Vacation
So, life has been a bit chaotic these last couple of months. June brought the end of the school year and we quickly followed that with a 10 day road trip to see some friends and family. I got two runs in while on that trip, along with many walks and hikes. I had hoped to run more, but the heat made that extremely difficult. Living on the coast, I am definitely not used to weather above 70 degrees. The 90+ degree weather in Utah and Colorado was unbearable, at times. Once we returned home, we packed like crazy and moved. I didn't run at all that week...ugh...I was feeling very unmotivated and so I gave myself a break. At the end of July, we spent another 11 days away from home with family. I did much better on this trip. I completed every run that I scheduled! I didn't let myself see these runs as being optional. I didn't give myself a choice. This made it easier for me to get up early and run. I'm so proud of myself! Usually, I use vacation as an excuse to sleep in and be lazy, but not this time.
Disappointment
Last week, I got some disappointing news...the 2014 Eugene Marathon has been scheduled for July 27th. Ugh! I'm really not happy about this! I was looking forward to running my first marathon in the city in which I spent most of my life. I know the terrain. I am comfortable in the environment. Most of my friends and family live there and would be able to come support me. There are so many great reasons to run the Eugene Marathon, however, I am not going to be running my first marathon in July for several other reasons:
1. It starts at 6 am. The idea is that the average temp in July at 6 am is 52ish degrees. While this may be ideal running weather, by 9 am, it could easily be 80 degrees or more. I'm sure it'll take me 4 1/2 hours or so to finish and there is too much potential for it to be super hot by the end of the race. It will already take everything out of me to finish, I don't want to add heat on top of everything else.
2. I need at least 2 hours for my body to wake up in the morning before I can run. This would put me at a 4 am wake up, which is ridiculous when I probably won't sleep well the night before and will be running 26.2 miles.
3. My training will be more intense at the end of the school year. Any teacher will tell you that the first two months and the last two months of the school year are the busiest and most stressful. I would rather have my marathon finished by the time I hit intensive state testing and end of the year stuff.
4. The heat! Ugh! I will be training on the coast, where it rarely hits 70 degrees...EVER... I will be ill prepared to run in 80 or 90+ degree weather. 65 degrees on a sunny day feels hot for me. I know the Willamette Valley in July. It. Gets. Hot! I dislike running in the heat. April weather is soooo much better. I don't understand their reason to change the date of the marathon by three months.
It sounds like a lot of people are upset about this change and a lot of runners are choosing not to participate after all. The heat might be something I can tackle in the future, but for my first marathon, it is a hurdle I would like to avoid. I was just really looking forward to celebrating my 1 year of a healthier life by running in my hometown.
So...Now I have to figure out a new game plan. I have a couple of options:
1. Find a different marathon to run in the spring.
2. Wait until Fall 2014 for my first marathon and do a 1/2 marathon in the spring instead.
I've been looking for spring marathons in Oregon, but there aren't many scheduled yet. I'm hoping more will pop up soon in the Eugene area since the main one has been moved. If I wait until Fall 2014, I could do either Portland or the Columbia Gorge. The Columbia Gorge Marathon looks beautiful and I really want to do that one, but it is in October and I know I will be busy with school. However, if that is the route I choose to take, I will definitely make my marathon training a top priority.
Changes
I have noticed a lot of changes in myself since beginning this journey. I don't see a lot of physical changes yet, but I know I will eventually. However, I feel stronger, both physically and mentally. I feel like I am creating a new me, or rather a new part of me, that I can be proud of. I look forward to running, which is not something I've been able to say in the past. I welcome the challenges it brings and I no longer make excuses. My mind still tries to convince me to skip a run or to quit early, but I don't listen anymore. Occasionally, my mind will convince me to make poor food choices, but those are becoming fewer. I keep telling myself that I'm not the same girl I was before. I am strong. I can make healthy decisions. I need to push myself. My life is fantastic, but I want more out of it. Running is opening new doors and making me a better me. It is exciting and a new adventure!
Cheers!
Ashley
