TNT is an organization that benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Many of the people who participate in TNT activities are leukemia patients or survivors of leukemia or other blood cancers, their friends and family members. When I began my training, I didn’t know anybody with this type of disease. So while I wish I could say that I began my training in support of these very brave individuals, I can’t.
I trained for me.
The goal was the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2009.
I trained after work three nights each week. Weekday mileage started at two miles and slowly increased to eight. Saturday team trainings began at 6:30 a.m. They also began at two miles. Our longest Saturday distance before the race was 20 miles.
Early in my training, I suffered two leg injuries related to a bulging disc in my back. Shortly thereafter, I was diagnosed with chostochondritis, inflammation in the cartilage surrounding the rib cage. Each of these tested my determination. I fell behind in my training, causing me to give up my idea of running in exchange for walking the marathon. Despite it all, the mental challenge was much more difficult than the physical.
Training four days a week, especially so early on Saturday mornings, requires a great deal of discipline. I had to dig deep so many times to find that discipline. As a walker, training took a significant amount of time – much more than that of a runner. My life activity consisted of working, walking, eating and sleeping. I was also forced to learn mind tricks to avoid boredom while training. It’s really not smart to train with an iPod. Cyclists can sneak up on you from behind, and it’s just not 100 percent safe for women training alone. However, I cheated on those rules and found significant enjoyment listening to the Sookie Stackhouse audiobooks.
It wasn’t easy. But I couldn’t give up. That wasn’t an option.
Tune in next week for an update on the journey toward my marathon.
