It’s Almost Marine Corps Training Time!

Tuesday is a big day.

Not just because the numbers are three odd numbers in a row, although I guess that’s kinda cool, too.

^Ignore that. I apparently have no idea what date or year it is.

No, on Tuesday, I start training for my third marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon.

It’s in D.C., where I formed all my bad habits, so I’m excited for another race there to show the city I’m doing better without it. Last year, I surprised my friend Lindsay and went to spectate Marine Corps, and now she’s back on the East Coast (yay, minus not having a friend to visit in Hawaii) and living outside of D.C. and will be able to spectate me running the race!

I’m also excited…

…because I’m participating in the Runner’s World Challenge! Back in May, Tina, Anne and I had an awesome meeting with the communications director for Runner’s World, and I mentioned I was running Marine Corps. He asked if I’d want to try out the challenge in exchange for blogging about it.

I don’t know if I’ve ever said yes so quickly! Runner’s World wanted to work with me, who could barely run a mile just a little over three years ago? Well, okay. I was seriously flattered and excited.

It includes:

  • a training plan (I chose the break 4:00 one, gulp)
  • access to their training log software, which I’m just starting to play with now, but lets you upload your Garmin info to and access from your iPhone. The access from iPhone part is cool, since in years past, I uploaded my entire schedule into my Google Calendar, so I like the access-from-smartphone part. There’s also areas to input stuff like weight and nutrition, and I’m going to try to keep up with those but know the nutrition-logging will be hard to keep up with.
  • motivational emails from Bart Yasso (although we’re already buddies)
  • a t-shirt and book
  • access to private forums

And then some awesome race-weekend stuff:

  • strategy session and shakeout run with Bart Yasso
  • pre/post-race private tent access (after Disney Princess, I can say this is super-clutch)

One of my New Balance contacts tried and loved the program for Big Sur, so I’m really really excited to try out all these tools and have access to their editors through this program for the next few months.

Let’s talk marathon: are you doing one this fall? If so, which one? Do you have an aggressive time goal, too?

NYC runners: Last year, I started a Facebook group for those training for the NYC Marathon. It became an awesome way to connect with other runners who were also marathon training and learn about cool area races going on that fit in well with NYCM training plans. Since I don’t want to leave my own group…let’s say that it’s for NYC runners training for marathons, okay? You can click on the link above to request membership. (I keep it private so the whole Internet doesn’t know where you’re going running if you don’t want them to.)

If you’re not training for a marathon, any big fitness goals you’re working on?

25 comments on “It’s Almost Marine Corps Training Time!

  1. Shauna@Pleasure, not Punishment

    Sweet about the Runner’s World program! Looking forward to hear about how that enhances your training. And by the way, sub-4 is SERIOUSLY impressive. Absolutely awesome.

    Through my first month of half marathon training and absolutely loving it. My other fitness goal is to do enough core work for the next two “packs” to emerge. One and Two already popped out! WAHOO!

    Reply
  2. Cathryn @ My Heart's Content

    Well done on the RW Challenge, it sounds so exciting!! And I’m excited about MCM for you as well!! I would love to do another marathon but I’m sticking with halves…I’m signed up for wine country in October and I WILL break two hours!!!!

    Reply
  3. Erin @ erinberries

    Wow! It must be a little surreal going back to the city that started your habits and then coming back as an athlete.

    I can’t even imagine running a marathon right now. I really want to start running. Any tips for a beginner?

    Reply
  4. Gwen

    GOOOOO Theodora! I am not going to be able to run the MCM this year – just not in shape. But it’s such a kickass race! I’ll be cheering!

    Reply
  5. Nicole

    Sounds like a great training program/supplement. My overall fitness goal is to keep striving to be a lean, “mean”, fighting machine. Ok – well, lean, yes. And healthy.

    Reply
  6. jillian

    so cool – i’m very jealous!!!! I am also training for my third marathon — Mohawk Hudson in October. Like you, my goal is sub 4 hours. I feel like I can do it, but I need to get my mojo back. I’ve been dreading my long runs, and thats not a good way to start training!!!

    Anyone have any suggestions or advice? I dont want to burn out before I start 🙂

    Reply
  7. Laura @ sweatingforit

    Right now I don’t ever see myself running a marathon-just not on my radar. I am training for a supersprint tri right now and then I’m going to decide if I want to start training for another half marathon or a longer triathlon.

    Reply
  8. Cait @ Cait Strides

    I’m doing the MCM as my 3rd marathon as well! My goal is to do it right around 4:15, we’ll see. I started training last week and the heat has been a serious nightmare.

    Good luck with your goal!

    Reply
  9. Shreya

    I’m doing MCM this year as well. I tried to start training 2 weeks back but this TX heat is miserable. I have only done 3 super short runs so far. I need some motivation and company.
    I would kill to do a sub-4 marathon.

    Reply
  10. Jess

    I am signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon too! This will be my first marathon so no aggressive time goals just hoping to finish! Any tips for a first time marathoner?

    Reply
  11. Shay

    Hello! I’m from Singapore. 🙂

    I have been silently reading your blog for a couple of weeks now. Your blog is really motivating me to get back on my weight loss plan and start running.

    I made the decision to exercise more and lose weight last year, December. I lost about 6kg which is about 7pounds in 3 months (due to the festive seasons, hee hee). Anyways, I started to go to the gym at least 4 times a week doing BodyCombat, Spinning and BodyBalance. I think my progress is rather slow and had been maintaining the weight loss until now.

    I do run 10k on and off but with no training and timing normally sucks. So, next month I will be training in the hotel gym on my business trip and come back to a 10k run.

    I’m currently 5’3″ weighing about 160pounds. I need to lose 22pounds. I’m trying to see your past blog post on how you did it. But navigation is a little bit difficult. 😛

    Anyways, that sums up my fitness goals! Hope you have a blast training for the MCM. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Alleigh

    I’m coming off a hip labral tear, which meant not only missing the DC RnR half in March, but 6 months of no exercise at all. I was finally cleared to start exercising again, so I’m began the C25k a few weeks ago and am started to feel my running legs return. I won’t be ready for the full MCM, but my plan is to run the MCM10k. Good luck w/ your training, and I’ll keep my eye out for you at the finish!

    Reply
  13. Kristina

    I read Peter Sagal’s (from “Wait wait… don’t tell me”) article in Runner’s World about his experience with the Runner’s World challenge. It’s a great article, and from his experience, the challenge helped him quite a bit.
    Can’t wait to hear about your experience!

    Reply

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