Marathons & Moderation Guest Post #6

Greetings from Washington, DC!

 I’m spending the next two days down here learning a lot about my new role and the business. This means that the next few days will be just like yesterday, going non stop with the customer until a late, amazing dinner and finally a midnight bedtime.

It’s exhausting but I’m learning a great deal so I don’t regret it one bit! I enjoyed an amazing chef’s tasting menu at CityZen last night and this morning I was up by 5:30 lifting weights and incline walking on the treadmill!

 

 

Before I head out for the day, I’m excited to bring you this week’s Marathons+Moderation Guest Post! Becky is an amazing and inspiring lady who has shared her journey to marathons on her blog, Beck on the Run. I first met Becky’s smiling face at Healthy Living Summit and most recently was able to spend time with her in New York City during the Mini 10K weekend!

I hope you enjoy this weeks guest post!

Hello, readers! Recently, Ashley asked me to participate in her Marathons+Moderation series.

My initial reaction was, “I can’t.” Why? Because last week I deferred my registration for the Marine Corps Marathon in October.

Last October I completed my first marathon in Newport, RI. It was a challenging, but truly magical day.

The marathon high lasted a long time. I wore my medal proudly and wanted to feel that adrenaline rush, that sense of accomplishment all over again. Without much thought, I registered for marathon #2 – National Marathon. I trained for that race through a snowy New England winter and completed 26.2 miles on March 26, 2011.

 

Those experiences bring me to today. I am not going out for a run. Instead, I will go to yoga and get in the pool for some laps. I am not training for marathon #3. Not yet. And that’s what I would love to chat about!

Marathons are demanding. They require strategic planning and a good amount of time. When you’re not running, you’re thinking about running, talking about running, stretching, eating bread, peanut butter, and bananas.

If you are training for a race with your whole heart, that’s exactly how it should be. There are so many ways for marathon training to enrich your life.

You bond with fellow runners during long runs. 

You learn about your body and what it likes.

You push your own physical and mental limits.

And you feel proud, happy, accomplished!

The key is heart. Your heart has to be in it to get the most out of the experience. Marathon training should not be a chore or a bore. There is no right or wrong time to train for a marathon. There’s no rule that you have to run a marathon every season or every year. When you feel ready to take on the marathon challenge, the time is right for you. I am a teacher enjoying the summer off. I have plenty of time to train for a marathon…but I’m not. I don’t feel 100% dedicated to the race, which means it’s not the right time for me. Someday, the time will be right again.

BeckOnTheRun is the place where I ramble about running and other random things. Running is fun. Life is fun. Enjoy every day!

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8 Comments

  1. Rambling Heather June 29, 2011 / 11:42 am

    Such an inspiration! Thank you. I will be running my very first half marathon in Feb. I’m totally excited yet my knees are knocking 🙂

  2. Erin (Travel Eat Repeat) June 29, 2011 / 11:46 am

    I’m so happy you were able to try CityZen — it’s been on my to-eat list for a while and I haven’t made it yet. So many great places to eat, not enough time!

  3. Megan @ life as Megan knows it June 29, 2011 / 12:22 pm

    I have always wanted to run a marathon but I have a demanding job and I am not sure I will have the time. Your post made me realize there is no really right time. 🙂 thanks!

  4. Mac June 29, 2011 / 1:44 pm

    I like this post, it takes the pressure off of running marathons! Congrats on your first marathon, I’m hoping to do that someday soon!

  5. Gwen June 29, 2011 / 2:25 pm

    My boss is OBSESSED with CityZen. He is like bffs with the entire staff and the chef and has cooked dinner for THEM at his house. Hope you enjoy your time in the city!

  6. Kristie June 29, 2011 / 4:00 pm

    I have been thinking about running a 1/2 marathon to start out, since I have never run over 5 miles at one time before I suspect it be a great challenge. I will be checking out beckontherun for inspiration!

  7. RunToTheFinish June 29, 2011 / 9:51 pm

    great post!! honestly I’ve been running for 9 years and only do maybe 1 big race each year because that is how I mentally roll with the marathon. I may run every single day, but don’t always have the heart to do a full. Kudos to you for listening to your body

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