Adjusting the Plan Is Still Training

Marathon training doesn’t always look like long runs and perfectly executed workouts.

Right now, I’m working on something much simpler: not skipping the run.

On days when I don’t have a scheduled training run, my goal is a minimum of one mile. Most days, that mile is walking (and with my dog Emma) — and that’s intentional.

Because the hardest part isn’t the distance — it’s showing up.

My structured training days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with one longer run over the weekend, depending on life, schedules, and energy levels. Those days have purpose: speed work, steady runs, or building endurance. They’re the backbone of my marathon training.

But even structured training days don’t always go as planned.

This week is a perfect example. On Thursday, I was scheduled to run 3 miles. But I ran hard on Wednesday, and by Thursday my legs were exhausted. Instead of forcing the run and risking injury, I adjusted. I walked 2.5 miles instead.

And that still counts.

That decision wasn’t quitting — it was listening. It was honoring the work already done and choosing consistency over ego. Training doesn’t fall apart because one day looks different than planned. It falls apart when we stop showing up altogether.

The one-mile rule applies here too. Movement matters. Staying connected matters. Progress isn’t lost because the plan changed.

Training for the Med City Marathon isn’t about forcing perfection into an already full life. It’s about building consistency alongside a full-time job, owning a business, and being a mom.

This season is about momentum, not guilt.

Structured runs when they’re scheduled.
Adjusted movement when they’re not.
No skipping.

Some days you follow the plan. Some days you adjust the plan. Both are part of training. What matters most is staying in motion and giving yourself permission to adapt.