It’s only Day 2 and I’m already behaving like an apathetic teenager, outwardly disobeying my inner marathoner.  My intention was to get up at 5:45am (I even set out clothes and shoes last night), be out the door by 6am, run 3 easy miles, and be home in plenty of time to wake up two kids.  After I dropped at school, I planned to head to Boot Camp as I usually do at 8:45am.  A self-imposed double workout day since the required running is so light and I’m addicted to classes at the gym.

When I woke up at 3:30am to pee, I knew I was doomed.  I had all sorts of internal conversations (I didn’t want to wake my sleeping husband).

“Go back to sleep right now and you’ll still get more than 2 hours.“

“Is it going to be light out at 6am?“

“Shit! I’m going to be so tired tomorrow!”

“What if the coyotes get me?!”

And on… and on… and on…

I finally shut off the alarm somewhere around 4:30am, fell in to a delightful if distracted sleep and woke to my husband’s alarm at 6:30am- 2 hours later!  Sigh.

This scenario is especially ridiculous since I’m no stranger to rising early for a workout.  I’ve logged many a training mile at dawn, watching the sun come up through sweat dripping in my eyes.  But it has been months, a lifetime ago it seems, since the alarm sounded in the darkness and I’ve done the unimaginable- leapt from bed without as much as an adverse thought.  Like so many aspects of marathon preparation, I know that I need to retrain both my body and mind to JUST DO IT.

While I failed miserably in my attempt to run, I was victorious in making it to Boot Camp.  I got my butt kicked for one breathtaking hour in the form of speed intervals, hill repeats, push-ups, burpees, lunges, squats, and various intense moves involving free weights and medicine balls.  I firmly believe that a girl cannot flourish with running alone.  Strengthening the upper body, core, glutes, and all those other muscle groups is just as important to my fitness as developing the legs.  I plan to continue to integrate Boot Camp in to my Marathon training regime.  I’m working it in on rest/cross training and lighter running days (not sure of what I’ll do once my mileage begins to skyrocket, but that’s weeks away (GULP)). The two disciplines compliment each other- Boot Camp workouts make me stronger so I can run harder and longer, while the applause my Guns receive is kind of nice too.