Why You Should Run Your First Marathon

I’m totally NOT biased at-all when it comes to running marathons, but I honestly think that they’re the BEST. I love the distance, but I really really love the training. My first marathon- I hated most everything about it, UNTIL that finish line. I couldn’t believe I actually did it. I experienced a million emotions throughout that 26.2 mile journey and really wasn’t sure I could get to that finish line (after hitting the wall around mile 14…lol silly, silly me)!

I also totally respect if you don’t want to run a marathon. You are still a runner- no matter what distance you do (and however long it takes you)! BUT if running a marathon is on your bucket list, then this post is for you.

I thought it would be fun to share what I’ve gained after running my first marathon (which was on my bucketlist and I signed up just before the New Year, so maybe you’re still debating- you have 2025 right around the corner)!

• I gained confidence in myself. If I can accomplish something like a marathon, what else can I do?

• I became stronger. Staying on your feet for long periods really challenges you in a different way.

• Consistency in running.

• A community that I never knew I needed.

• The training grind and covering distances I’ve never done was empowering.

Now, here are a few tips that I would’ve found helpful training for my first marathon:

• It’s going to hurt. Those long training runs have a purpose- don’t skip them.

• Some days are going to be really tough- you’ve got this.

• Follow a training plan

• Missing one or two runs for illness or niggle or conflicts, isn’t a huge deal.

• Find a nutrition plan during long runs and stick with it.

What My Off-Season Actually Looks Like

We’re deep into the off-season around here, so I thought I would ‘normalize’ what the off-season looks like for me! I’m certainly NOT running all the miles, nor am I lounging on the couch everyday. I still love to be active, but those activities look different than when I am in the ‘thick’ of training for a race. I took 11 days off of running after my half last month and then I really started to crave a run, so I went out for a short 35 minute run. I wanted to wait until I was really wanting to run again and if that took me several weeks, I was totally OK with that. I think it’s just as important to give your mind a break, as well as your body. During those two weeks, I wasn’t doing nothing- I did a lot of yoga and used my peloton bike (thanks to these two cuties for playing well when I did want to get in a quick bike session)!

I also started adding back in strength training after 7 days off of running and started with much lighter weights than what I previously used during marathon training. I think I started with 10 and 15 pounds, rather than 15 and 25 pounds. I also enjoyed other things too! I love taking the dog for longer walks and baking more. Homemade bagels from this recipe is what I’m loving right now.

I’ve also used this time to check-in with a PT (virtual sessions from here are a total game-changer), as well as working on my running form. I’ve been sleeping in more, working out during nap times or while the girls play and enjoying other activities too. I’ve painted the girls closet and cleaned areas of the house that have been neglected for way too long (oops). I purposefully wanted to give my body time to rebuild and get stronger before going back into marathon training, so a late June race sounded like the perfect time table.

I am definitely a happier person when I’m able to escape outside in the mornings though (ask Alex if you don’t believe me…), so I’m missing that part of the training the most, but the break from my routine is necessary for me to put everything into the next training cycle. Getting up early to work-out downstairs in our home gym just isn’t the same. The girls wake-up early and if I know that they’re awake, I’m much less likely to finish my workout because I want to see them (mornings are my favorite hour with them ; ) …). I also have NOT been restricting my nutrition during the off-season. I’m still enjoying all the things, but also being conscience of what makes me feel best. I don’t feel great if I eat a ton of processed foods or if I go 4+ hours between meals, so I do what makes me feel best, but I’m also approaching it with flexibility. This approach has really helped me decompress from the intensity that I approach marathon or half marathon training with!

Alex and I also escaped for a long weekend in NYC for a family wedding and it was amazing (mostly- the food and getting away for the weekend)! I also went to a live peloton class (Olivia Amato’s 45min Pop Ride), which was SO fun!

• How do you decompress after a long training season?

• Favorite activities or things to eat when you’re in the off-season?!

