“Of all the races, there is not better stage for heroism than a marathon”.
(George Sheehan)
The Walk into the Future blog is based on exploring opportunities, adventures and then sharing them with my readers.
I have tapped danced around the concept to run a full marathon for a few years now. Well, no more tap dancing, I am fully engaged in the marathon training process and just completed Week 5 of an 18-week training program.
My targeted race is the 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon in West Palm Beach, Florida. Wanted to pick a race that was close to home and with a flat course—check and check. I have friends who have run this marathon and they say it provides the perfect course, backdrop, and time of the year to tackle the 26.2 miles. Excited and terrified at the same time but my training program will get me to the start line and beyond. 😊
I selected the 18-week training program to allow myself time to prepare for this major life event mentally and physically. There are multiple training plans available (12-weeks, 16-weeks, etc.) but I went for the longer plan to ensure I had time to train with a buffer.
This training plan starts out with lower mileage than most people would think of considering this is preparation for a marathon. The following are the total weekly miles in the plan:
- Week #1: 19 miles
- Week #2: 20 miles
- Week #3: 17 miles
- Week #4: 23 miles
- Week #5: 24 miles
Again, the training plan is building up base mileage, but I exceeded the prescribed miles each week so far since I have been training for half-marathons throughout 2022. I did not go over the prescribed miles by much but wanted to ensure I put in the work to lead to a successful and enjoyable marathon in December.
My plan calls for incremental mileage increases as I prepare my mind and body for the challenge of completing a 26.2-mile race in December. I complete my long runs on Saturdays with my longest run of 20-miles coming in Week #15. I complete my long runs in Fort Pierce on Hutchinson Island where I do not have an issue of crossing traffic. It’s the same route I run to prepare for my half marathons, but I am discovering unique points of interests on the route as I run out further due to my increased mileage. My long runs are completed at a slower pace to ensure I can start and finish—this is recommended for all long runs.
I just invested in a running hydration vest so I can carry water with me as I extend my runs. Hydration is vitally important considering I am running in the August heat and humidity in Florida.
(Hydration vest)
Looking forward to seeing how the hydration vest enhances my training as I continue to prep for the 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon.
FYI—the next update will come in Week #10 of the training program.
Irie
“When you run a marathon, you run against the distance, not against the other runners and not against the time”.
(Haile Gebrselassie)
Walk Into the Future 