In about 12 weeks’ time I’m running my first marathon in 17 years. (It has honestly taken me that long to get over the first and feel ready to take on the challenge again.)
I have a training plan – an adapted version of one my PT has previously used successfully – and I’ve been pretty good at sticking to it.
Until last week…
I was recently diagnosed with asthma and I’m still getting used to running with it. After a sprint session on a pretty cold Monday night, my peak flow had dropped the next morning and my chest felt tight. One thing I have learnt is to respect the condition and not to run through these symptoms. I rested Tuesday and Wednesday, and then Thursday, and was back on it Friday. Thursday I should have ran but I talked myself out of it. (Something I’m quite good at!).
So, I missed two training sessions.
But I’m not beating myself up about it. I extended my training programme from 16 to 20 weeks to allow for those days when I do talk myself out it and when I, or my girls, are not well. I know I’m not going to be able to stick to the programme to the letter – life gets in the way. I have a job, a family and other commitments and sometimes they have to take priority over marathon training.
The programme also gets adapted as I go along. Things crop up most weeks that I hadn’t planned for and so I have to mix things around and squeeze sessions in around them. And so far that’s working for me.
I’m about eight weeks into the plan, I’m on target with my distance and over the next few weeks things will be getting interesting… The furthest I’ve ran since coming back to running is 14 miles and now I’m looking at 16, 18, 20 and then 22. Interested to see how I handle it!