Running Your First Marathon - April 12 - Post Two
Well, two days after the inaugural post for a series that would follow Noah as he trained for and completed his first marathon - the event was cancelled for 2020. With the craziness that has been the last few weeks and months, we knew this was a possibility and while I agree with the decision that Grandma’s Marathon made, we are bummed. Basically, the event is too big and takes up too much of the city of Duluth for postponing to be an option and safety is the #1 priority right now. Expenditures have already taken place, and refunds will not be given (their policy on which is clear upon registration, although the reasoning is unprecedented). However, with all that aside, you are still able to earn your medal and Finisher’s t-shirt, by completing the race virtually. That’s exactly what we plan to do.
When I first heard that the race was cancelled, I sent a text to Noah and our friend Jake (who also signed up to run the marathon with us) to relay the news so we could all wallow together. Our ‘Official’ race training began that Monday (3/30) and the event was cancelled the next day. Sad Face. The virtual race was offered as an option immediately, but when I first read about it, I shrugged it off. The best part of Grandma’s has always been the environment and the people cheering you on. Without that I personally struggled to see the point and I worried that Noah and Jake’s motivation would fall off as well. But then the thought dawned that there may be a way to find a silver lining in all of this. Anyone on any given day can run a marathon distance if they choose to do so, but for your first marathon to be cancelled and having to complete it virtually with your own course/route to map out, timing to take care of and aid stations to plan for? It’s a beast of an idea that we are hoping to conquer and excited to workout. We have already tricked parents and some friends into agreeing to run water stations for us and provide moral support by cheering us on. It’s not the first marathon experience Noah and Jake signed up for, but it’s one that won’t be forgotten.
In the midst of all this craziness and back and forth on if we wanted to do the virtual race or not, I made Noah continue to run and track how his two weeks of consistent running felt, and what the experience was like.
The training schedule I am using for myself, and shared with Noah to follow as he pleased, calls for running 6 days a week, with long runs on Wednesday’s and Saturday’s with Sunday’s as an off day. Realistically, I am planning on 4 to 5 days of running a week, but leaving some room on either side, because life. For Noah’s first two weeks of training (3/30 - 4/11) here is what he did: Week One - He ran 4 days in a row, 5 days total, and put in around 20 miles for the week. Week Two - He ran three days in a row, and four days total, taking an extra day to rest his legs, and also totalled 20 miles. Although there was one less day of running, the daily volume has increased. This will continue to happen to build the legs for the larger miles expected in the later weeks of training. Before race day, the longest scheduled training run is 18 miles. This week's longest run was 7.
So how did it feel?
“It’s a nice escape with everything that’s going on. I am enjoying getting out and pushing myself. I hope that a love for running will develop at some point. I got a runners high after about 5 miles of my long (6 mile) run on Saturday. That feeling lasted through the drive home and I was sore Sunday and today (Monday).”
After an increase in the volume of running he was doing last week, Noah also said he was sore in his calves, glutes, knees, and the arches of his feet were bothering him. Dealing with a chronic knee issue, Noah alternates running with a compression sleeve on and off to try and mend it. He splits his running between trails and cement, and plans to keep to the training schedule as much as possible, but leaves room for flexibility. “If I am running a shorter mileage one day, and I feel good, I may just keep going and make that my long run for the week. The day to day miles can switch around, but I will try to keep as close to the weekly total as possible.”
After this first week, I also asked him what he plans on adjusting, if anything. He said that with everything that’s going on right now, It’s easy to just stay home and drink, but that he wants to make a conscious effort to limit that and keep to healthier alternatives. Performing 100 pushups a day, and having occasional ‘endurance days’ where he sees how many miles he can physically run are other ideas he is currently contemplating.
It was a wild first week of training for sure, but the motivation is still there. In the midst of this ‘shelter-in-place’ time we are in, I am finding that running is a great way to get outside for some time and enjoy the nicer weather. In the coming weeks, we will be organizing an alternative virtual race for the three of us to complete together in a few months and look forward to the experience - Exact date, location and details are still being worked out. For now, we’ll just keep on running!
Stay safe and stay healthy!
