Mental Case

One thing that has really shocked me through out this process is how mental training for a marathon is equally as tough and important as physical training. The mind plays such a strong role in what you can do and what you believe you can do. So in addition to my body being tired, my mind is tired from being in overdrive as well!

This weekend, I have my longest run that I have ever run planned. Two weekends ago, I ran 13 miles. The same distance as the half marathon I ran approximately 4 1/2 months ago. So to me, it was not a big deal, something I know I could conquer. (I didn't take in to consideration last time I ran 13 miles, it was a cool spring morning. The humidity lead to some nice little vomit sessions along the way.) But I knew I could do it. On Saturday morning, I will be waking up bright and early for a 15 mile run. I don't even know how far that is. I don't know what my route is going to be, where to go, how to avoid hills at all costs. But it's also amazed me how every time I look at the 15 miles in my planner, my mind says "Megan (yes my mind speaks in a 3rd person), you can do this. 7 1/2 miles out, 7 1/2 miles back home." I have yet to believe that I can't do it. And that's a good thing when running that distance!

So childrens, while you are all in your cozy beds on Saturday morning, with mild hangovers from the night before, wondering if you should have pancakes or french toast, think of me out (and according to the news, in the rain), and send positive thoughts my way. Because the mind is a powerful thing and if I firmly believe that the positive thoughts we think can be shared and channeled toward a greater thing.

Please please please, don't forget to donate to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation:

www.active.com/donate/09JuvenileDiabetes/meganmeehan

THANK YOU!!

Running a Marathon = Pregnant?

Ok, before Rory and my mother start freaking out - I AM NOT PREGNANT!

But training for this marathon is the closest thing to being pregnant that I certainly ever have been. Before pregnant ladies get upset, I understand that what I am doing does not hold a candle to bringing a human life in to this world through an extremely painful process. But I have been able to draw some strong similarities.

1. I have never been so hungry in my life. All this running is just increasing my hunger like crazy. Tuesday night I ran 7 miles and last night I ran 5 miles and both nights I have come home and eaten a huge dinner. Usually I am not a big dinner eater, but recently I cannot eat enough after coming home from the gym. Pregnancy symptom #1.
2. At any point during this training, I am either uncomfortable or in some sort of pain. My back hurts, my neck hurts, my knees hurt. After my Saturday long runs, Saturday night sleeping is super uncomfortable. Just really pretty miserable.
3. I can't drink. Running 13 miles alone is rough, doing it with a stomach full of beer from the night before is just plain suicidal. Summertime is all about BBQs and concerts and hanging out with friends. And I have had to cut back because I am so tired and most of the time I can't drink. Friday nights have officially become a bust because I have to be up at 6AM on Saturdays. Rory doesn't knwow what to do because he feels bad leaving me but he's not the one who is running so he should be able to go out on a Friday night and drink some Bud Lights and have the summer nights you're supposed to at 25.
4. Running 26.2 miles is going to be HARD! At times during the race, I will want to give up. Everything will hurt and I will really have to push myself to the end. I will probably cry throughout the process. I will have people there cheering me on but nobody will really know what it feels like. And then at the end, when I cross that finish line, I will (hopefully) have the greatest feeling of accomplishment that I have ever experienced in my life. Women who have babies tell me that as soon as you give birth, that you forget about all the pain because of the feelings that overcome you at that point. Hopefully I will forget about the pain and focus on the accomplishment that I just achieved....


P.S. And to make that accomplishment even greater, don't forget to donate to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation www.active.com/donate/09JuvenileDiabetes/meganmeehan