And so it begins....Thoughts on Marathon Training

So for a long time I've been totally happy to be a half marathon runner and never even considered doing a marathon.  But for the last couple of years it has been something that has just kinda nagged at me.  That small little thought that I try to push back before I think about it to long, "I might like to try and do a marathon someday".  Well I guess I let myself think about it too much one day because before I really knew what I had done I signed myself and Will up for the Wichita marathon in September of this year.

I'm excited to try something new, to push myself beyond what I've ever done, to be able to call myself a marathon but more than any of those things I'm scared out of my mind!  What was I thinking!  26.2 miles are you kidding me!

With all of this swirling around in my head (along with a million other things that swirl around in my head) I headed off to church which happened to be on Mother's Day and to my surprise at the end of the sermon, the pastor called up 2 ladies who are mothers, and also both happen to be Marathoners who had just run the Boston Marathon.  One for her 1st time one for her 7th or 8th.  He did a quick little Q and A with them and asked them about how they got started, why they run, and some Bible verses that encourage them when they run.  And you know what they both started out the same way as me, they aren't sponsored Olympic athletes, they are both just everyday Moms who had a goal and a dream and took it one mile at a time and achieved their goals.  They both love running to stay fit, clear their heads, have alone time, and be out in nature.  Just like me!  I was hanging on to every word of their Bible verses, some where ones we've all heard in Athletics like "I can do all things through Christ who gives me Strength" and "Let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us"  But a few of them were ones I hadn't ever heard applied to running.  They gave me hope, and filled me up with courage, and excitement again as I embark on this journey.

So as we begin our official 16 week marathon training plan I'm still as nervous as new parents on the car ride home from the hospital but I know that God has put this desire in my heart for a reason and "that with Gods help we (I) will do mighty things".-psalms 60:12