most sense for me? Which one have the most people had success with? These look really intense, maybe I’m not ready for this at all…
I decided to narrow my search by typing Boston Marathon training plan into my Google search bar. Still, I sat in front of pages and pages of results. And again, some were very intense.
I began to slip into a place that I know all too well. It’s a place where I put all kinds of unnecessary pressure on myself, tell myself I’ll never be prepared to step on the line, anticipate the potential disappointment I’ll feel while I fail through the training and the race, work myself up because the workouts sound really scary, and begin to think about how I’ll need to put my entire life on hold to make sure I complete every workout perfectly.
Fortunately, I realized very quickly that my mindset was shifting to that dangerous place, and I stopped it in it’s tracks.
How?
I reminded myself of my goals.
My goals for this race do not including earning anything more than a participation medal and having a good time. They do not even include setting a personal record.
My goals are to enjoy the process, train hard but smart, have fun, and to successfully make it to the finish line at the 127th Boston Marathon. If I can do those things but I don’t walk away with a faster time that I ran at my first marathon, I’ll be happy. Hold me to that statement.
So, here’s what I did…
I took that old training plan from James, looked at a couple of online plans, stole some ideas, and created something that I feel makes sense for me and will allow me to run 26.2 miles on April 18th, 2022.
Is it perfect? I’d bet it’s not… But I’m confident that come April I will be able to run the distance and that’s all I need to do. If I enjoy this marathon process as a whole maybe I’ll be inspired to chase different goals, and at that point I might follow an established training program or even work with a coach. But not this time. This time it’s just me, my plan, and James’ constant support/habit of reminding me to be patient and listen to my body.
I’d be happy to share my training plan if you’re interested (just reach out!) with the disclaimer that it has not be tested. But if you’re someone who is looking for a “tried and true” plan, I know many runners who have had success with Hal Higdons as well as Runner’s World. I took inspiration and even a few workouts from both of those resources when I crafted my own program.
Happy running!!