We started out at 5:30am on Saturday morning...I had to drive an hour to meet up with the girls, so I got up around 4:00am and left my house at 4:30am. I was tired by the time I got there....and I still had 16 long miles ahead of me!
I did have my new shoes...which was fun!!! I had ran 5 miles in them on Thursday night, so I knew they would do pretty good.
We started out and of course...like always, the first half went great! We chatted, held a steady pace and stopped to walk and fuel every 4 miles. Once we hit approx. 9 miles, I just got TIRED! I didn't feel like running anymore, and I was thirsty! So, I WALKED...Yep, WALKED! No, not the remaining 7 miles, but I broke from my running girls, and walked some while sipping my water. I then started running again, and did approx. another 4 miles or so, and then I just didn't want to run anymore. I decided at that point I was not going to get down on myself, and I was not going to worry that Kris and Becki were way ahead of me, so I did a .25 walk and then a .25 run for the remaining 3 miles. This made the miles go by faster and I didn't have to do that same running motion the whole time.
I just feel like when I run for so long, that my body just gets sooo tired of doing the same motion over and over and over and over again! Does anybody else ever feel this way?
I finished in 3hrs 11min. Becki and Kris finished in 3hrs, so I was only approx. 1 mile behind, which isn't too bad...I don't think???
So, my question is....Is it bad to WALK while training for a marathon?
I had always thought I should run all of my training runs...but, as the miles creep up there, I just don't know if I am really a long distance runner. I mean, I love about 8 miles, and then I just don't like it much after that. I am obviously doing a marathon in October, so I have no choice but to push through this, but I just want to see if others feel this same way?
I read sooo many running blogs where everyone is such a SUPER STAR, and no matter how they feel, or where they think they might end at the end of the race, they ALWAYS pull it out and finish like in first place, or PR a race when they were puking etc. Are there runners out there that just struggle with running? Sometimes I start to feel like I am doing something wrong....Even the girls I train with make it look easy...well, for me it's not easy. I have to push myself every time to finish! I am sooo happy when I do, and I always do finish (never give up) but I just never hear stories of people fully struggling...Everyone else's stories seem like happy endings!
So, there is my story...I am still pushing on, and of course this story won't be over until 10/10/10, when I attempt and conquer this here marathon! But, while training for it, am I committing a "RUNNER'S CRIME" by walking??? I need your help!
And now I will leave you with a few pictures from our 14 mile run a few weeks ago(Please notice my SUPER CUTE "pink" fuel belt!!! Love it!!! If you don't have one...go get one...you won't be sorry!)....
Stephanie
22 comments:
i struggle with that every day. i make myself walk when going on long runs.
i heard this is beneficial bc u wont get as tired and it prevent injury.
so dont feel bad. its not a crime.
walk if u want. it will help you achieve the longer distances.
u still did very well for the 16 miles.
and hey, u just ran 16 miles!! that is friggin fantastic!!!! :)
congrats
ABSOLUTELY NO CRIME IN WALKING!!!!
You are doing amazing.
I'm with Aneta!!
I am not even close to that distance yet, I am somewhere back near the beginning of your journey where I am just able to run 3 miles(!) so I don't have any sage wisdom for you, but I do know how you feel.
Lots of others seem to have the push through 20+ miles thing down pat and are upset at anything over an 8 min mile! So I say walk if you need to, push when you can, have fun when you want!
Tressa
Listen to your body. Walk hen you need. No harm!
Wow! I think you are doing awesome!! and it is definitely okay to walk! in fact, I think it was smart on your part to walk when you felt you needed to.
no crime at all! i always feel that way...and i do intervals!
maybe try that...run for 5 minutes walk for one. good luck!
Check out Galloway's site and any books of his at the library. I am basing my 1/2 marathon training on it and it is going so well! No real injuries (I think I have a slight shoe issue...but not from the training.) Also, check out the extra mile podcast - the episodes with experiment in the title. A long-time runner is using the galloway method in his training for Chicago and he thinks it's going fantastic! People have broken PR's using this method! Let me know what you think!
I actually walk quite a bit when I do my long runs on the weekends. I think part of it is that I run mid afternoon when it's super hot and I'm tired and hot and thirsty. I try not to walk at all during "regular" runs, and during races try to only briefly walk water stations. Do what feels good to you, you're obviously improving over what you've done in the past. Great job on your 16 miles!!
