Marathon kick off training run with my running partner Clyde.
Though its not quite Fall, I have officially changed from 5K training to training for my final (well maybe, I reserve the right to change my mind) marathon. This year has been a season of change for me which began in the Fall of 2013 with my only child leaving for college, a very slow marathon that led to a lay off from running as I began my journey to better health, and an introduction to a new business opportunity.
One of the things I have discovered this year is that I really don’t like the marathon and it’s time to quit running them just to be accepted by the running world as a “real runner”. Ok maybe closer to the truth is I have been chasing elusive time goals. I know what I am capable of running and I want to prove it to myself and the rest of the world. Problem is with the marathon, everything has to fall into place, from training to race day, because you don’t just jump in another marathon a couple of weeks later like you would a 5K. Well I know some of you do and I admire you for it, but most of us can’t handle the stress that puts on our bodies. When circumstances beyond your control show up to your race like the extreme hot weather did at my last 5K, you don’t usually get another shot to try it again a few weeks later.
So why am I even bothering with another marathon? Well I was presented with a “can’t refuse deal” to travel to Greece and run the Athens Marathon, the Mother of the Marathon. Imagine running the same route that Phidippides ran in 490 BC from the village of Marathon to Athens to deliver the message that the Greek army had defeated the Persian Army. I am there! I am going to celebrate my year of good health and my successful return to competitive running right where it all began centuries ago!
In order for me to have a successful marathon, two things absolutely must change.
First, the negative self talk! No more “I don’t like the marathon” or “I’m only running 26 miles per week, I can’t imagine running 26 miles at one time” or “It’s a really expensive trip, maybe I shouldn’t go” or “What if my contacts tear and I have to run in my glasses” (yes I actually dreamed that happened the other night)! Instead, I have decided to choose to focus on the positive: “I get to run a marathon of historic proportion” and “Each week I will be adding a few miles to my weekly mileage and my long runs so I will be prepared” and “I trust that God will continue to provide the money I need to add to what I have already saved for the trip” and “I will make sure I take a spare pair of contacts!” When I feel the excuses coming on, I will nip them and be thankful for the ability to run and for the opportunity to travel with a dear friend and excellent runner who will get me through it!
The second thing that has to change is I have to get back on track with my healthy eating habits. I let myself go and celebrated my last 5K too much last week! I have to get my sugar cravings under control. By the end of last week I was tired and run down. Thank goodness the weather turned cool on us again here in Arkansas as I couldn’t drag myself out of bed at 5:45 am to go run. Saturday’s long run, the official marathon kick off run, started at noon! I was wiped out when we finished! It’s time to fuel my body with the good healthy foods that it is really craving so I can have the energy I need to run and be able to get a good night’s rest.
Are you ready for a change?
Perhaps you have some changes you want to make in your life and/or your health as we 
approach Fall. This is the perfect time to participate in my online nutrition program, Clean Up Your Diet which starts next Monday, August 11th. Unlike a lot of programs out there, this is not some 21 day challenge where you can only eat or drink certain foods, rather in this program we cover how to make small incremental changes and teach you to recognize what it best for you. As a bonus, we also will discuss Primary Foods which are the different areas of your life that affect your eating habits. Goodbye negative self talk!
Join me and let’s support each other as we Clean Up our Diet and our Life and become the healthy people we were meant to be! Don’t wait too long, registration closes on Friday, August 8th at 7 pm! Click here for more info on Clean Up Your Diet or to get registered!
