A Humid Long Run, Storytelling Success, and Prepping for My Final Big Run
Week 12 Update (2024 Chicago Marathon Training)
Dear Duniyawaalo (People of the World),
In my previous post, I shared my excitement about hitting a personal record at the Hidden Gem Half Marathon. Week 13 focused on keeping up the momentum with another scaled-back week while balancing my marathon training with some exciting storytelling victories.
Long Run: Humid but Slow and Steady
This week’s long run was a 10-miler, part of my scaled-back training to allow my body to recover and prepare for my final big run. The humidity was intense, making this one of the sweatiest runs of my entire training. Knowing the conditions, I took it slow and steady, focusing on finishing strong rather than pushing for speed. I’m grateful that I listened to my body and completed the run safely.
Storytelling Victories: The Moth StorySLAM and Tellers’ Night
I am humbled and thrilled to share that I won The Moth StorySLAM on Monday at Lincoln Hall in Chicago. This is my second win at The Moth, and I couldn’t be more grateful. The night's theme was “ELBOW GREASE,” and I shared a humorous story about my journey into DIY home improvement — let’s say it was a bit more challenging (and comical) than expected!
In addition to The Moth, I had the chance to perform another story at Tellers’ Night in Forest Park. It was a great night, and I want to thank my friend Ronak Patel for joining me. I even stayed for the debate party afterward, which was a lot of fun.
Training Recap
Aside from my long run, I had two strength training sessions this week, a 4.5-mile speed drill and a 6-mile walk. The combination of these workouts made it a well-rounded and productive training week. Despite the intense humidity during the long run, I still managed to get some quality miles and strength work to stay on track.
Nutrition and Weight Loss
I followed my plan of eating healthy and nutritious food 85% of the time. This focus on balanced eating has paid off — I lost another pound this week, bringing my weight down to 257 pounds (from my starting weight of 267). As I mentioned last week, my goal is to reach 250 pounds by the marathon, and with four weeks remaining, I’m committed to getting there.
Looking Ahead: Fox Valley 20-Miler
Week 14 is going to be BIG. I’ll run my final long run of 20 miles at the Fox Valley 20-miler race on September 22, 2024. This will be the last major push before tapering begins as I prepare for the marathon. I’m excited about the challenge and eager to see how I perform in this key race.
Planned Long Runs
Here’s a look at my upcoming long runs:
Week 1: 6 Miles (Done)
Week 2: 8 Miles (Done)
Week 3: 10 Miles (Done)
Week 4: 12 Miles (Done)
Week 5: 10 Miles (Done)
Week 6: 14 Miles (Done)
Week 7: 10 Miles (Done)
Week 8: 16 Miles (Done)
Week 9: 10 Miles (Alpine Races 10 Miler) (Done)
Week 10: 18 Miles (Done)
Week 11: 10 Miles (Done)
Week 12: 13.1 Miles (Hidden Gem Half Marathon) (Done, PR by 10 minutes!)
Week 13: 10 Miles (Done)
Week 14: 20 Miles (Fox Valley 20 Miler)
Week 15: 10 Miles
Week 16: 6 Miles
Oct 13, 2024: 26.2 Miles (Chicago Marathon)
As always, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone for your love, support, and encouragement.
This journey has been filled with challenges, but I feel more prepared each week for race day. Stay tuned for more updates as I tackle the Fox Valley 20-Miler and continue pushing toward the marathon!
❤️ Rajneesh