2015 Marine Corps Marathon - Moving Forward The Next Step

Well it's been a week since I ran the 2015 Marine Corps Marathon.  I've spent some time doing a little soul searching this week after the disastrous race last week.  I refuse to let this derail me like my last marathon attempt in 2007 did.  So I refuse to brood and dwell on it. I need to heal, lick my wounds, take stock of where I am and figure out where I need to go from here. This was my 3rd marathon, my worst time, my hardest race and admittedly the one I felt I followed the training plan the best on. I didn't skip runs, I didn't shorten runs, I did what was on my plan. So where does this leave me?

1) Looking at the pictures from the race I am embarrassed to realize just how much weight I have let myself gain in the past 2-1/2 years. In January of 2013 when I decided to start training to run a half marathon again with the goal of running a full marathon in 2015 I was within 10lbs of my ideal weight. I looked great and felt great. I also had gotten to that weight on a 900 - 1200 calorie a day diet (don't yell I know that wasn't smart) which was not sustainable with running. Instead of trying to modify it sensibly, over the past 2-1/2 years I eventually stopped tracking what I was eating and didn't seem to care any more. I am now closer to 50 lbs away from my ideal weight and I can tell it. I won't get down to my ideal weight by Dopey, but at least I can start making positive changes in the right direction. An that does not mean going back to a super low cal diet, but I need to cut out the excess sugar, take stock of what I am eating and figure out a plan.  I knew I had gained weight, but it really wasn't until I saw this picture, that I realized just how much weight I'd gained.

This is embarrassing and not acceptable.  I will make positive changes and work towards getting back to a healthy weight.  I'm putting it out there publicly so I have to focus on it.  

To think this was me 2 years ago at Wine & Dine makes me sad.  

2) I think I need to look into my training plan and maybe make some changes. I am not certain that the extra long long runs have been beneficial for me. Building up to the Marine Corps Marathon I had 3 runs that were longer than 20 miles in my schedule. I ran 22 miles, 24 miles and repeated 24 miles (I cut the scheduled 27 back to 24) and after each of those long long runs it seemed to take longer and longer to get the dead leg feeling to go away. I even commented Saturday before MCM that my legs still felt heavy even after my taper period. I think maybe I should look into some different plans that have me running more days but less mile on the longest day. I'm looking at my schedule now and seeing what I need to change to get the miles in and not break my body down before Dopey.  

3)I need to run with someone during Dopey. My sister joined me in Crystal City and walked with me to mile 26. Having someone with me to talk to made those last miles much easier. I have a feeling I'd have been able to push through some of the earlier miles with someone next to me.  I'm very glad that I have a great team in the Mickey Milers and a bunch of people running at Walt Disney World in January.  I will make friends and have a running partner for those races.  

4)I need to not worry about the clock.  For Dopey I my goal is to run all 4 races, finish ahead of the Balloon ladies with a smile on my face.   I'm throwing time goals out the window for that weekend.  My ultimate goal is to finish the marathon feeling like I finished the marathon.

So that's it.  65 days to the start of the Dopey Challenge.  I will have fun, I will complete it and I will be ready.  Let's just keep moving Forward.