Rome wasn't built in a day. It's one of those pithy sayings we're taught from childhood to illustrate that hard work and dedication are necessary to achieve anything worthwhile.
It's something I've been keeping in mind a lot lately, as I progress toward the Bayshore Marathon.
Unlike the path at one of my favorite running haunts, the GT Civic Center, the road network of the Roman Empire likely was pretty difficult to navigate. Thus, those clever Roman road-builders came up with the milestone, a stone tablet informing travelers of miles traveled and miles left to go between all of those early Roman tourist traps.
The word also at some point became the go-to term to describe momentous events and achievements, and feels particularly relevant in the context of breakthroughs related to running.
Friday I reached the first real milestone in my marathon training -- my first-ever 12-mile run. Prior to this, I had run my fair share of 15Ks, and even a 10-miler or two, but there was definitely a mental boost inherent in reaching a new personal-best mileage.
Never mind that 12 miles is less then half my goal of 26.2; it feels like a training turning point.
Getting to said turning point has involved some hard lessons.
Last month, I ran into some persistent pain in my legs and feet as I steadily added miles. After some research, consultation with marathoner friends and scolding from readers via comments on my blog, I incorporated into my training program stretching, icing and rest when necessary. Thankfully, at this point I seem to have left behind most of those muscle and joint issues I experienced early on.
I'm also discovering that squeezing an hour or more of running into my schedule in a given day can be a challenge. I'm a big fan of multi-tasking, but what else can you do during a run than ... run?
Sometimes I mentally compose blogs and columns, but usually I just revel in the exhilaration that comes along with the physical activity. Initially I resented the time commitment necessary to complete training runs, but I've come to appreciate simply running to run.
A final learning experience involves mid-run sustenance.
I always have been wary of ingesting anything, even water, during a run. For some reason, I had some deep-set pre-conceived notion that putting something on my stomach would necessarily lead to side stitches.
However, once I began to tackle double-digit mileages, which I usually finish much slower than I start, I recognized the wisdom of carrying a snack. The fact is that during a longer run even a hundred calories can provide a nice surge to help ensure a strong finish.
Enter GU.
As I mentioned in a previous column, I was very suspicious of this ominously named little energy gel. I purchased one of the pocket-sized packets about a month ago, but was way too nervous actually to try it -- in the middle of any really strenuous activity, the last thing I want is something slimy and stomach-turningly sweet.
I was further put off by its stupid name -- "Chocolate Outrage" GU.
Before my 12-mile run this week, I grudgingly stuffed the aforementioned stupidly titled GU into the pocket of my jacket and prepared to unleash the stuff around mile eight.
While I was expecting some weird gelatinous compound to ooze out, the GU's flavor and texture actually is closest to chocolate cake batter. In other words, it's pretty GUd. Not even "good" as in good for a protein bar -- meaning slightly less awful than other protein bars -- legitimately, well, GUd.
While chocolate cake batter isn't my first choice for a mid-run snack, it was a welcome boost. And, when you're eight miles in, who cares what you're eating as long as it's providing some energy?
So, OK, Rome wasn't built in a day. Nor can I expect that my marathon training will be easy or quick; I recognize that my training is a learning process that requires dedication, hard work and, yes, potentially some pain. I can handle all of those. This marathon is one milestone that's worth the effort.
Record-Eagle copy editor and first-time marathon runner Claire Walters is chronicling her training experiences in a bi-weekly column as she prepares for the May 23 Bayshore Marathon. Readers also can follow her progress by reading her blog at http://blogs.record-eagle.com. The blog contains her training schedule and log, and she invites advice and comments from other runners.
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