Training for a marathon

I am a runner. I don't go super fast, but three to four times a week I get out and get my miles in. I didn't consider myself a serious runner until I signed up for my first half marathon. Thirteen point one miles. THIRTEEN! I couldn't fathom it, but I knew it was possible. I found a running buddy and roped her into signing up and then we found a plan. We followed the plan religiously and (gasp) ran 13.1 miles and felt great!

Since that first training plan and first half marathon I have run 5 or 7 more (yes I've actually lost track) and tried a few different plans.  Now, instead of fearing the 13 miles I can often be heard saying "It's only 13 miles," or "I'm just heading out for a 7 mile run." The elusive 26.2 marathon is still looming out there but I can't fathom fitting in 40-50 miles the week we go back to school. No way. But I know if I find a training plan I could do it.

Last night I was doing a trail race with my father--my number one running buddy--and it was pretty miserable. The trail race is punishing to begin with, running [&walking] basically up and over the steepest incline I've ever seen TWICE. I haven't been running with a plan lately and I'm wondering if that's what made it not a very fun experience. My heart wasn't in it.
(My father and I running last year...finish strong!)

When I run--especially when its not a fun run--I do a lot of thinking. So rather than thinking up the giant hill ahead I thought about my school year. I want to make this school year amazing! I want to reinvent what I am doing and change the structure of my classroom and my teaching. A big piece of that is Responsive Classroom. I will be taking the class in two weeks and I cannot wait. Most of the reading and learning (inquiry, Amplify, A Mindset for Learning, Purposeful Play, Growing Readers) I have been/will be doing show me that it will be so much easier to implement the changes I picture in a truly Responsive Classroom environment. So at the moment the ideas are all up in the air in my head and I am somewhat hoping that in two weeks things will be a bit more clear...

When it comes to running, hoping doesn't work. Finding and following a plan works. Hoping doesn't work for teaching either.  Of course if I google 'half marathon training plan' I have at least 20 great options. It isn't as easy to google 'how to reinvent your teaching in 6-8 weeks' though. So for my next two weeks I am going to lay out some of my plans and be ready for how it will come together once I add the Responsive Classroom piece.

For now I should head out for a run and start to organize the many thoughts & ideas in my head...