And the journey begins 

Today was Day 1 of marathon training and the countdown to December 1st is on!

I haven't run in just over 3 months. On my last run I took a bad fall and while I thought I got off easy my knee was pretty sore for longer than I thought it would be.  I went to the doctor and they said it would probably take some time for the swelling to go down.  X-rays came back normal and I decided to "rest" aka hit pause on my running until my training plan officially started. 

Since I had a successful training plan for my half marathon I had full confidence I could take on this new adventure. But then this injury had me just a bit worried. "What if I did some permanent damage?" "What if I won't be able to train?" I was a bit nervous to say the least.

During my "rest" time I did as much research as I could. Also meeting up with a fellow runner and marathon finisher who graciously listened and answered all my questions from training strategy to running gear, hydration to fueling up and self care. Thank you Bridget!!

I invested in a few different pairs of running socks and got a tool to massage sore muscles for a start. Still going to need a new pair of shoes, but all the options can get overwhelming. Do I need more stability? More cushion? Both stability and cushion? Time to make a trip to the running store. Thankfully I heard if you buy a pair and they don't work out you can bring them back and swap them out for a different shoe.

So today was the day...the moment of truth. Would my knee hold up? How would I feel?

My run started after work at 5:30. Thankfully there was a bit a cloud cover and no direct sun. Even though it was warm the combination of temperature and sun wouldn't be so cruel (as it sometimes is).

I started off strong, thankful for my legs to be carrying me and no knee pain! As the run progressed my pace slowed. A full minute difference between first mile and last mile. Overall I felt good. I was doing it. Focusing on my breathing and my strides on the road pushing me forward and closer to my goal.

I finished the 3 mile run in 28 minutes. Average pace of 9 minutes and 19 seconds per mile. I'll take it! Definitely not a bad start.

One of the helpful tips I got from Bridget was to make sure I change up my routine (make sure to add speed work and intervals, not just running from A to B). So tomorrow I'm planning on doing some speed work / intervals on the treadmill. In the past my intervals started strong then by the end my push pace and regular pace were indistinguishable. I figure the treadmill is a surefire way to stay on top of that...you better run your butt off or you'll end up on the floor lol

1 session down 88 more to go!