I'm Serious this time! (I think)

Oh yes. It's that time again. But I'm doing it this time. You're told when you have a goal you should tell everyone you know about it because then they ask you about it and it helps you stay motivated or some crap like that. Well I'm telling everyone. Nevermind that no one knows this blog exists; I'm going to run a marathon and no one is going to stop me. Plenty will mock me and call me names and laugh, but no one is going to stop me.

So night -2. 2 Days until my actual running program starts. I found an app in the itunes store called "Runkeeper" which has several training schedules to get you ready for a marathon. (All of this is free of course.) I chose the easiest, most beginner training schedule it had. I also found one online here: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51137/Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program

The Run keeper app wants me to start out running 4 miles per day and then a long run on the weekends. The schedule I picked up from that link wants me to start with 3 miles and a long one on the weekend. Based on how tonights run went, I may have to put off starting either one until I can run at least 3 miles again. And/or create some sort of modified plan out of the two I already have in order to get going. And since I don't have a deadline for a marathon to run (this way I can take my time and train properly instead of rushing like I like to do), technically this gives me forever to complete training. I won't take that long though.

SO. Tonight's run. I'm A LOT rustier than I thought. Let's start with how I felt. My chest isn't expanding fully so I don't have the air intake I should have. My arms and shoulders are held tight and high. Wasting energy and making me look stupid in the process (lol). I can feel my right foot coming off the ground, flipping out laterally, and coming back down again. The left foot feels straight but we'll see. I had heart burn and felt very heavy the entire time I ran. Even as I type this I'm coughing and experiencing hiccups an a burning sensation in my trachea. (Did I mention I HATE hiccups? Like worse than I hate SATAN?!)

I figure I only ran about 2 miles or maybe 2.5. Not the 4.7 that Runkeeper says I ran. (Not sure how it knows anything anyway considering I run with an ipod and therefore it has no access to internet and therefore no gps to determine how far I've gone.) I could have pushed, but that isn't what tonight was about. Tonight was to see how where exactly I am.

The first "mile" (according to Runkeeper) was nothin. Other than my right medial arch hurting (I ran in shoes tonight), which it had from the beginning of the run, I barely noticed it. I was probably ok through "1.5 miles." Then the inferior portion of my left medial mallelous  started hurting. I pulled over and ditched my shoes, socks, and hoody, and massaged my ankle for a minute. Then continued on my run. The second loop was better in some ways and worse in others. The same spot on my RIGHT malleolus started to ache as well.

The ache in my arch started to ease up as I went, but I decided that since I was in rougher shape than I had realized, I would cut the run short. Then after running about 3/4 of a block on cold, wet grass, I decided it would be best not to run barefoot this winter lol. After the grass, I headed back to the house, alternately walking short distances, and then jogging longer than I walked, then walking again when I felt like I needed to. And all the time, Runkeeper was telling me my mile times were getting better! lol Got all the way down to 6 Minutes per mile. AWESOME!!

Did I mention my TFLs (Tensor Fasciae Latae Muscle) are DESTROYED? I could feel them not really working the entire time I ran. Then when I got back to the house, I almost couldn't lift my leg enough to clear the baby gate at the top of the stairs. Awesome.

So anyhow... that was my preliminary run. I'll see how I feel tomorrow, but my calves are already sore and stiff, so maybe run tomorrow but maybe not. More tomorrow. I'll post where I run or not. Just decided that.