Editor’s note: Post journalist Ashley Mahoney is training for her first marathon on November 14 as part of The Charlotte Post Foundation’s Black Lives Matter campaign. In the weeks leading up to race day, we’ll chronicle her training.

August 18: I’m not doing this to change my body—I’m doing this to change my soul.

Headphones solution! Pink Sonys with the small black ear buds from the Macon Georgia headphones. Voila!  

Definitely felt better on today’s run—need to put feet up.

Distance: 2 miles, Time: 27 minutes, 9 seconds. Pace: 9 minutes, 3 seconds – personal best.

August 19: Early morning run. Great cup of coffee. It’s a beautiful day!

If you know me at all, you know I am the antithesis of a morning person—so getting up at 7:07 a.m. to run 3 miles is a huge accomplishment. I’m someone who usually hits the snooze button 10 times, sleeps through the alarm, or wakes up late (it’s an art form.)

Distance: 3 miles. Time: 28:21. Pace 9:27.

August 20: Pre-run: irritable.

Sitting in my car debating whether or not to run in the rain—after spending so many years training in far worse conditions for track and soccer, you’d think this wouldn’t even be a decision. Just go do it!  I could drive to the Melting Pot and park and run on the greenway—nope, go do it. You’ve already stretched.  

Post run: iPod looks like one of those box televisions—all fuzzy, with lines that don’t belong. Pros to having to buy a new iPod: NEW! Cons: William{yes, he has a name} has all of my music…it would take SO long to put new music on another iPod, plus this one has all of my runs logged on it.

BIGGEST CON: Further dent in bank account. This hobby, sport, therapy, etc. is freaking expensive! Does the universe not know that I have student loans to pay off and other bills? Spending extra for a new iPod does not fall into that budget.

Experimenting for next week’s Table Charlotte—keeping it simple, healthy…it’s expensive to shop the perimeter of the store. OK,  I didn’t have to buy the goat cheese crumble, but it tastes so good on top of this Roma tomato, Baby Bella mushroom, minced garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar combination.

Farthest I’ve gone so far:

High school track season — 9 miles on a snowy morning with my best friend since first grade.

Summer 2011 – 10 miles on River Road

Dec. 26, 2012 – 14.2 miles in a blizzard—I wanted to see where the road ended. They don’t make hills like those in Charlotte.

Current state: happy by choice.

Aug. 22: An hour of yoga/core work. Swapped cross training day and long run day.

Aug. 23: Distance: 7.01 miles. Haven’t run that far in…that’s a good question. Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes 1 second. Pace: 9 minutes, 59 seconds.

Kept thinking, ‘At the end of this run waits a foam roller and water.’

Lines growing on iPod—poor wallet.

Continuously looking at running apparel, but not buying any. Yay for accumulating so much athletic attire in high school and college.

Felt a lot better at the 3-mile mark today than I did running 6 miles last week.

Running in the rain/mist—who knows what race day conditions will be like: Just do it!  

What’s the difference between buying Under Armor vs. Champion vs. Wal-Mart brand vs. Nike? Silly question—I can tell the difference between running in the cheap stuff and running quality—so darn expensive.

Things I’ve taken away from this:

• Inspiration via Runner’s World magazine: Toni Carey—co-founder of Black Girls Run, Atlanta. Confidence doesn’t cost a thing.   

     
Chef Gregory Gourdet—overcame addiction to become an ultra runner (Bravo ultra runners! You all are AWESOME!)

We all battle different addictions—drugs, alcohol, self-destructive tendencies, the list goes on and on.

Goals: How many times have you said, “I need to ‘work out’” or “I need to ‘insert, whatever here’?”  Set a goal and go get it!

Aug. 24: Rest day.

Can I take a nap on my desk? I don’t even like naps.

Laundry has doubled and consists of mostly sports bras, socks, cutoffs, and shorts. All I want for Christmas is running clothes and foam rollers and a new iPod and headphones that stay in my ears and more running shoes—HAPPY MONDAY!

Also:

Losing control and gaining new perspectives

Clear mind with an early run

I'm running for myself, others

Training is creating some changes in budget and attitude

Comments