It has been a busy summer for the Chicago Bandits. By the time you read this we will be heading into our last 8 regular season games. 3 of which will be at home against the Pride and our last 5 will be on the road split between the two Texas locations. Following the Texas games, we have a one-day turn around before we head to Alabama for Championships! This summer has been a complete whirlwind. It’s hard to believe we have almost completed 50 regular season games, 4 Battle of the Sexes games, 5 Bandit clinics, Team practices, multiple overnight bus trips, and everything else in between in just under 3 short months. On top of all of our team commitments this summer, I decided to fill my plate even more and train for a Marathon.
I completed my first half marathon on April 30, 2016, just weeks before reporting for my third season with the Bandits. A few days after completing the half, I decided it was time to check off the biggest and most dooming task on my bucket list, Run a Marathon. At the time it seemed like a logical and attainable idea since I was already halfway there. So the research began. I found a 22 Week training program I would follow to prep me for the Twin Cities Marathon on October 9, 2016. I bought a calendar and first wrote out all of my Bandit obligations for the summer followed by marathon training duties (see pictures below for July and August). It was helpful to see it all written out and made it seem more achievable. The first two months of training (June and July) weren’t too terrible, especially coming off of already completing a half marathon. No runs exceeded 8 miles (until the end of July) which to me at that point were considered “shorter” runs. The longer runs, 10+ didn’t come about until last week. I also noticed that most if not all of the “long runs” fell on an off day in our schedule. Lucky me!
One of the most commonly asked questions I have received this summer is “how do you train in the heat?” I have never and will never like the heat. It must be my Minnesota skin. In July I only ran my longer runs outside and completed the “shorter than 8 mile” runs inside on a treadmill. By breaking up the outdoor running and switching to treadmills during the week days, it also helped limit the pounding and affect outdoor running has on my feet and legs. On the longer run days where I am forced outside, I will wake up around 5am and knock it out before it gets to be too hot. Then it’s back to bed after so I can rest and recover before our next game.
If I could go back and make the decision to train for a Marathon during my Pro softball season, would I? Probably not. But has it been worth it so far? Absolutely. I have been able to challenge my body and my mind in ways I didn’t think were possible this summer because of running, and I truly believe it has helped me in the pitching circle. Sometimes when I am struggling to get through an inning in the middle of a game, I remind myself that I just ran 12 miles a few days prior and if I can do that, I can get myself through the inning.
It has been a crazy summer so far with still so much to come. The next few weeks will be hectic with Championships nearing, but I wouldn’t want to take the field with any other group of women! Check in next Monday for my next blog post and as always, GO BANDITS!
Sara Moulton is a current Pitcher for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch League.
