Train, Train, Train!

If you're training for the ING Miami Marathon (www.ingmiamimarathon.com), my advice is to be prepared, whether this will be your first marathon or your 15th. This is advice I should have taken myself when I trained for the 2001 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. My longest training run, which should have been at least 20 miles, was only 13. Well, actually, I ran 11 miles, rested about 30 minutes, then ran 2 more miles. (What a slacker!) When I reached mile 15 in Oklahoma City, my feet ached, my thighs throbbed and I wanted to quit. But I didn't. I walked most of the next 11 miles and made it across the finish line. I spent the rest of the evening in bed. The Corporate Run was held the following week, but I was still too sore. I didn't run for about 2 weeks. I figured since I had already completed 5 marathons I idn't need to train for the 6th. Boy, was I wrong.