“Feeling good…” that is what we say out loud or to ourselves when we are on a long run… it is amazing how a short phrase or thought crossing your mind can give you instant motivation… eventually your legs are on auto-pilot… a steady cadence like the ticking of a clock… when the thought of quitting crosses my mind I quickly shove it into a closet in the back of my mind… and think to myself… that’s not an option…

Sunday we ran 12 miles in 1:53 which is about a 9:30 pace…  that was a full 2 minutes faster than our last 12 mile run… last weekend we did 15 miles and this weekend we will run 16… what did we learn from the 15 mile run?  Don’t pick a loop with many if any hills (hard to do in our part of the state) and make sure your goo-pack has caffeine (some of them don’t and you have to look really closely at the packaging to know for sure)... also plant water bottles along the parts that don’t have a water fountain… we usually incorporate the Greenway but the end toward Bennington Street does not have any fountains… something we’ll keep in mind for next weekend…

What training for a marathon is teaching me:

Patience - You can’t go out on Saturday or Sunday and plan to hurry through a long run… I have to block of a time frame of 2 hours or more for this training day.

To schedule wisely - There are several events I am involved with on behalf of WSLS and I want to make sure I am not completely disrupting my entire life to achieve this goal.  So far I have managed to still fit in weekend station sponsored events, watching the Hokies, wakeboarding and cookout fun.

To listen to my body - I am really trying hard to make sure I rest on the days of that call for it…  For example since we ran 12 miles on Sunday - I did not run today - but I will go to the “Y” tonight and do a workout on the stationary bike - It’s okay to cross-train on a rest day but I am trying hard not to pound too much on my legs.  If I wake up and don’t feel like running… I try to listen to that little voice instead of forcing it. I don’t want to start the event with an injury.

To indulge a little bit-  I am usually pretty strict with my diet but on a long run day one of my favorite treats is a homemade pizza with turkey pepperoni, cheese and extra sauce… so good!  Plus yesterday there were also some peanut m&ms; and icecream included as well (not on the pizza or at the same time of course)

Appreciation:  During my runs I often say my longest and most detailed prayers.  I sometimes find tears mingled with sweat stinging my eyes… I’m not sure why.. but there is a raw emotion that comes with pushing your body to its physical limits that cannot be described effectively with words.

Learn more about the Richmond Marathon.

Training for a marathon forces me to schedule wisely…