Hello readers! Please welcome my training partner, Amber, from Girl With The Red Hair! Today we are swapping blogs to share our marathon training thus far. I hope you enjoy hearing about it from her perspective! Don't forget to stop by her blog and read my thoughts about the good, the bad, and the ugly of marathon training!
Hi guys!
When I asked Lisa if she wanted to do a blog swap last week re: our marathon training she said yes and that was the last we really talked about it.
On my run Tuesday morning I was racking my brain as to what I could blog about, and I decided to do a ‘Good, Bad and Ugly’ post about my training cycle so far. Imagine my surprise when a “Good, Bad and Ugly” post arrives from Lisa in my inbox Tuesday night.
Isn’t that funny? I guess between our daily BBM’s and emails our minds are starting to sync or something!
To say this training cycle has been a learning experience would be an understatement, I’ve already switched up my training plan once and spent more money than I’d care to admit on running gear and GU’s in the past 6 weeks. And there’s still 11 weeks to go!
OK, here’s the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Ugly of Marathon Training thus far.
The Good:
1. My legs look hot. Seriously. I don’t mean to brag or anything, but I can’t help but check out my toned, lean quads and calves whenever I walk past a mirror. My legs have quickly become my favourite body part thanks to marathon training!
2. I have made an awesome new friend. Obviously, Lisa and I were friends before, but I really don’t know what I’d do without our daily BBM’s and emails. I mean, who else would I frantically BBM when my Garmin won’t turn on, when I’m having shin pain, when a run goes really well or really crappy, when I feel the need to tell someone how sweaty I am after a run, when I don’t like the taste of the sports drink that will be served at the marathon or when I need to tell someone how I’m SO FREAKING HUNGRY I COULD EAT A HORSE and the list goes on.
The Bad:
1. I am having some recurring shin pain and despite foam rolling, icing and wearing Zensah compression sleeves it doesn’t seem to be completely going away. I had x-rays so I know it’s nothing serious like a stress fracture, but I just wish the pain (it’s actually more like a twinge) would go away for good!
2. Tan lines. Oh, the horrible tan lines. I have a farmers tan on my legs from running in shorts all the time. And I have so many different straps/t-shirts tan lines on my shoulders/chest that I think it’s a lost cause to ever even it out this training cycle.
The Downright Ugly:
1. Beat-up feet: Broken toenails and dead skin on the ends of my toes and more blisters than I can count Now Lisa was kind, and didn’t share photos of her beat-up feet, but I will be doing no such thing. You have to see the nastiness to realize just how *Downright Ugly* it truly is. (And painful too!)
And that’s the extent of my marathon training observations for now. Running and training for this marathon has basically consumed my life and my thoughts lately. But, so far, I love it!
Have you ever trained for/ran a marathon or a similar distance event? If so, any advice for me as a first-time marathoner? If not, would you ever consider it?
Hi guys!
When I asked Lisa if she wanted to do a blog swap last week re: our marathon training she said yes and that was the last we really talked about it.
On my run Tuesday morning I was racking my brain as to what I could blog about, and I decided to do a ‘Good, Bad and Ugly’ post about my training cycle so far. Imagine my surprise when a “Good, Bad and Ugly” post arrives from Lisa in my inbox Tuesday night.
Isn’t that funny? I guess between our daily BBM’s and emails our minds are starting to sync or something!
To say this training cycle has been a learning experience would be an understatement, I’ve already switched up my training plan once and spent more money than I’d care to admit on running gear and GU’s in the past 6 weeks. And there’s still 11 weeks to go!
OK, here’s the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Ugly of Marathon Training thus far.
The Good:
1. My legs look hot. Seriously. I don’t mean to brag or anything, but I can’t help but check out my toned, lean quads and calves whenever I walk past a mirror. My legs have quickly become my favourite body part thanks to marathon training!
2. I have made an awesome new friend. Obviously, Lisa and I were friends before, but I really don’t know what I’d do without our daily BBM’s and emails. I mean, who else would I frantically BBM when my Garmin won’t turn on, when I’m having shin pain, when a run goes really well or really crappy, when I feel the need to tell someone how sweaty I am after a run, when I don’t like the taste of the sports drink that will be served at the marathon or when I need to tell someone how I’m SO FREAKING HUNGRY I COULD EAT A HORSE and the list goes on.
The Bad:
1. I am having some recurring shin pain and despite foam rolling, icing and wearing Zensah compression sleeves it doesn’t seem to be completely going away. I had x-rays so I know it’s nothing serious like a stress fracture, but I just wish the pain (it’s actually more like a twinge) would go away for good!
