After four years of waiting anxiously on “Lottery Day” for the NYC Marathon, refreshing my email more times than I could count to see if my name was picked, I decided maybe it was time to find another marathon. Let’s face it, I’m not getting any younger, and this is one bucket list item I am not skipping. I took the plunge and registered instead for the Philadelphia Marathon! |  |
Thirty-six hours later and the excitement had shifted to doubt about how I was going to get this done. I am not a die-hard runner. I take most winters off because it’s too cold outside and I can only spend so much time on a treadmill. Sometimes by the time spring hits, life is crazy and all of a sudden six months have gone by since I laced up my running shoes. Let’s face it, those extra pounds that kept me warm all winter were not going to help my running game!
I needed a plan. So I returned to the gym I knew best - KS Fitness. My husband and I had spent years going here before the kids got older and life got in the way of having a gym schedule. I had driven by the Hooper Avenue gym as all the renovations were being completed so I had no idea what to expect when I stepped back in for the first time in over five years.
 | Walking back into the gym after being away for awhile, was overwhelming to say the least. Luckily, there were some familiar faces still at KS Fitness after all these years. Honestly, it made it so much easier to take those first steps back. Jon, who originally signed my husband and I up all those years ago came over immediately to ask about my husband and kids. After we talked about how fast time goes and how big our kids have gotten, my nerves had passed and I was ready. |
Part of my desire to try my feet at a marathon stemmed from the exhilaration I felt after completing my first half marathon. That feeling of accomplishment and euphoria stayed with me for months, long after the achy muscles passed. I learned during my training then that if I didn’t set my mind to smaller milestones to achieve along the way, the weeks would fly by with me thinking I had all the time in the world to get ready until the big day arrived and I was out of time. I knew my best training goal would be short term goals that kept me on track to my bigger plan of 26.2 miles.
As I met with my trainer, Rebecca to go over the KS Fitness10 Week Mega Fit Challenge, I knew this was the kick start I needed to get my eating and gym routine on track to set myself up for success! The hardest part for me was figuring out the food those first weeks - how to give myself nutritional energy to get back into working out and running at the same time. The Mega Fit Challenge is broken down into four phases. The first phase involves a bit of a detox from sugar, carbs and fruit, so your body has a clean slate to start from. Honestly, the first phase is not meant for starting a running program back up but I was too excited to get back out on the road, especially since the late winter weather was cooperating. After the first few days of wanting to gnaw my arm of and occasionally feeling a little light headed from the extra exertion of running, Rebecca helped me figure out how to get my body the fuel it needed within the food guidelines of the first phase of the challenge. The calories weren’t the problem, I wasn’t even coming close to hitting them with a protein and mostly veggie plan. I needed to change my thought process on how often to eat and really how many protein filled meals I was eating a day! With those simple adjustments based on my trainer’s advice, I couldn’t believe how quickly I was able to make progress in my runs.
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My goal after not running for so long was to go slow. After two big foot injuries in the last two years, I was beyond nervous about taking it too fast and getting hurt. I had also never started a weight training routine at the same time as getting my running back on track. I found it easier and my progress going much quicker than I expected. Meeting with a trainer every week, one of the parts of KS Fitness’s Mega Fit Challenge that sets them apart from others, was key in keeping my progress going. Rebecca and I were really able to put together an individualized plan that worked for me despite any physical challenges I had from prior surgeries. We discussed my running goals and she gave me food and meal tips to keep my body fueled. During my workouts, she pushed me to try weight she knew I could handle but was too scared to try myself!
Four weeks into my marathon training and Mega Fit Challenge, I am so much further along than I thought I would be. The scale is moving, which was a big goal of getting involved in a challenge, to lighten my running load on my knees and feet. I have more energy and am making better food choices. I am ready to jump in both feet to the first week of my 18 week training Hal Higdon training plan ahead of schedule.
Stay tuned for more on my journey to 26.2. Don’t forget to wave if you see me out on the boards!
**Text "YES" and your name to 732.349.5959 and be entered in a weekly drawing to win a 10 Week Mega Fit Challenge. Call to schedule your free trial.
I received complimentary membership to facilitate this review. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