A lot of people are actually faster when they plan walk breaks.
Here's my two cents. I'm not a super star runner, I won't impress you with any of my times, BUT I try. I've never run a marathon, but have done 4 1/2 marathons. I've run with Hubs, my high school BFF and my 12 year old daughter.... especially when I was running with my daughter, we would run the first few miles... maybe 5, then at each mile marker we would walk for a minute, the start running again. Every time I've done that I've felt strong at the end, not like I wanted to collapse. So, a little walk break every now and then is awesome in my book!!! Congrats on the 16 miles!!!
Definitely no crime in walking as needed. In fact, LOTS of people train that way, so you are not alone.
You may find that the longer distances just aren't your cup of tea. Maybe 10Ks or half marathons are more suited to you. Also, you're at a pretty tough stage of your training schedule and may just be feeling a little burnt out. I get like that sometimes as I get close to a big race. You feel kind of like it's just train, train, train, train .. and you don't enjoy running for a while. But every time that happens and I take a little break, it's not long before I'm dying to get right back at it.
Of course if I ever had to get up at 4:00AM on a weekend for a training run no doubt I'd be exhausted. I don't know how people do that. :)
I know a lot of people use a run/walk program for their whole marathon. Do what works best for you, either way you are accomplishing amazing things!
I am running my first marathon in 26 days (YIKES) and I definitely have to walk on my long runs. There is no way that I can do 20-22 miles without stopping to walk. I usually walk for a bit every couple of miles. I figure that it is pretty much the same as walking the water stops during the race. And I do that anyway. I like to actually drink the water, not choke on it.
So, instead of getting down on yourself for not running the entire 16 miles, think of it as practicing for the water stops. And you'll do fine!
I'm with Aneta on the walking.
I read that by walking, you are using a different set of muscles and that helps give your running muscles a little break. I have tried walking every 1.5 mile or so for 1 minute and I feel like I am able to sustain a long run more than I am able to run nonstop.
The walking breaks give me something to look forward to and I find myself running faster when I run so I can start walking again.
Walking is not a crime. The key is that you made it through. My hubby did his first 16 as well, and he walked a chunk. We plan to walk all the water stops in Chi-town. Good luck
It is not a crime to walk!!
I my longest run is 11 miles and I had to walk a little during that. I am running a half marathon Labor day weekend and honestly if I walk during that I won't beat myself up over it.
I try hard not to walk, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. :-D
Keep on running! Don't give up or beat yourself up!
I think it's kinda funny that you said something about not being a long distance runner, then the next sentence you said you loved an 8 mile distance. I'm hard on myself like this to, but girl, when did we become so crazy that 8 miles isn't a long distance run?! :) So many people will never, ever run 8 miles much less 17!
Guess you can tell what my answer is - walk if you need to walk - there is no shame in taking a little breather if you need to. The important thing is that you are out there and doing it!
I think 17 miles is ahhhhmazing, no matter how you got there!
ooops, sorry, I said 17 miles, you were talking 16. Maybe 17 is next weekend? :)
You are not the only one that struggles... a lot of time people talk more about success than struggles... but you are definitely not the only one!! I struggle a lot and sometimes the struggle wins when i dont even feel like getting out there to run!!
Quick question!! I was looking into getting a fuelbelt... but i dont know if i should get the 2 or 4 bottle belt... I know you can get 10 ounce bottles for the belt... I'm training for a half marathon... what would you suggest?
I try not to walk in my runs but sometimes mentally and sometimes physically it's what I have to do to complete it. One thing that I do to motivate myself not to walk though is I remind myself that how I train is how I'll run in a race. On long runs though I always let myself walk at about the halfway point to eat some clif shot blocs and drink some water. This breaks the run up for me and gives myself that mental and physical break that I need to keep on truckin'.
Late to comment (just found your blog!) but I've heard that the important thing is to cover the distance, even if you have to walk. It's time on your feet that matters most than running the whole thing (you're better off walk-running the 16 miles you have on the schedule than running without walking for 14 miles and missing out on the last 2).
Are you doing Chicago too?
I am also training for Chicago, and recovering from injuries, so I walk a minute every 3rd mile, or as needed. I don't think there is anything wrong with it at all. Good luck in training!
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