September Coffee: Costs of Marathon Training

By | September 6, 2019

No, not those costs. Although I use Mint and could probably tell you what I’ve spent on this to 98% completion, save for the occasional non-tracked cash purchases of gels and the like. This post has taken forever to finish and it’s bounced from being Tuesday Topics to Runfessions to finally, Coffee with CoCo and Deborah.

The Ultimate Coffee Date

Off the bat, I’m really enjoying the training. Like 95% While we’ve had some mini heat waves, August was much better than July and overall we had a mild summer. I feel like training has gone well. I totally underestimated the impact that training would have on my life. I’d read the stories (blogs, books, articles) but really didn’t think it would be the same issue for me as a single person.

spotted in the thrift store on Monday. Didn’t buy – stranger’s cup is a step too far for me even though I’m not a major germaphobe

Over coffee I’ll tell you, it has. This is that other 5%

  • the one that is bothering me most? Losing my walks home from work. If I have the time and it’s temperate, I feel like I should be running. Running is good for the brain, but walking is a great speed at which to see the city. I miss time spent with Central Park bubble man.
  • I really missed my Labor Day getaway. I was a half step from booking it when I realized that even with a down week, I couldn’t get the run in.  Yes, it’s possible to travel and run, but not my style of travel which barely leaves room for a two mile treadmill run. I tend to hit the road right after breakfast and mad dash road trip/sightsee until sun down when I’m so tired I just crash. The roadtrip I was planning was 20 hours of driving over 3-4 days, which didn’t even factor in the actual stops (Lambeau, Field of Dreams, Mississippi River). While I love my city, I was bummed to be there last weekend because I really wanted to be on the road.

I love my Kindle, but this is just so funny

  • I’ve read 47 50 (yay, managed three more since I started this post) books on the year. I love reading, I miss it.  I’ve learned to like podcasts but cannot make audiobooks work. I zone out too much and miss things. Yes, I realize this is a lot for some. It’s not a lot for me
  • I need a haircut. I miss my long hair, but the ends are fried from too much (re)coloring this summer. But it’s oh so close to a ponytail so I don’t want to cut it.

Let’s go Giants!

  • Prime time games. I can’t stay awake. I have no idea how I’m going to manage Giants’ prime time games. I also haven’t figured out how I’m going to do the NYRR 18M next Sunday morning and make it to the stadium for kickoff.

Nothing major, and the fun of it definitely outweighs the bad, but all surprises.

 

26 thoughts on “September Coffee: Costs of Marathon Training

  1. Chocolaterunsjudy

    That’s awesome that you’re enjoying your training! Not everybody does.

    Yeah, I wanted weather like this last year. I had really cruddy weather.

    I think you’ll see the payoff when you cross that finish line!

    I haven’t traveled in a long time, but I’m ok with #notseeingallthethings. Because then you come back so exhausted it’s like you never went away (although that happens anyway, LOL).

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I realize I’m lucky, and that the weather is a huge part of it.
      Yes, absolutely on my New Orleans/South road trip. That’s why I love my Florida trips, I don’t come back needing a vacation from my vacation

      Reply
  2. Deborah Brooks

    Glad to read that you are enjoying your training! Love the coffee mug. I also have a really hard time staying awake for anything past 8 pm! We are huge Philly Eagles fans here my hubs is from there

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      #DeadToMe :p
      I did remember that from a hat you were wearing at one point last winter.
      I fell asleep even before half time last night and in about the fourth inning of Yankees/Sox.

      Reply
  3. Michelle @ Running with Attitude

    95% is pretty darn good! It is funny though the things that training can interfere with – I’m having a really hard time staying awake at night too. I’m hoping the Patriots don’t have too many night games before the marathon.

    Reply
  4. Marcia

    Hooray for enjoyable training! That is huge. I did not train this summer but here it seemed mostly SO humid, except it really shaped up mid-August and has been fantastic ever since. We were so pumped for last night’s NFL Bears Packers season opener but alas, it turned out to be a snorefest. I’m glad I stopped watching before the half.

