A goal and a new pair of shoes are the fun, easy get-started part. Next comes “THE PLAN”. I believe in the old adage for success—“plan your work, then work your plan.”
After many books and articles about running a marathon, as well as talking with a few friends who have run marathons, I decided on a plan I believe will work for me. It is a blended program from two reputable running guys, Hal Higdon and Jeff Galloway. They both believe in moderate, consistent training schedules, with rest and walking as essential components of the program. I like it. Anything that combines rest is my kind of plan. This is particularly important for older runners such as myself.
My goal for my first marathon is simply to finish strong. I had the same goal for my first 1/2 marathon and then after I gained the confidence I could do it, my goals changed. Later on, I focused on improving my finish time and achieve a personal record (PR). I have never been a speedy runner, rather I’m a long, steady runner.
When I designed my plan, I set it up so my long run days are mostly on Saturdays. This works best for me and weaves nicely into my life. No wild partying on Friday nights that’s for sure. Being able to see my plan and then post my runs and comments gives me a great visual as to my progress. (I have both printed and electronic copies.)
This is a plan I can do throughout the training period up to race day. I can occasionally rearrange runs a little on the midweek, shorter runs, but I HAVE to get in the long weekend runs. No compromises there! To finish strong, my body and my mind must experience the long runs. Also, I need the experience of longer runs to boost my confidence to know I can do it. When I look many weeks out, the mileage looks daunting and unachievable. But I know from past experience that if I do what my plan says, I can get there.
If you have something you really, really want to accomplish, then create a plan. But don’t stop there, weave it into your life and do the plan. Record your progress and not only will you achieve your goal, you’ll feel more confident in the process!
[bctt tweet=”I believe in the old adage for success—plan your work, then work your plan.”]