My next marathon!

Super excited to be heading to Minnesota in June for Grandma’s Marathon! This will be my third time in MN and first time running this race. This was also a ‘revenge booking’ after my disappointing finish at Wineglass (aka I registered as we were driving home from Wineglass). I’ve heard so many good things about this race and can only hope for good weather (a late June race sounds slightly intimidating)!

I wanted to share a few goals that I’ve been thinking about for race day as training is still several months away.

-I want to have fun. I think I lost that during Wineglass this past Pctober. I love running long distances and I really want to enjoy it.

-I want to get gritty. Like real gritty. I can never remember a time where I’ve crossed the finish line and felt like I had ‘nothing left in the tank’. I want to feel DEPLETED!

-I want to be mentally strong. More mindfulness in training.

-I want to be competitive with myself. I don’t want to shy away from paces that seem out of my comfort zone or back off when it starts to get uncomfortable. I want to really challenge myself with training.

-I want to build a strong foundation NOW for a super successful next year.

Anyone done Grandmas before? Have any suggestions?!? I’m nervous about the weather! My hotel is already booked- I’ve heard hotels can be challenging to find!

Wineglass Marathon Training Recap

Good MORNING! First off- I ran a marathon! And somehow managed a 7-minute PR! I finished in 3:44:19 (8:34 min/mile pace). I’m working on a full race recap, but wanted to recap my training up until race weekend because I actually ran the lowest mileage before a marathon ever (even before my first marathon) and didn’t have a super consistent training block (so many days with sick babies), but still was able to run faster than I ever have. I think it’s important to be transparent in training, how things get done (or don’t get done), and just keeping it real over here.

Let’s run through just some stats over my training block:

• Peaked at 41.88 miles

• Total mileage ran 411.57 miles

• Race PRs: 3 (10k, sprint triathlon (first one), marathon)

• Runs missed/altered: 9

• Milk produced: Unknown, but- So. much. pumping!

• Average days a week ran: 4

• Average days strength training: 2

• Sicknesses: 2 for me and what seems like an infinite amount for the babies

• Peak long run: 20 miles

• Run coach: Yes! I joined the Lift Run Perform team program where most runners were training for the Chicago Marathon

This was the least I’ve ever ran/ trained for a marathon and I somehow managed a 6+ minute PR! I modified/skipped a lot of runs (but tried hard to stay diligent on my workout days and just modify easy runs if needed)- which is something I also never used to do. I did, however, really focus on my strength before starting this training block/signing up with my training group. I loved doing the Tread Bootcamps starting around 5 months postpartum and would use those days as my ‘speedwork’. I also did one half-marathon at 5 months postpartum (just for fun) and ran a 1:58 in very hot/humid conditions for early May (I think humidity was 85% at the start line and temperatures were already above 60?). I had some of the best training runs that I’ve ever had and was the least anxious surrounding my runs than ever before (I think having basically no other free time besides my ‘window’ to run really helped with this one! #motherhood). Some workouts that I’m really proud of included longer intervals like doing 30 minutes at 8:10 pace (goal was 8:33 pace), 4 x 1 mile at 7:45/ 7:46/ 7:53/ 7:53 (goal was 7:51), and a long run of 15 miles with 3 x 2 miles at 8:25/ 8:19/ 8:24 (goal was 8:33 pace).

I also had a lot more cross-training under my belt during this training cycle to help me prepare for my sprint triathlon the beginning of July and just as a way to slowly incorporate running back into my training postpartum. I worked with a Pelvic Floor PT starting at 3 weeks postpartum (I made the appointment on my own rather than waiting to talk with my doc at my 6 week postpartum visit, but I did make sure they were ok with me seeing a PT that early). I also worked with a Pelvic Floor PT mid-training cycle to help make sure I didn’t have Diastisis Recti (separation of the abdominal muscles- which is common after pregnancy) or any other issues (I wasn’t having any, but always good to make sure)! The PT that I worked with in September really just helped me work through a lot of scar tissue that I had around my c-section (and honestly I still have a lot- so if you know what helped you with your scar tissue LMK)!

