Marathon Training! One Month going Strong!

Marathon Training 2017 (Newport Marathon) started with much intimidation to me. I knew I had a lot of work to do in order to get in shape for my 2017 goals and it honestly scared me!!!  I made a decision to stop

Track work!  I'm learning to like it more and more! #foundchange

making excuses to myself about not having time, being too tired, maybe "failing" again with my time goal and just do it! This was difficult. I had to make a plan.  I took a good look at my schedule and placed training runs in time slots that worked best.  I would wake up each morning knowing what I was going to do each day. Each day, I just give it my best and that's all I could do! 

I've had tired days! 

I've had grumpy days!

I've had days of "why am I doing this?"

I've had good days!

I've had days I was excited to run!

I've had days I wanted to run farther!

I've had days I wanted to quit!

I've had days I felt stronger!

I've had days of feeling very sore!

I've had days I DIDN'T want to run at all!!!

I always would remind myself...what if?  What if June 3rd is a success this year? Not just a marathon finish. What if I actually make my newest time goal...the time goal I once thought was impossible?  

I've had a great training month to kick off my 11th marathon season! 

The month of February I did some pretty hard workouts! I do a weekly speed session on the track, a fatigued ten mile tempo run, a long run, and three easy runs!  I also added HIIT workouts into my 2017 training schedule.  The first time I stepped onto the track to work on my speed I thought, "I don't even know if I can do this?"  I actually hate speed work.  It makes me want to vomit, and I have! 

Part of meal prep today! Healthy cookies.
1 ripe banana - 1 cup Umpqua Oats
1 tea. cinnamon
raw walnuts
dried cranberries
peanut butter powder
Protein powder
Bake at 350 for 10 mins.
Freezer friendly

I do have pace goals to hit for my speed sessions and tempo runs that work together with my marathon goal time!  It's all a big math problem I don't fully understand, but I know it works! As the weeks have gone by, I am hitting my times so far!  I can feel my legs getting stronger!  I am having better long runs than I ever remember having!  It's too early in training for me to get too excited, but I am excited to be off to a good start.  I have a wonderful group I do a lot of my runs with and we all support each other. Especially on long run days.  It's a wonderful thing! 

Group Runs...my favorite! #fueled by Umpqua Oats

Next week will be a "rest" week! Of course I will still run, but I will also give my body a break from some of the intense workouts. Then, it will be back to business! I need to up the speed sessions to a higher intensity.  I'm excited to see what the next three months of training brings! As much as I hate speed sessions, when I'm done...I feel so alive! It's a pretty amazing feeling! 

Sunday Funday! Had a beautiful snowy run! 

On March 11th I'll be running the Uberthons Luckython 10k! I'm going to run it without watching my Garmin!  I want to really test myself and that's hard to do when you are watching your Garmin every half mile!  Uberthons also has a 5k, 15k and a kids race! Check it out ----->HERE<------ Uberthons welcomes walkers and runners! I'll be helping with the kids race after the 10k.  Bring the kids out...it's a great event for the whole family! 


This week I will enjoy not having to work so hard! I will try to keep away from processed foods, white flour and sugar!  I will try to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night!  I will keep meals prepped so I won't be tempted to grab a bad snack or meal.  

What are you training for? 

 I would love to hear from you!

 Find me over on facebook at ZaoFit

Fueled by Umpqua Oats ~ Fueling all my long runs for Marathon Training 

My Soxy Feet, keeping me blister free from 2017! Check out these high quality athletic socks a mysoxyfeet.com. Use Promo Code MYSOXYJULIE for 10% off.

Proud to be an UBERTHONS Runner and Blogger! 

Week Two ~ Marathon Training and the Uberthons Chocolatathon!

Easy run day through Dallas City Park!

Week two of marathon training was a tough week! I wanted to up my track work and add two miles onto my tempo run. I also needed to get a 16 miler in and was going to enjoy the Chocolatathon 10k on Saturday.  My problem?  The 10k was the same day as my long run!  I had to do some adjusting to my week to make it work.



Monday ~ easy day
Tuesday ~ track work 4x800s/HIIT workout
Wednesday ~ 8 miles of tempo work
Thursday ~ easy day/HIIT workout
Friday ~ 16 miles after work 
Saturday ~ 10k
Sunday ~ off

Not gonna lie, by the end of the week I was TIRED! Working full time, and trying to get all my workouts in is a struggle. It's easy to come up with excuses not to run!  I don't do that now that marathon training has started.  After work, I dress down and get the workout done!  It's all a mindset!  It's still difficult, but I am trying not to allow the excuses right now! 

Track work and tempo work was harder this week, but manageable. Thursday it was oddly 61 degrees after work. It made for such an enjoyable easy run through the Dallas City Park. 

Long run (16 miles) through Salem! 

