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Monday, January 23, 2012

A week of how I train!

Well, you asked for it...
So this week I am going to do several posts on exactly how I train.
As an introduction, a few years ago, I was one of those casual joggers who got bitten by the marathon bug. I ran my first marathon in 2010, poorly trained, injured, and miserable. My official time was 4:12.
My very first marathon! Feb 2010.
It was a bad enough experience that I laid off running for awhile, but I picked it back up 8 months later. I qualified for Boston at marathon #3 in November, 2010.
The beautiful Harrisburg marathon course, a great BQ course
A year after my first marathon, I ran a 3:27, agin at RnR Mardi Gras, and felt great doing it. Again, I took a little break - this time an injury combined with the hot weather kept me from running as much. I'm getting back into the swing of things this winter - my current best marathon is 3:09:36 (read about it here)  - Edit: Now it is 3:06:17 - and I ran a 3:24 in hot, windy weather with no Garmin or watch. My half marathons have improved, too, with a current PR of 1:30 from last month. That's down from the 2:03 I ran for my very first half.
Do I still have a long way to go? Of course!
While I can't claim to be fast, I CAN claim to have improved drastically. 
I don't have a coach and I have no background in running, so a lot of what I do is just what seems to work for me. Take this as my personal story, not what will necessarily work for you!


Coming up this week:
- Running volume and mileage
- What kind of running I do
- Racing
- The mental aspect 

Now ask me questions! If you have any specific questions on how I went from a 4:15 marathon to a 3:09 marathon in less than two years, ask away. I will do my best to provide helpful information!

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12 comments:

  1. Vanessa @ Gourmet RunnerJanuary 23, 2012 at 7:43 AM

    Great idea for a post- I'm so curious! My question - what was your typical weekly mileage training for your first marathon vs. now?

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    Replies
    1. GracieJanuary 23, 2012 at 8:01 AM

      Details on that tomorrow! WIth exact numbers, lol!

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  2. NellyJanuary 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM

    wow, you have improved your times phenomenally well over a short time! Not sure if this is the case, but you look way more powerful now than you do in that picture above from your first marathon. Not sure if you feel the same way.

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  3. AllisonJanuary 23, 2012 at 12:07 PM

    Very motivating!!! I hope I can get to where you are. My first marathon (semi-disaster) was a 4:17. Yesterday, I BQ'd in my 3rd marathon... 3:38:40. I'm excited to see how you have continued to drop your times.

    Um, I think you can claim to be fast having run a 3:09 marathon. So impressive.

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  4. Ali McJanuary 23, 2012 at 12:20 PM

    I really want to know how someone like me (a relatively new runner) could train for their first marathon differently. Everyone says train to just finish but I'd love to BQ on my first one ....do you think that's possible??

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  5. Kyria @ Travel SpotJanuary 23, 2012 at 12:55 PM

    I can't believe how much you have improved in such a short time. Really! I aspire to do the same. So, you said you never really did taper before, but do you follow a training "schedule" at all? Or just wing it? You seem kind of like a wing it kind of girl. Do you do speed work? Pace work? Hills? Tell me more about your training.

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  6. Lisa from Lisa's YarnsJanuary 23, 2012 at 3:35 PM

    You have improved immensely! And I still think you need to stop saying you aren't fast. You are fast, girl! Interested to read more about your approach to training!

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  7. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2012 at 4:08 PM

    WOW you have come a long way!!!!

    Would you mind including a "I wish I knew ____ when I was training for my first marathon"?

    I can't wait for this series. You're an amazing runner and would love to soak up some knowledge!

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  8. CharJanuary 23, 2012 at 7:57 PM

    I think we're all our own experiment of one and what works for one might not work for another. But what works for you might be exactly what works for someone else so it's good to hear about it. And even if we can't use all of it we might be able to take a few tips away.

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  9. Lauren @ Sassy MolassyJanuary 23, 2012 at 10:53 PM

    Man, you got into the marathoning so quickly and have improved a ton!

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  10. LindsayJanuary 24, 2012 at 11:46 AM

    Shaving an hour in 2-yrs is very impressive, you can definitely say you're fast :) I just want to know everything so I can copy you and run a 3:09 too!!

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  11. TiaJanuary 26, 2012 at 11:31 AM

    Ahhhhh!! I am very anxious to read this whole "How I train" series!!

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