    Reply
  5. Kim at Running on the Fly

    It’s great that your training is going well! It’s a necessary evil LOL No NFL teams in Iowa (whomp whomp), but there seems to be die-hard Packers and Vikings fans…and they hate each other.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      When I was in South Dakota on a prior Labor Day weekend I couldn’t believe how much of a religion the Packers were there. It’s funny how the presence/success of a college team impacts the NFL market.We have no college football to speak of – UConn and Rutgers are terrible, but Giants/Jets have a solid market. Whereas south/midwest have solid football and no need for a big NFL team

      Reply
  6. Wendy

    I loved marathon training! But it sure messed with my life. There was one summer where I didn’t waterski because I feared injury. SO STUPID! I’m glad that I’m not training for anything. But I miss it. Does that even make sense?

    Reply
  7. kookyrunner

    I’m glad that you are enjoying your training overall! But you’re right, it really does mess with your free time. One reason I’m not a fan of Fall marathons is because I feel like I have no summer because of all the training.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Very well put. And so true.
      I think it hit home since I was traveling for memorial day and don’t typically for July 4th anyway so this is the first time it directly impacted me. I think I’ll take the lost summer and a hopefully cooler marathon over spring training and a warmer race

      Reply
  8. Coco

    I feel luck that you finished your post for our coffee date! Marathon training does require a chunk of your life, which is one reason I’ve never done it. I’m impressed that you read three more books while working on this. It usually takes me a few weeks to read a book, unless I’m on an airplane. I worry about paying attention to audio books, but I do OK with the story podcasts, so maybe I wouldn’t zone out as much as I do to music.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      3 books was because this took a ridiculous amount of time to get to. Busy work days meant I didn’t want to sit at my computer when I got home so you’d think I was writing a tome that it took 3 weeks. I tend to read 1.5 books/week on average over the last few years. It’s skewed by my typical Florida week where I might do 1.5/day.
      My issue on podcasts is I’ll realize I missed a crucial stat or something and rewind, but after the 2nd time or so I don’t bother. It might work for fiction. Maybe when I clear some podcasts from my iPod

      Reply
  9. Liz Dexter

    I love this sensible and interesting post. The kind of travelling I do does allow for long runs just about, but I’m always going to the same old places and don’t need a lot of sightseeing time. Funnily enough, I read more as I get towards a marathon, I think because I go to bed earlier – or retire earlier – and wind down, plus I treat long run weekends like race weekends and try to keep really quiet the other day when I’m not running.

    So glad you’re enjoying it so much though!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      When I go to Florida I can run as much as my legs want for the same reason as you can.
      My reading issue came up yesterday. I was reading instead of napping while phone charged and I read at the sushi bar, but sunset came “early” and there wasn’t as much time. Lately I’ve either been coming home after work to run local, or when I’m on train post-run group I’m playing a game as it’s ~7m and I’m tired. So yes, mostly self inflicted.

      Reply
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  11. Debbie @ Deb Runs

    We are huge college football fans, but I do love having NFL games on in the background even if I’m not sitting there watching the whole thing.

    I hope your training continues to go well. Too bad you decided not to go on your LDW road trip, but it sounds like you skipped it for good reason.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I have missed SO MANY Notre Dame games this year too. My eyelids are too heavy and the couch is too comfy. We’re going to be in “trouble” head to head one year
      THanks! I’m still missing that trip. It’s definitely going to happen next year. A good choice, but not one I’d repeat. Weird how that happens

      Reply
  12. Farrah

    That’s amazing that you’ve read 50 books this year already! I’ve only made it to 20 so far, hehe. Some have been audiobooks mainly because I was driving across the country and needed something to keep me awake–I definitely prefer reading real books though!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      My “read” includes two audio books from when Mom & I drove to Florida. I used to track paper/digital but gave up a few ago and called them all books. It’s funny – on road trips I need music more than words to stay awake

      Reply
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