You may be considering a vegan diet, but you don’t see how you will get there. Perhaps you have also dreamed of running a marathon, but have abandoned it as impossible?
If so, reflect on William Arthur Ward’s expression:
“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.”
Five years ago, she hadn’t started a vegan diet, nor had she run more than a mile or two every now and then on the treadmill (looking at the gym wall, it felt like a death sentence). Growing up, I had been a miserable athlete, skipping all physical education classes from ninth grade onward to avoid humiliation.
Just as a plant-based diet often begins with small steps, such as avoiding meat one meal a day (or one day a week) or eliminating a single type of meat from your diet, until you’ve really started running, it’s totally natural. So you think you can’t get in shape to run a marathon.
Only after you’ve raced around the block or survived 5 minutes on the dreaded running machine will you begin to recognize your true potential. After you settle into a training routine, you get about five to ten kilometers under your belt and you begin to realize that a half marathon is within your grasp.
I don’t want to underestimate the preparation and commitment you need to run a marathon. But while you shouldn’t expect to get there overnight, it’s not as difficult as you might think. There are unlimited resources available to develop your marathon training plan, and first-time runners should generally allow 4-6 months, depending on their condition.
It’s okay if it takes you several months or years to develop the confidence to join a marathon, as long as you keep moving in a positive direction. Whether preparing for a marathon or starting a plant-based diet, you should expect occasional setbacks and doubts along the way. The key is not to be deterred from reaching your goal.
Although I ran the Tokyo marathon, the first one, in March 2009, after a year and a half, I began to doubt if I could do another marathon and if I could make it to Honolulu, due to time, finances, as well as minor injuries like knee pain and achilles tendon pain. There were also last minute surprises, like finding out that I had forgotten to pack my 5-finger grip socks just before going to bed on the eve of the marathon.
Once you decide to run a marathon, you must decide on your specific training goals. Avoiding injuries, rather than running a fast time, was my first priority during practice last year. In addition to running (cardio), I have been doing basic exercises and yoga for strength, balance, and flexibility. Although it was blowing wind at the end, I had finished the Honolulu Marathon, in a time that even surprised me.
After finishing a marathon, you will feel like you can accomplish anything. If you have prepared well, I guarantee that you will enjoy it and want to do it again. Scheduling another running event in the future will also give you a purpose to continue your training. Like a healthy vegan diet, running benefits your fitness and mindset.
Whether you are running a marathon or adopting a vegan diet, you will be charged for bigger challenges and find that you really can do anything you can imagine.
For more information on upcoming racing events in scenic Hawaii:
Maui Marathon
Honolulu Marathon