27 Weeks until Route 66 Marathon

There are 27 weeks until the Route 66 Marathon and I am nervous, like really, really nervous. I have been reading blogs about people who have finished their first half or full marathon and it is inspiring but I want to know how they got there. Yes they said they were nervous but they are writing in retrospect. I've also been reading seasoned marathon runners and more often then not their posts are sponsored by some product they are trying out. What I am looking for is the training period. Does anyone else get panic sweats thinking about the total miles and or time it takes to run a Marathon?

I'm starting week 4 of my training. Hold your applause please let me show you what that looks like on paper.

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
Week 1	Rest	3 mi EZ	CT	3 mi	Rest	3 mi	5 mi
Week 2	Rest	3 mi EZ	Rest	3 mi	CT or Rest	15 mi	5 mi
Week 3	Rest	6 mi EZ	CT	4 mi	7mi	3 mi	6 mi
Week 4	Rest	3 mi EZ	Rest	4 mi	CT or Rest	3 mi	4 mi

The red means I did not do those miles. The Sunday before my first week I ran/walked a half marathon in 2 hours and 38 minutes but at the end of it I felt empty which has only served to fuel my fear.

Week 1 was mostly a rest week. I started highlighting the days with blue for finished miles, or red for not finishing the miles. As you can see the red is kind of scary like I am failing more than I am succeeding. I walked 3.2 miles on that Thursday and counted it as a fail because it wasn't running. I might be a tiny bit to hard on myself but then I think about 26.5 miles and my stomach turns.

Week 2: Was a little bit better but I still discredited some of the work because it wasn't running. Tuesday I walked 1.16 miles around a mall while waiting for my son's glasses to be ready to pick up. Saturday our family did a 5k fun run and then walked 10 miles for relay for life. We rested on Sunday.

Week 3: I increased my miles but I only got in two training days. Sunday which is our long run day it stormed all morning, when we run, I had plans for the afternoon and by the time I got home at 6 my husband felt it was too late to start a run and we needed dog food. So I went to the store for dog food and a couple of things for dinner.

Week 4 starts today. Today is a rest day and I'm killing it! I had a fruit, and spinach smoothie for breakfast and for lunch a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I made the jelly. I have no idea what we are going to eat for dinner... Pasta with peas.

I know that is random compared to what we have been talking about but it is also the kind of thing I want to know. I don't know what I am doing, and have a vague idea of what a healthy diet looks like. I believe in a whole food diet and an 80/20 rule. I don't want to beat myself up over what I eat so I allow for some bad food. I'm going to share my journey all the way up to the finish line this year. I hope you will follow along and be my cheerleaders.

I am scared of the training and the miles ahead of me and I hope that in some way you might be inspired to conquer your own fears, or set goals that feel impossible. I know if I can do this so can you. If you have any questions about what I am eating, my goals, times, shoes, clothes ask. There is no off limit questions. I promise to be honest about my training. If you have advice please share it with me. I can use all the help I can get.


 I hope your day is filled with inspiration, love, and laughter. Be well Friends