Marathon Fear

So here is just one of the many fears that rattle around when I think about the marathon I registered for, what if running the marathon causes me to injure myself and derails the sport I am trying to incorporate into my life for good?  I've mentioned before that I use DailyMile to track my runs and to connect with other runners and athletes for encouragement and support.  It is a great site and I highly recommend it.  My fear comes from noticing that a number of runners who have already done marathons seem to have sustained injuries that keep coming back to haunt them in their training.  I remember back a few months ago when I was getting really bad hip pain after running.  It turned out that as soon as I started running in new shoes that problem dissipated.  I had read that shoes should last 300 to 500 miles and, being a frugal person, i figured I could get mine to work for 500 miles.  That turned out not to be the case, which was a a disappointment.  So my fear for today is that I will hurt myself, either during training or during the actual marathon, and that whatever that possible injury will be will stop me from being a runner.  Even seeing that in print makes it start to seem a little funny, but there, it is out there.

Rain, Puddles, Kids!

Today while I was at work I came up with a plan to get a few miles in without using the treadmill and still watching the kids.  My plan was to go to the parking lot at the end of our street after the business closed.  We use this lot to run and ride bikes in as it is flat and at the end of a dead end.  Once the business is closed the only real traffic is people fishing in the creek.  The rain threw my plans but, right around five p.m. it stopped so we got ready and headed out the door.  Of course it started to mist again shortly after, but the kids were racing each other and I got started doing laps of the lot.  After a bit racing turned into puddle splashing which ended up being four very wet children.  I guess it was better than being cooped up in the house and I rarely let then just jump in puddles like this so it was novel and new.

The run was far from being my best.   Between keeping an eye on them, worrying a bit about it being slippery and just the blahness( not an actual word, but the best way I can describe how I tend to feel at the end of the day) of it being the end of the day, my first mile was slow.  My splits were 12:06, 11:04, and 9:43.  I think the term is negative splits as I did get faster, but how can you not get faster when you start that slow?  The last mile proves I can run faster, which I know from the half marathon, but I don't actually do it that often.  I wonder if I should be running faster or having fun and not worrying so much?  I printed out a training plan and on shorter runs I am supposed to do some part in the nine minute mile range.  I'd like for that to start feeling easier, and I would think with time it will.  I guess it is time to start experimenting with running with buddies more and with music to see what makes me more motivated and less prone to taking it slow.  I also think I want to print out a new marathon training plan.  The one that I have now only has me running three days a week, and I preferred my half plan that had me running four to five days a week.  I don't know that I will feel prepared enough on three days a week.