For some reason, I decided I would be spontaneous and sign up to run in a marathon. The options were to run a full, half or relay marathon. Growing up, I hated running with a passion and always dreaded running laps in P.E. So, when I called home to tell my family I had entered the relay portion of a marathon, the response I received was laughter.
Now, if you spontaneously decide to run in a marathon, and you are not in shape for said marathon, you should probably form a schedule, start getting in shape, expand your endurance and eat healthier. While I had plenty of time to prepare for my debut, I will admit, I did not take advantage of the allotted training time. What follows may or may not be an accurate description of my training schedule (or lack thereof) and my overall experience running in my first marathon.
1. Well, I haven't started running regularly yet, but I walk EVERYWHERE so it won't be that bad.
2. It's good to load up on carbs, right? And besides, I'll just go for a run and work it off. *Stuffs face with endless amounts of pasta followed by three scoops of stracciatella.*
3. Well, I am running the short leg of the relay, which is only about 5 miles so it shouldn't be THAT bad.
4. The marathon is two weeks away. I have plenty of time to fit in a few runs before the big day.
5. Day before marathon: This is so exciting! I have to create a playlist to keep me motivated. This is going to be great.
6. Day of marathon: Oh my gosh, there are people everywhere. Oh yay, I get a number and everything. I'm so official. This is awesome!
7. One mile down: What did I sign up for again? Why am I doing this? What on earth made me think this was in any way a good idea?
8. Three miles down: Is it over yet?
9. Four miles down: Well, I made it this far and haven't died yet. One more mile to go. I CAN DO THIS!
10. *Crosses finish line and hands off baton.*
While I am glad I decided to run in the marathon, and I did in fact live to tell the tale, I definitely recommend taking it seriously and properly preparing. A regular exercise schedule and healthy eating habits go a long way toward a successful running experience.
