I'm going to run the Houston Marathon in January. I'm probably insane. And it's not that I'm attempting this goal that makes me insane. Many people want to mark this particular accomplishment off their list of things to do before they die.
No... what makes me insane is that I have already marked that one off the list - not once but three times. Two Houston marathons and one Austin marathon are currently under my belt. I would like to say that I want to improve my previous times or that I have some lofty goal of qualifying for Boston. But no, that's not it either.
The really crazy part is that I don't know why I want to do this again. There is seemingly nothing fun about the whole experience. Training starts in the middle of July... in Houston. Yippee!!! Running in 90% humidity in the sweltering Houston summer is all kinds of fun! Maybe if you have gills.
Training lasts for 6 months and consists of at least 3 runs during the week and a long run on Saturday. The long runs start at an innocent 3 miles but they add a mile a week for 5 weeks before you get a tiny break. Then they add more mileage.
These "every Saturday for the next 6 months" long runs are scheduled to be completed before 8am in the morning. Why? See above comment about Houston summers. It starts out innocently enough. You have to start by 7:15am to finish your run before 8am. But eventually you have to start running 10+ miles. This means starting earlier and earlier each week. Not too many people I know think this is fun either.
Then there is the effect on your social life. Not that I have as much of one lately since I got married and suddenly help care for a very social teenager whose schedule is cutting into my fun. However the few times I do want to go out is often thwarted by this crazy training we have to do.
This is how my week usually goes: Run on Monday and Tuesday, off on Wednesday, run on Thursday, off on Friday, long run on Saturday, then off on Sunday. What this means in reality for me is little or no alcohol on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday because I have to run the next day. Running with a hangover in heat and humidity = Carol doubled over and puking at about mile 1. OK, that leaves the possibility of going out and/or drinking on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Of those three days, Tuesday is pretty much out. I hate going to do anything that early in the week because I get up early to get to work. And I have to go after my evening run... not likely to happen. Thursday is a possibility because it's the end of the week and I have every other Friday off. Saturday is also a possibility except for the fact that after you abuse your body with a 10 mile run, it retaliates by making you want to sleep at 6pm. So I will become a hermit for the most part. Yep that's fun.
You would think that the massive weight loss I will experience would excite me. However, I got a rude awakening to the problems of marathon training in the past. Training for 10+ miles on a Saturday makes you hungry... no ravenous might be a better word. And since you have burned approximately 1000 calories on this 10+ mile run, you feel quite justified in replenishing. All of this is good until you get to Sunday when you don't run and you are still hungry, or Monday when you run a short run and you are STILL hungry, or Tuesday... well you get the picture. Many people actually gain fat when they train for a marathon for this very reason. This has been my problem in the past.
I was a tiny little 128 pounds when I started training for my first marathon. I finished that marathon at 133 (no it was not 5 pounds of muscle gain... the ole pants were tighter!) I started my second one at 135 (you don't stop eating just because you stop training apparently) and finished that one around 138. I'm starting this one around 143 pounds as of today. This time I am diligently watching what I eat especially during the week. I allow myself a little more nourishment on Saturday but not a lot. I have now taken the only seemingly positive part of training for a marathon away from myself!
So why do I do this to myself? I must be crazy! That is the only valid conclusion.
(oh and so is my husband... I'm dragging him into all this craziness as well)
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Still alive
I'm not really sure if anyone reads this anyone but I seem to occasionally get hits. So maybe somebody wonders.
I am currently trying to become accustomed to being a single parent during the week. Interesting for me since I never gave birth. I was thrown into being a parent to a teenager when I got married. She was living with her mom at the time but she did spend a lot of time with us.
Recently her mom and stepdad decided to move to Huntsville. My stepdaughter was pretty adament about staying in the Spring school district so her mom agreed to let her live with us. Now my husband has been traveling pretty much 100% for the past few months and I am suddenly responsible for taking care of his daughter. She's not a difficult teenager so I feel pretty lucky. However for a person who had been single for 39 years getting married was a rough transition much less having a kid living with me. MUCH LESS taking care of her by myself during the week!
I would say that getting used to sharing my space with other people has been the hardest thing for me. I had roommates in college but that ended in 1992 when I moved to Houston. Between January of that year and sometime around September of 2005, I lived alone except for about a year and a half total when two different friends rented a room from me. And in those situations, no one expected me to clean up after them. They were pretty much self sufficient.
Slowly but surely I'm growing more accustomed to my new life. My stepdaughter really is great... mostly my problem is my own anxiety about wanting to make sure I make the right decisions. She is quite mature for her age so occasionally I forget that she is still only 14 and does need guidance. I am doing fine but I lose sleep sometimes thinking about the issues of a kid entering high school. Most parents get a few years to have to worry about boys, drugs, drinking, etc.
I am aware that I'm not the first person to get married and suddenly have a teenager to deal with. That doesn't necessarily help me sleep any better knowing that I'm not alone. I still have to worry about the other kids that she hangs out with and hope that they are good kids too. I believe we have been lucky so far and I hope that continues.... Until she is about 30! Anyone think I have a shot of that?? Well here's hoping!
Oh... did I mention that she is very cute, has a tiny little figure, and is very popular. I probably won't sleep tonight either!
I am currently trying to become accustomed to being a single parent during the week. Interesting for me since I never gave birth. I was thrown into being a parent to a teenager when I got married. She was living with her mom at the time but she did spend a lot of time with us.
Recently her mom and stepdad decided to move to Huntsville. My stepdaughter was pretty adament about staying in the Spring school district so her mom agreed to let her live with us. Now my husband has been traveling pretty much 100% for the past few months and I am suddenly responsible for taking care of his daughter. She's not a difficult teenager so I feel pretty lucky. However for a person who had been single for 39 years getting married was a rough transition much less having a kid living with me. MUCH LESS taking care of her by myself during the week!
I would say that getting used to sharing my space with other people has been the hardest thing for me. I had roommates in college but that ended in 1992 when I moved to Houston. Between January of that year and sometime around September of 2005, I lived alone except for about a year and a half total when two different friends rented a room from me. And in those situations, no one expected me to clean up after them. They were pretty much self sufficient.
Slowly but surely I'm growing more accustomed to my new life. My stepdaughter really is great... mostly my problem is my own anxiety about wanting to make sure I make the right decisions. She is quite mature for her age so occasionally I forget that she is still only 14 and does need guidance. I am doing fine but I lose sleep sometimes thinking about the issues of a kid entering high school. Most parents get a few years to have to worry about boys, drugs, drinking, etc.
I am aware that I'm not the first person to get married and suddenly have a teenager to deal with. That doesn't necessarily help me sleep any better knowing that I'm not alone. I still have to worry about the other kids that she hangs out with and hope that they are good kids too. I believe we have been lucky so far and I hope that continues.... Until she is about 30! Anyone think I have a shot of that?? Well here's hoping!
Oh... did I mention that she is very cute, has a tiny little figure, and is very popular. I probably won't sleep tonight either!
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