Friday was both good and bad.  I got off work and 2:00 and headed to Salem to run with a friend starting and ending in South Salem (HILLS). The sun was out and I was really excited to get going! The first 13 miles were very enjoyable.  We cruised along the roads of Salem and the miles were passing quickly! About mile 13 we hit South Salem again.  My watch went dead and all of a sudden my stomach wasn't feeling the best.  With only about 1.5 miles to go I had to stop and use a bathroom.  Ugh, the struggle to keep going was real!!!!  I was seriously bummed that such a good long run was ending rotten!  I felt better after stopping and made it back to Kristi's house just fine, but I really slowed down on those hills.  I was so tired!  I was thankful all my hard workouts were done so I could go just enjoy the 10k Saturday no matter the outcome.

Saturday morning I woke up very tired!  The lag of the 16 miler the night before was still there, but I was excited to go meet up with friends for a fun race! I've never ran long the night before a race so I knew this would be interesting! 

Fun morning with Uberthons! Photo Credit:Brian Hartwig Scott

The weather was great for running.  It was a nice 39 degrees at the start of the race.  Cold for standing, but great for running!  No wind and no rain.  I took off with the second group of runners.  The path was mostly paved and mostly wide enough to pass with no issues at the beginning.  There was water on the course, but I brought a small handheld and didn't stop at any water stations.  I felt great the first couple miles.  I had a good pace going the first two miles.  I was even thinking, no way...a PR???  Maybe? I came to the hill and that slowed me down slightly but I was still holding on!  The first 5k was done and I came back around to the start.  I had to do the loop again!  Running back by the start/finish line made me want to stop so badly (this always happens to me) but I knew I needed to finish the 10k!  I didn't sign up for the 5k today!  The lag of the 16 miles the night before definitely was taking a tole on my body.  I slowed down a bit and then a bit more on the second time around that hill loop.  A fellow Uberthons Ambassador Gregg came up behind me and ran with me for a half mile or so before passing me. He was very encouraging to me and others going by in the other direction for the out and back parts.  It really kept me going.  This is one of the things I love about running.  Seeing runners encourage each other!  There is a definite beauty to it! 

I came back around to the park area.  This time around many 5k people who were now done, were walking around.  This did make running difficult.  Many didn't move out of the runners way, so a lot of weaving had to be done.  As I headed out for the final out and back there were lots more people.  There were 5k walkers coming in and some gathering going on at the other end of the park. All of these people were also using parts of the running path.  I almost ran into a couple people and it wasn't because I was running fast!  It was simply crowded in some areas, going both ways! 

I was excited to see the finish line.  I totally didn't PR on these tired legs, but I ran hard.  It was an excellent training week ending with such a fun race with friends.  

I am very excited to get a rest day tomorrow! 

4th female finisher, 2nd in age group 50:28

Register for the upcoming
Luckython 5k, 10k, or 15k HERE!

Get 10% off high quality athletic socks using promo code "MYSOXYJULIE" HERE! 

Marathon Training
Fueled by Umpqua Oats!

Marathon Training ~ Week ONE!

Week one is done! 

I was seriously worried about week one!  I told a friend this the other day and she was surprised! I haven't been in "training" for over four months now.  In the four months I had an injury and really got out of "training" mode.  I still enjoyed running, but going out for a run versus training, are two different things.  I was scared to start training again.  What if I can't hit my times? What if I'm too tired after work? What if I just don't have it in me this go around? I was scared to start up again, but it is time to try!

I ran the Uberthons Winter Half as a warm-up for the season.  It proved I had work to do, but also helped me see where I'm at.  I feel like I'm in a slightly better stop starting than last year.  

I don't know why marathon season scares me but it does.  I think it scares me because I have been through it several times. I have goals and dreams in marathon running and I can't seem to hit the mark after all is done. I really believe I can do it, but so far, I haven't hit the mark I set for myself. Training's not only hard work, but it's a strain on the brain. There's a place you have to go mentally to get through some of the hard training sessions and to get through the marathon itself. Can I go there again???! Sometimes I doubt myself.  I can go there mentally for a training run, but the race ... that's much harder for me.  It's like a test I've studied for and prepared for and then fail!  I don't want to fail again this year. I will not fail this year!

Saturday long run group! 

I try to keep motivated by planning group runs!  I have an amazing group of running friends who keep me going every single week, and I love them! 

 I also run for Uberthons and My Soxy Feet.  I run Uberthons events and they keep me motivated to keep moving forward in my running goals and healthy eating habits.  I do all my running in My Soxy Feet athletic socks! They are high-quality, awesome, fun athletic socks that help keep my feet from getting blisters! 



This last week I received oatmeal from Umpqua Oats! They will be fueling all my long runs for marathon season. I'm really excited to represent them because their oatmeal is so amazingly good!  I can't wait to share with my group for our next long run! 


This week I will be adding on a little more hard work to my track session, tempo run and long run!  I am hoping for another great week of training, ending with a fun 10k on Saturday! The Uberthons Cha' co la' do thon!!!!  I have several friends meeting up with me at Cook Park to run or walk this one!  I can't wait! 

---->You can register HERE!<----

Use promo code "ENJOYANEVENT" for $5.00 off. 

 They are 90% full so don't delay! 

Use promo code "MYSOXYJULIE" for 10% off at mysoxyfeet.com