Marathon Training
At age 12, I watched several family members conquer the Flying Pig marathon; something about the excitement of the atmosphere mixed with the nebulous “just run for a long time” persistence of the sport inspired me to eventually do the same. After six years of cross country and a half marathon at 15, though, my consistent runs dwindled as I settled into college. Now, on the brink of graduation, I've decided it’s high time to rekindle my marathon-running goal.
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My goals relating to this challenge spanned more than just the logistical preparation for a marathon; also setting a personal goal to reignite my passion for running. I needed to find a marathon training plan to fit my fitness level: challenging enough to grow stronger over time, but not so strict that I fell out of love with the sport again. Thus, I decided to take on the task of planning and enacting my training via a combination of planning, reflection on past running abilities, and reminders to myself that it’s okay to adapt my training to fit my life - not the other way around.
Below is a link to see the training I decided to follow, as well as a link to a full version of this reflection:
This marathon training experience was overall much more than just a physical fitness goal; it was an attempt - luckily successful - to rekindle my passion for running and significantly improved my personal fitness. As I look forward I’m excited to embark on my next running goal - completing my first time-based ultramarathon (Steel City 12-hour), my first trail race as an adult (the Burning River 100mi 8-person relay), and potentially even my first 100mi solo race (Canal Corridor 100); all of which I wouldn’t have been able to consider without this training process.
Here are a few highlights from my training and the corresponding sharing, evaluating, and reflecting I did upon finishing each run. Above, from left to right, are: my longest run (at that point) and associated woes; my coldest run; and my most exciting run (with Harvey Lewis, a world famous champion ultramarathon runner and Cincinnati local).