Sunday, June 2, 2013

Newport Marathon 2013

Sub 4 on the mind!!!!!!!!


At the start!!!! So exciting, 7:00am Saturday June 1, 2013 Newport OR
Yesterday I ran Newport Marathon.  It was my 5th marathon, 3rd time doing Newport.  Last year, I was pretty sure I was running at my fastest.  I was fine with being a 4.5 hour marathon runner and didn't expect much more than that in 2013...maybe a 4:15, but knew I would never be faster than that....and again, I was ok with that. 

 The marathon is 26.2 miles.  They say the first half of a marathon is miles 1-20.  The second half is miles 21-26.2.  If you have ever run this distance, you know this is true.  It is a mental game after mile 20.

As I started into Newport training 4-5 months ago I realized (while out running with my running buddy Tonya one day)...I need to change my long runs for Newport.  I wasn't exactly sure how, but I just felt I needed too.

Around this time in training, a local ultra runner found my running group on facebook (Dallas, OR Run the Open Road) and started running with Jerry, and me on weekends...and who-ever else we could get to join...Tonya, Jenny, Brian, Raelee.  Chris, the ultra was doing Newport too and seemed happy just to have people to run with.  As we got to know him a little better I found out he worked with a running coach, has been running for 10+ years and really seemed to know what he was talking about.  I began to ask lots of questions and decided, what do I have to loose?  I want to change some things...why not give his advice a try.  
I just had to have Faith: 

“belief plus unbelief and acting on the belief part.” Every
 blessing is available to those who put their faith to work by “acting on the belief part,” moment by moment, day by day, one little step at a time.

So, I did just that....took my training moment by moment, day by 
day, one little step at a time and acted on the belief part.  Chris and 
Jerry kept me positive and kept giving me reason's why I could do 
this. After awhile, I started to believe it myself...then things 
started getting good.  
I had to be willing to take some constructive criticism. 
I was told some things I was doing wrong and some things I
needed to work on.
I also, started a challenge with my Running group and Uberthons 
Running.  It was an "eating healthy for a month" challenge. It 
showed me how to get my eating under control, even during 
marathon training when you can be hungry all the time.  It was 
awesome! 
I really started to believe I could do a sub-four marathon.  Chris and 
Jerry had faith in me but it took me a little longer to have faith in 
myself.  I am sure glad I took the constructive criticism and ran 
with it.....it paid off!!!!

Run Love, Self Love

This morning I headed to the hills for an easy run on sore legs. The ache I felt was a good ache. The ache that you know you ran a good trai...