My notebook is full, my browser tabs are packed with marathon related articles and blogs, and my feet are already callused, so we’re going into marathon training strong.

So, what am I most excited for?  I’m most excited for that new mileage feeling of accomplishment.  When I started running, finishing a mile was exciting.  As I trained more, a mile became easier and finishing three seemed like the biggest deal.  The more I worked, the farther I was able to go.  I still remember the first time I ran 6 miles.  It was in college and I had had a particularly stressful Friday at Studio and all I wanted to do was go home.  Instead, I parked it on a treadmill and let out my frustration.  That feeling of pride that comes with hitting new mileage and speed goals is why I keep running.  Watching my hard work pay off in a way that is so easily trackable is like nothing else.  In an effort to hold myself more accountable, I’m going to track all of my workouts here in a log, so I can look back and see what’s up.  I actually tried to go through today and map the past couple of weeks of running for me and they have been so sporadic, I’m not proud.

So, without further ado, here was last weeks workout log:

12/31-10 mile run with my new run club

1/1-Rest

1/2-2 miles and a lovely spin class

1/3-Spinnnnn

1/4-7 miles

1/5-Spinnnn x 2

1/6-Barre

1/7-4 miles

Weekly total: 23

Slowly but surely upping that mileage.  Focusing a lot on working my core and stretch, stretch, stretching.  My ankle has been giving me a bit of grief lately, but I’m trying to focus on resting, icing, compressing, and elevating right when I get home from the gym.

I also did the best thing this weekend and got a massage.  I will be the first, middle, and last person to tell you that I love a good groupon.  I recently got one for 30 days of unlimited Barre classes (which may become an addiction soon and I’m nervous for my wallet) and when I started feeling more tightness in my ankle, I popped online and got a $70 massage for $30 and booked it that day.  My masseuse was incredibly knowledgable and helped me with some stretches to try and incorporate into my currently non-existent stretching routine.  Worth every penny.  That and I also think it’s going to become an addiction during this training cycle as well.

My main goal for all of this is to make it to the finish line uninjured.  Sure, I’ve got other goals like getting sub-4 hours and not dying, but ideally uninjured would come first.  I’m not starting out in my peak condition, but I’m trying to be as kind as possible to my limbs, which means more slow runs and more focusing on strength training.

Have any of you run marathons?  Any advice for a first timer?

-sj