Hi, this is RunCoach Jen. This is Week 1 of an online diary about my 20th marathon journey, which will culminate at the Chicago Marathon on October 10th. I thought this might be a good opportunity to chronologically record my training, share my experiences with fellow runners, and hopefully, get the word out about the purpose of this marathon.
Click Here to follow my Chicago Marathon Diary Feed.
This will not just be a marathon about my goals, I am running this marathon to promote an organization I care deeply about…Girls on the Run. You can read my article herein.
My plan is to write a brief ‘diary entry’ at the end of each training week. Each entry will be a record of that week’s training and personal input about the miles I ran and my fitness level.
I selected the Chicago Marathon for a few reasons…I have not ran this marathon in a number of years and it has always been well-organized, even with the 30,000+ participants. Also, it is a great course, running through many areas of Chicagoland, circling downtown, ending up back on Michigan Avenue.
My approach to this marathon is fairly typical, with a few changes from previous marathon training. Though I love to coach other runners, it can have an affect on my training, so I am incorporating speed work from the beginning, and will carry that forward throughout my training. This should help me stay on track with my ultimate marathon pace.
Week 1 Training
First week of training was HOT. Summer in Dallas, TX has unofficially started, with morning low temperatures of 75 degrees; by August, morning low’s will be in the mid-80’s so I shouldn’t complain.
I got through the first week pretty good. It is time to get my body acclimated not only to the weather, but to the early rise times as well…typically around 4:AM most days. I do not consider this anything more than dedication to reaching a goal. Running is something I love to do, and with the support of my loving husband and daughter, training weeks are just that much more manageable.
That’s it for week 1. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you throughout my training. In the interim, do not forget to check out my charity, Girls on the Run.
Click Here to follow my Chicago Marathon Diary Feed.
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