I'm reading a website that I happened upon from a Google search called http://www.runyourbq.com/qualifying-for-boston-marathon/ which is about one runner's quest to BQ. It took him 6 marathons, lots of training, and lots of figuring out how to change his training to make it the most effective. He ran Boston in 2012.
One of the things he mentions in the opening article is that you must :
"Write down your goal and why you want it so badly,
and why you can make it happen."
Therefore, here is my goal :
I want to qualify for the Boston Marathon and intend to run it in 2016.
I am going to start training now, knowing that I am a long way from the mile times I need to reach this goal, and choose benchmark races along the way.
I would like to earn my BQ at the 2015 Buffalo Marathon,
the location of my very first marathon.
I need to cut ONE HOUR AND 23 MINUTES from my current marathon PR.
I have run two marathons so far since I began running (for the third time in my life) in January 2011. My first marathon was in Buffalo, NY about an hour from where I grew up.
I ran my first marathon in 5:17:40.
For this marathon, my only goal was to finish with a smile on my face, mission accomplished! I ran with my mom and brother, and we stayed together for the first half before we split apart to run our own pace. It was tough, I was sore, and finishing was one of the most glorious experiences of my life.
That December, I signed up for my second marathon. I ran the VA Beach Shamrock Marathon on March 17, 2013.
I ran my second marathon in 4:57:08.
Truth be told, I barely trained for this marathon. I lost my grandfather in January and needed to take a few trips home to NY, which meant no long runs. I made excuses and missed training runs, I even thought about pulling out of the race. The only reason I ran was because we had a hotel reservation and wanted to get out of town. I would feel like a failure if we went, but I didn't run, so I ran. It was tough, there were some uphill parts that were killer! The last mile felt like torture and I thought it would never end, but I had a new goal: to finish in UNDER 5 hours, which I did!
It has now been over a year since I ran 26.2 and I don't plan to run another until the Walt Disney Marathon Weekend, where I will run the Goofy Challenge - it's the 10 year anniversary and has been a goal of mine since I ran my first half marathon in Disney in 2012. My interim goal has been to get faster at shorter races. I have nailed down new PRs in every distance but the half - I'm still hanging on to a 2012 PR! I have 2 half marathons this spring and one (maybe more?) this fall. I'm not set to PR any time soon.
My problem is lack of consistency.
I know this. I hate it. I haven't been able to change it.
I've joined a running "class" which was really helpful in the fall, but hasn't been as motivating throughout the winter. I've also taken a few breaks from running for medical/personal reasons. Really, these are just excuses and I'm tired of making excuses. One of the reasons I've started this blog is for accountability! If I tell the world-wide-web that I need to go out for a long run, I will have to keep that promise. If I say I am going to BQ, I will have to do everything I can to make this dream a reality!
Remember to love the run!
In closing, I want to remember the victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon. I must always remember to be grateful that I can run, knowing that those who lost their lives and those who were seriously injured would love the opportunity to go on a 12 mile training run. I run for me, and I run for those who no longer can.
And when I'm out there - I LOVE THE RUN!!!!
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