Sunday, August 3, 2014

The Cat is out of the Bag - I'm Running a FULL Marathon!

OHMIGOSH!  Omigosh!  OMG!  I am doing a FULL Marathon!  That means for 26.2 miles and maybe close to 6 hours, I am running.  Running.  And Running.  This is what crazy people do right?

Okay, backing up!  I have done a lot since I have started running.  Ready for the list?  Here goes:

Girls on the Go 5K
Scripps Old Pros 10K 2013 & 2014
Bolt to the Q 5K
Silver Strand 10 Miler
Iron Girl 10K
Carlsbad Half
Mermaid Run 5K
Women's Half Marathon
Autism 5K
Hot Chocolate 15K
Epilepsy 5K
La Jolla Half Marathon
Rock n Roll Half Marathon

Phew!  By the end of August, I will have received my Triple Crown status!


I wanted to know what was next.  Could I do it?  Could I do a full Marathon?  My friend Julie and I have been talking about completing a marathon before we turn 40 in 2017!  Why not 2015?  So I turned to my fellow Bloggers and asked for advice.

First, Dawn at Runner Girl Dawn.  Her advice to me was to just do it.  "For me the only way to get there is to set a goal and hold myself accountable."


Next up is Lauren at Breathe Deeply and Smile.  She chased the dream and that was her advice to me too.  When she ran her 4th Half, she knew this was the next step and she crossed her first Full finish line at the Baltimore Marathon.


Rachel at Running Rachel was encouraged by her husband to run the Full after running over 20 miles in a single weekend with Ragnar SoCal.  So she thought, why not?  If he believes in me, I can believe in me.


Tamsyn at Fat Girl to Ironman decided to run a Marathon after her running buddy got into the London Marathon lottery (DREAM!!!!) and helped her train.  She used that training to enter her own Marathon.


Erica from Erica Finds did her first marathon on a dare!  Seriously!  The San Francisco Marathon.  If you don't know, it is super HILLY!  And she was FAST!  Read her account here.  It is highly entertaining!


Erika at MCM Mama Runs's first Marathon was as a result of an off the cuff comment to a friend that she was going to run the marine Corps Marathon one day.  And she did.  That next year!


Perhaps some of my favorite advice came from Lauren at Run Salt Run.  She said, "DO IT!  You won't regret it.  Training for and running a marathon is one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life, but also an experience that I am going to hold very dear to my heart forever!"  How can you not want to run a marathon after that?   Lauren actually signed up for her Full before even running her first Half!



And Steffany at Run Steff Run has a similar story to mine.  She wanted to complete her first Marathon by the time she turned 26.  Get it?  26 miles by 26?  Brilliant!  She says she knew she was ready to run her first full after her first month of half marathon training. "I loved going out and running a crazy amount of miles."



So, where does that leave me?  You may find it interesting to know that I asked these ladies to help me out with my decision on May 27th.  We are now in August.  This is how long my body took to convince my mind I CAN do 26.2 miles, a feat that just one year ago I thought psychotic insane asinine IMPOSSIBLE!

It also took the extremely persuasive skills of Shane, Kat and Sarah!  I just had to pick a Marathon.  And I wanted Julie to do it with me.  I am NOT doing those 20 mile training runs on my own.  Long story short, we picked this marathon


because of this!


14.1% of the Marathon runners in 2014 qualified for the Boston Marathon here.  And the great Emz Eliason will be there.  And she has a coupon code RUNEMZ10 which gets you $10 off.

So...do you have a Marathon story?  I am apologizing in advance for all the craziness bad words grumbling moaning and groaning you will see here in the next few months.  But it will all be worth it.  Right?!  RIGHT?!  

As always, I wish you Happy Feet,
SD Mom

38 comments:

  1. That's awesome! Looks like you'll have no problem getting ready with all that experience!

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  2. Hip Hip Hooray!! You are going to remember this journey and hold it in your heart forever! Thanks for the mention in your post! I am at the end of wk 5 of Disney Marathon training. We've got this!!!!

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    1. Thanks for the advice and yes, we do got this!!!

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  3. Exciting!!! Best wishes to you on this wonderful adventure!

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  4. What?!!!! Are you crazy?! I was kidding!

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  5. I love the profile of that course!! I am so excited for you! I have done 37 marathons and the first is amazing and so special. You have so much help, advice and support... It will be AWESOME! Can't wait to follow along on this journey with you!

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    1. I have a feeling I'll be one and done! 37?! You are one of the crazies! Lol

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  6. So awesome! I am planning on doing a fall marathon next year too! I just feel like my body and mind are ready for the new challenge. Going to finish out this year with more halfs, then start the year with halfs again and then it's on!

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    1. Can't wait to hear your progress! Please keep me posted!

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  7. Awesome! I totally believe in you and think you will rock your marathon! Looking forward to reading all about your grumbly training and race account lol!

    I haven't taken that plunge yet, but I did sign up for my first half in February!

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    1. Ha ha! You are so good to me. Thank you for believing in me! And I can't wait to read about your Half marathon training and journey. I love the 13.1 distance. So much that I am doing 7 this year. Yikes!

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  8. I love this post! I am so excited for you! After 30 half marathons in 2 years, I still haven't committed to a full! I will look forward to your training and post race reports! Happy training Smitha! You're doing it girl!!

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  9. Fantastic, lovey! Welcome to the wonderful world of insanity! :P Can't wait to see how your training goes!

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  10. so fun! I am doing my first full marathon in November and totally had a similar reaction.. its awesome to have all the love and support of the running community, right?!? Any question you have... someone (or 1000 someones) will have answers, suggestions and support. You got this!!

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  11. You amaze me! You will rock the marathon training and kick butt at the marathon!!! Such a great elevation profile and WOOHOO for RunEMZ!!!

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    1. I want you to fly out and come do this one with me! You are my total hero! And P.S. Thanks for introducing me to Spandits. I am thinking the skull print for my first full!

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  12. Awesome!! I have yet to make the leap, but maybe before I am 40 as well! :) You will do great!!!

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    1. It is going to be fun to cross something off the bucket list!

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  13. Great news! I am considering a full in 2015 but I'm so scared -- 26.2 seems so daunting!! I've heard great things about PHX course. You will do great. :)

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  14. I love that you listed all the races you have done, it's fun to see all you have already accomplished. I think. I might make my own list now :)

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    1. Do it! I think I got them all but can't be sure...you probably have over a 100 by now yes?

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  15. Thanks for featuring me and congrats on taking the plunge-you'll rock it! Let me know if you have any questions and follow my blog right now as I train for marathon #2 eek!

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    1. Oh for sure! I need all the tips I can get!

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  16. Yey! The first step is signing up! You are going to do great. I completed my first marathon last year! It was such a journey. You will have so many emotions, but the finish is amazing and knowing what you accomplished is even better! Can't wait to read about your training! I'm training for my 2nd marathon right now!

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    1. OOH which one are you doing? Which was your first?

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  17. Thats so awesome. You can do it! Thats one of those things on my list to eventually do. Just a matter of figuring out the when, for when I know I can do the proper training for it. I love the half marathon distance, but want to step it all the way up at least once.

    You've got this!

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    1. You haven't done one yet? Yeah, I think I will be one and done!

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