2. Tan lines. Oh, the horrible tan lines. I have a farmers tan on my legs from running in shorts all the time. And I have so many different straps/t-shirts tan lines on my shoulders/chest that I think it’s a lost cause to ever even it out this training cycle.
The Downright Ugly:
1. Beat-up feet: Broken toenails and dead skin on the ends of my toes and more blisters than I can count Now Lisa was kind, and didn’t share photos of her beat-up feet, but I will be doing no such thing. You have to see the nastiness to realize just how *Downright Ugly* it truly is. (And painful too!)
And that’s the extent of my marathon training observations for now. Running and training for this marathon has basically consumed my life and my thoughts lately. But, so far, I love it!
Have you ever trained for/ran a marathon or a similar distance event? If so, any advice for me as a first-time marathoner? If not, would you ever consider it?
18 comments:
Thanks for swapping blogs, Amber! I definitely laughed out loud about how hungry you are. When I did my 12 mile run a couple of weeks ago, I felt like a bottomless pit. No matter what I ate, I never felt 'full' all day!!
Ouch!! Your poor, poor feet! These two posts were really interesting and I have so much admiration for both of you for doing this :)
Wow, I can relate to the foot issue. For the blisters, have you tried different kinds of socks? My ex swore by the wool type running socks. I use a wicking kind that are blue and white and then over top of those I use cotton ones because the wicking socks are too thin and my shoes don't fit properly.
I can TOTALLY relate on the money spent for running gear!!
Yikes! Ow ow ow!! Those last pictures hurt me a little, but the good & the feeling you'll get when you finish? They'll be amazing. So proud of you guys!
What a fun blog swap! I'm so proud of both of you for training and I think it's great that you have this accountability! Sorry about your feet though! :(
That is so great that you and LIsa have each other as support during your marahon trainging! I bet it makes the world difference to have someone who really understands what you're talking about!
That is sooo true about the tan lines and the feet! I have the same woes! Ouch!
Wish I could watch you ladies cross the finsh line in your glory on 10/10 (FYI -- I'm Lisa's sister, not some stalker that would travel across the country to watch you do a marathon ;) )
Happy training keep rockin' those awesome legs :)
So cool that you guys are able to support each other during the training! I didn't realize you were running the same marathon! Keep going, both of you, you are serving as great inspiration for me too!!
Ohhhh. I always thought running was hard on the feet, but who knew that could happen?
I'm not a runner and don't plan on becoming one, but I think it's fantastic when people commit to something and see it through! It's great you have each other for moral support :)
I'm glad I didn't scary any readers off with my nasty feet :)
I have heard that marathon runners tend to lose their toenails!! I can't imagine... ouchie!!!
The ugly is really disturbing. I am so so proud of the both of you for undertaking this training with such dedication. You're both inspirations!!
Haha it's so funny that you both wrote on the exact same post topic without knowing it!
You two will feel so amazing when you complete your marathon...even if it means you lost a few toe nails along the way!
How fun is this!? Minus the whole "ugly" part since it looks painful; I actually had a bloody toe after my 10 mile run in April. It was not fun. Gosh, seems like so long ago that I was running long distances. I so miss it!!! =( You two are troopers !Keep up the awesome work :)
Ouch on the feet. I have such a hard time spending money on running stuff because it is so expensive! And I do love to look at my legs now that I am running more cause they really are toned!
Hey Amber, I am not training for a marathon, but I do run about 3x per week, usually 30 min. And since I started to run, my big toe nails have been constantly falling off... I got and get fake ones put one cause its summer and I want to wear open toe shoes, but I totally hear you on the ugly foot thing!
And not only your toe nails.. what is up with that blister...?!?
Love that you showed us your feet! I commented on Lisa's post about the foot thing as well. It's inevitable. Sometimes, if I put on enough body glide (on my feet) I can escape getting blisters there. But last week I forgot and now I have two hideous painful blisters. Can't wait to get that pedicure in a few weeks before the weddings begin! I find it's also esp hard to keep full when I'm not eating meat. It's just like "okay, I've already had peanut butter and yogurt today. Don't want any more of that, but need more cals, protein and fat!"
Ahh, foot blisters make me cry! Ouchie ouchie! Good luck with the rest of your training and I hope you guy both do amazing! (Actually, I know guys you will!)
Aw I love both of you and I'm going to be so jealous when you get to meet at the marathon. I know I've said it before but I need a job that gives vacation time in the fall!
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