I vowed to never do this again but.. I’m running another Marathon!

I am going to run the Twin Cities Marathon this upcoming October.

Why? Because so many people are telling me not to. And I’m stubborn.

For every person telling me not to, there are 3.3 people telling me I should and cheering me on (I took a poll on Instagram so these numbers are accurate), so it’s not all negative reinforcement happening. 

But why are people telling me that I shouldn’t run this marathon?! Or what are some common reasons people are against running? And why are their reasons all wrong?

You’ll wreck your knees, hips, back [INSERT ANY OTHER BODY AREA HERE] for the future. 

There’s no evidence that running a marathon in my 20s is going to cause MORE degeneration or more issues for my knees in the future. Could running a marathon with mileage that is too high or without proper strength training lead to injuries now and even possibly injuries down the line? For sure. There is a risk with any physical activity or any training if you don’t have the proper strength, programming or mobility to complement it. But a single marathon with proper training and progression/planning - not likely.

It’s not healthy to just run. 

You’re right! That’s why there is so much more to the training than just running. If I went out and decided to run 50+ miles a week for the next 6 months I certainly would run into some problems and likely some overuse injuries. We aren’t made to do a singular activity like that.
The goal with this training cycle is to integrate strength training 2-3 days per week, slowly increase my mileage per week and have a good taper leading into the marathon so that I can perform at my best. I will be working with the amazing MVMNT providers and using my own experience/knowledge to make sure I am emphasizing mobility and recovery. I have also decided to work directly with a running coach on my program so it is tailored to my needs. 

You’ll lose muscle mass. 

No. I won’t. See above. (hint: I’m dedicating a lot of time specifically for strength training)

All of your training runs need to be at your highest intensity.

The opposite is actually the case. Most of the training should be done in a zone 2 heart rate zone (low and slow, steady state, conversational pace). While there should be some time set aside to focus on speed work and running at a faster pace - that is far from the majority of the runs. It pays to go slower during training blocks for any race or distance goal. 

These are just a few of the [unsolicited] comments I’ve heard about running. What else have you heard?!

The big takeaways are to work with people to support you if you are running any kind of race or looking to perform in any sport or activity. Getting good, knowledgeable providers who want to help you work towards your goals and keep you injury free will benefit you so greatly! 

Mistakes that I’ve learned from my first Marathon:

Mistake 1 - I made my own training plan. I picked and chose from different plans on what I wanted to work within my schedule and that led to too intense of mileage too quickly and honestly taking my training runs at too high of an intensity. This time around I am using a running coach because even though I might have the knowledge to build a plan, there’s maybe someone better and smarter than me who could do it better so I’m going to utilize those resources. (@runningwithtaytay)

Mistake 2 - I had no emphasis or priority within recovery. I was in the throws of grad school, working part time AND studying for 3 board exams that were back to back leading up to my race. I was not prioritizing sleep, and I was not nourishing my body in a way that was conducive to the miles I was running. This time around, I am more willing to sacrifice in other places in order to get the sleep I need. I know that without proper fueling my body won’t be able to perform the way I NEED it to and want it to throughout training and throughout the race so practicing fueling on runs and really prioritizing eating BEFORE a run or a workout no matter how short is absolutely essential.

Mistake 3 - Random strength training versus a plan. Rather than making a plan (which once again I do for others and know how to do very well) I decided to wing it during my lifts and when I was strength training during my last cycles. I didn’t have a focus and a little bit of that is due to me prioritizing others and who I’m caring for so by the time I get to myself I don’t have the energy to put towards a plan (we’re working on this I promise) BUT since I know that’s something I struggle with and since I’m a people pleaser, type A person who if given a plan will follow a plan, I have a coach writing me a specific strength plan for this cycle. (@coachcarlypaige)