Looking back at my past two entries, I can’t help but laugh at what a baby I was.
Following that horrific race last week, I tried this really cool new thing: one morning, I just woke up and decided to believe in myself. And by golly, it’s working.
With this new mindset, I started looking forward to cross country practices, increasing my stride, and a few weeks ago, I went out for my first voluntary run in months. I finished my last cross country race with a personal record for the season. It’s like a brand-new me.
I’ve found that the best times to go out for a five mile jog, is either right before my bedtime or first thing in the morning, when I’m still delirious and can’t talk myself out of it.
While running when it’s pitch black outside is basically the equivalent to a tempo workout (I’m terrified of the dark, the nerves make me run faster), I really do prefer my morning jogs. At that time of the morning, the only people out are the packs of elderly women who take up the entire sidewalk as they power-walk and gossip about their grandchildren, and middle-aged dudes with shorts shorter than mine.
Another plus is that everyone my age is still asleep, therefore not seeing me sweat. There’s honestly no downside.
I’m running this marathon just to check it off my bucket list, but I also have a few goals inside of that. I guess the first and foremost thing is to prove wrong all of those people who didn’t think I could even 
finish a race in Cross Country without walking. I also really don’t want to be one of those people with a six-hour finishing time.
My ultimate time goal would be somewhere around three hours and a half, which would involve 8:15 splits (mile times). Consistent 8:15 splits over the course of 26 miles, and then a bit.
Yes, it does seem impossible, but I’ve gone from crying because I hated running so much to beaming as I bolt down to my house after a particularly long run. All in the span of two weeks.
A very dear friend of mine, Hannah Coleman, has agreed to accompany me on this race. She’s endured two seasons of cross country with me, and is kind of a hardcore athlete herself. We’re starting out slow, running our first thirty-mile week in mid-December, which is still a solid two months away.
Following the Pop Sugar Beginner Marathon Training Program, I observed that since the training plan was just eighteen weeks, I should probably move up my marathon date to match. The intended race day on the training plan is Feb. 22, 2015, so I’m basing it off of that.
I’m going to try to find a leftover Valentine’s Day themed one to run. Me drenched in sweat and pink-cheeked, jogging zombie-style for three and a half hours.
Who knows? I might even wear a tutu.
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