Biting the Bullet

Ever since my great experience at the Shamrock Half Marathon (a whole two weeks ago), I have been toying with the notion of forgetting about the Richmond Half Marathon in November and instead hopping onboard the crazytrain all the way to the Richmond Marathon.

Actually, I have been thinking about just going for the full in November for a month or so, but was delaying my decision first because I had never even run a half and wanted to see how it went and then afterward because I thought maybe it was just the left over runner's high that was screwing with my head and making me believe I can do a full marathon.

I figured that if I would ever actually achieve the marathon, I'd have to join a training group. So I started looking into the Sportsbackers Marathon Training Team that is run in association with the race. I spent the next week waffling on whether or not I really would be able to commit to the training team.

An internal debate began. My shoulder angel and devil were going on at it.

Devil: Ugh. You'd have to wake up at 5:30 am every saturday for five whole months!
Angel: Well yes, you may have to give up some sleep. You sleep too much anyway. It will be good for you to get up early and exercise for a change instead of lazing in bed on the weekend.
Devil: But look, it starts on June 2. You won't even be here on June 2. You can't miss the first session.
Angel: You might miss the first session, but there will be many many more. It will be fine.
Devil: I don't know. The meet up point is so far away. Gas is so expensive. This is an extra 50 mile round trip every week.
Angel: Marathon training requires sacrifice. It's not that much more.
Devil: Ugh but it is going to be all summer long. In the heat and humidity. You hate running in heat and humidity... well... you'll just die. Maybe you should wait and do this training for a spring marathon instead.
Angel: But hundreds of people have done this team, and if they  can run in summer heat and humidity, you can too. Stop being such a whiny wuss,

It went on and on.

Finally, I decided to ditch the idea of the formal training group. After all, I trained for the half marathon by myself and did just fine. Because I don't actually live in  the city and have a bit of a commute, it is hard for me to meet up with a group in Richmond when I'm not already at work in the city. And honestly, I am kind of lazy and just want to sleep in a little bit on my Saturday.

So instead I looked into a Hal Higdon training plan. I selected the Marathon Training Guide - Novice 1 and immediately thought, "I can do this." I plugged the training schedule into my Google Calendar to see how it would work with the weddings, trips, and family visits that are already taking up weekends in the next few months.

The more I thought about it and looked at the Higdon plan, the more I convinced myself that I could do it. The runs during the heat of the summer aren't terribly lengthy, especially the 3 weekday runs. Even though it will be boring, I can do them inside around the track at the Y or on the treadmill if the heat is unbearable. I can even start training myself to be a morning runner and do the 3 mile runs in the morning before work.

The next step was so talk to Husband about it. Obviously marathon training is a huge commitment of time and for me, that time would be a lot of weeknight evenings and weekends. My training would affect him, so I obviously needed to make sure that he would be ok with holding down the proverbial fort (aka cooking dinner). I brought it up on his birthday, just as we were sitting down to eat the delicious Beef Stroganoff that I had just prepared for him so lovingly.

Me: Soooooo, would you be ok with me signing up for the Richmond Marathon and training over the summer?
Husband: Sure baby.
Me: Even if that means that I will be training at least 4 days a week and you'll have to cook dinner more?
Husband: I already cook dinner more than you anyway.
Me: No you don't! I just cooked this dinner! And I cooked on Monday!
Husband: Yeah yeah.
Me: So... you'd be cool with it? Husband:
Husband: Yes baby. If that is what will make you happy and it is what you want to do, just do it!
Me: And you'll come to the marathon and be there to cheer me on at mile 20 when I feel like dying?
Husband: Yes dear.
Me: And then you'll get to the finish line in time to see me cross it?
Husband: There's no way I can do that - I'll never beat you there!
Me: You'll have an hour to get to the finish line - at least!
Husband: I thought it's only .2 miles after mile 20?
Me: Uh no, try SIX point 2 miles. Goober.

So now I had talked myself into it and run it past Husband with positive results. All that was left to do is actually sign up.

And I did!

Now that it has appeared on my blog, it is official and I am REALLY committed. Blog = accountability.

I am terrified. I hope to God I don't end up peeing myself (or something worse) or puking or crying when I run the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 10, 2012!