We took a few fun trips during this training cycle- mostly to Maine and our first-time camping with the girls! I love how I was just much-more laid-back with this training. I had a goal to honestly just have fun with it and that took a lot of pressure off myself. I still rode my Peloton bike once a week until 3ish weeks out from the race and took strength training away around 3 weeks out as well (I had always strength trained up until the week of the marathon)! I also somehow PR’d the 10k, which I just used as a workout. That got me really excited to see what I could do in the 10k if I didn’t follow a race plan. I was also still breastfeeding/pumping during this entire training cycle (I planned to be weaned/done by the time of the race), but we are still doing it over here. If you ask me how I managed to get it all in- I’m not entirely sure, but the girls started going to daycare 2x a week in August and that gave me a lot more flexibility (and for that month I worked part-time). Alex was also so great about watching the girls either on my days off for me to get a run in or have the monitor during their nap time while I snuck-out for a quick run. I didn’t use our treadmill for basically the entire training cycle (because our treadmill belt was broken/needed to be fixed) which I also thinked helped with my mental toughness because I went out in all of the weather conditions.

I also started to become more body-confident and wore more crop tops, which I think helped boost my confidence. And we can’t forget about my Nike 2% Vaporflys (a Mothers Day gift)- not sure if these made a difference, but they certainly helped me feel fast. Now- I’m going to start working on my Marathon Weekend Recap next!

What Training Looks Like Right Now

It’s kinda funny how different seasons of life bring different expectations, viewpoints, perspectives, and goals. I was just thinking back to this time last year where I was super vigilant on training for my 50 miler/ Eugene Marathon and honestly, I feel like maybe it was too much training? It’s funny how it takes a while to look back at something and see it from a totally different perspective. I can almost envision the why I never actually reached my goal at Eugene because my training was crazy intense during an already stressed-out time in my life. I’m so happy I decided to take a complete month off of running because it allowed my body to regenerate and honestly, I’m feeling fitter than ever right now. I’m excited to begin working with a running coach for the first-time and focus on just a few races this year. I also really want to continue to improve-upon my nutrition as well as the ‘little things’ like strength training, yoga, and maybe some cross-training activities or run groups! Speaking of healthy -> we’re still mainly eating vegan (since November!), but have been loving the vegetarian options from Hello Fresh! Last nights Mediterranean Chickpea Couscous Salad:

I’m also getting stocked-up which can only mean one thing: race training season is upon us!

I started 3 mornings last week with some yoga and it was amazing. I really really love to begin my days like this if I have time.

Epsom Salt baths are also my jam lately. I add a side of Hot Lemon-Lime Nuun & some Gilmore Girls for the background -> amazing.

Last weeks training looked a bit like this:

Monday, Jan. 6th: 7.03 miles 9:33 min/mi avg in the slushy snow and yoga

Tuesday, Jan. 7th: Bike for 20 minutes & strength

Wednesday, Jan. 8th: 7.5 miles with 6 x 800m (see below for splits) and 15 minutes of strength work and yoga

Thursday, Jan. 9th: 3.5 miles at 10:46 pace on snow-packed trails after a day at my mental health clinical

Friday, Jan. 10th: 10 miles with a faster finish overall average 8:59 pace and yoga

Saturday, Jan. 11th: 6 easy miles at 9:24 min/mi avg and yoga in the morning

Sunday, Jan. 12th: 6.24 easy treadmill miles at 10:29 min/mi avg and yoga in the morning and 342 yard swim

Total Mileage: 40.3 miles

Total Elevation (treadmills don’t count the incline which is a bummer!): 1, 322’ up

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-What’s your training look like right now?

-Ever had a point in your life where maybe you over-did it?