Training for my first marathon was both scary and fun at the same time. I didn’t know if I could do it at first, and some of my runs made me nervous that I couldn’t.

Here are 5 things that I learned about myself and my body during those four months:

1. My body changed. I have been running for over 10 years now and NOTHING changed the look of my body like training for the marathon. My muscles show definition, I am much leaner and the shape of my arms and legs is different.
2. I am faster than I ever thought I could be. All the mileage, even the slower long runs, have made me a more efficient runner. This has made me faster. On shorter runs, I am running 2 minutes faster then before I started training.
3. I can’t eat everything. One of the misconceptions about training is that you are running so much you can eat whatever you want. That may be true for younger folk, but at 50 that was not true at all! At first I way over-estimated how many carbs I needed to eat and was gaining weight. Once I looked into why, I found that at the weight I was at I needed far fewer carbs. I also didn’t need to be over-loading for EVERY run. Once I adjusted for that, my weight became more stable.
4. Training for a race is better for my frame of mind. I have found that training “forces” me out the door on days that I wouldn’t have normally run. I love running, so was quite consistent before this, but if it was a 13-degree day (Fahrenheit, lol) or threatening to rain I would have stayed home. Now I will get up early, or try to beat a rainstorm or bundle up more on days I’m supposed to run. I make it work.
5. The mental struggle is real, but it makes you stronger. Once I started the 20 mile plus runs, I found that it really is a mental game. Your body is very physically tired. But, your brain also gets tired and you can either talk yourself up or talk yourself out! Form can break down when you are tired, which makes it harder, which makes it mentally harder, which makes your form break down more. I’ve learned to check my form when I hear the Debbie Downer voice start to talk to me. I also will pop a gummy bear for quick energy…whether it is real or not, my mind tells me it’s instant, lol! I can do this!

Applying the Lessons

I will definitely be training for another marathon in the not too distant future, and it will be interesting to see if my training is better the second time around as I incorporate what I’ve learned.

I started this blog to document my journey, and I am so glad I did! I can look back at posts about my training and they bring to mind things I may not have remembered.

Even if you don’t start a blog about your running, consider journaling or keeping a diary of your training.

It is fun and informative to look back at what you did and have accomplished and how you can improve on that.

Sometimes looking back can help you move forward.