{"id":851,"date":"2025-07-22T11:02:50","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T15:02:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/?p=851"},"modified":"2025-07-22T15:05:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T19:05:25","slug":"accidental-marathoner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/","title":{"rendered":"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Run a marathon?<br><br>If you had asked me that just five years ago, I would have laughed and said, \u2018Never!\u2019 In gym class, I was always the kid picked (near) last and did whatever I could to sit out of sports. In fact, I skipped the one-mile running test altogether. Unathletic and uncoordinated, I did my best to sit in the shadows and remain invisible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast forward to mid-2019, when a friend convinced me to sign up for a 5K. I must admit, the shiny medal and promise of hot apple cider and a pumpkin were quite the motivation. So, I started training. With every session, I got a little faster and a little stronger. And then\u2026my friend backed out. But I had already registered and put in the work, so I showed up alone on race day and finished feeling strong and proud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Later that year, I moved from Ohio to North Carolina and continued running 5Ks. A half-marathon started niggling at the back of my mind. It seemed both impossible and wild but also kind of doable. Before I could talk myself out of it, I started researching half-marathons and impulsively registered for one. It ended up being virtual due to COVID, but I set a deadline and goal, determined to make it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I set my mind to something, nothing can stop me. Even though my longest run at this point was just 5 miles, I woke up on the day of my \u2018scheduled\u2019 race and started running laps around the neighborhood. 13.1 miles later, I crossed my imaginary finish line, just 24 seconds under my goal. I felt accomplished and incredibly proud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not long after, I met a fellow mediocre runner through a local women\u2019s running group on Facebook. We bonded over our distaste for running and love for interval training. A close friendship quickly formed. Weekend runs became our ritual, and we started signing up for local and destination races. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fueled by friendship, grit, and electrolyte gummies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By mid-2023, we were half-joking about signing up for a full marathon. While we were mostly teasing, it started to feel like something we wanted to try. My friend\u2019s bucket list race was the Disney Dopey Challenge\u202648.6 miles over four days. I agreed to do it with her, but neither of us wanted that to be our <em>first <\/em>marathon. We needed to know we could actually go the distance. So, doing nothing halfway, we signed up for the Space Coast Marathon, a full 26.2 miles just five weeks before our 48.6-mile Disney adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"682\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-682x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-859\" style=\"width:663px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-682x1024.jpg 682w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-scaled-600x900.jpg 600w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-1080x1620.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-1910-scaled.jpg 1706w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><br>Training for a fall marathon in North Carolina is brutal. Most of the training took place in the thick of summer, with temperatures often soaring past 85 degrees before our long runs wrapped up. But we pushed through and, in the process, learned a great deal about our endurance, tenacity, and what we were capable of. Every new milestone felt like a victory.<br><br>Race day arrived, and our experiences couldn\u2019t have been more different. I felt strong. She felt under-fueled, underhydrated, and completely defeated. But we both crossed that finish line, proving to ourselves that we could do it. While most marathoners get to enjoy a week or two off after their race, we still had five weeks of training ahead of us, much to the horror of our running coach. That extra time turned out to be a good thing. It gave us a chance to fine-tune our fueling and hydration techniques. We figured out the foods and gels that worked best for us, how much water we needed, and that consuming a few ounces of a sports drink every few miles made a huge difference in how we felt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-863\" srcset=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-scaled-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2462-1080x810.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><br>Then came Dopey weekend. One by one, we checked off each race. By the time marathon morning came, we were excited, tired (those 2 a.m. wake-up calls are no joke) and ready to revel in our victory. As we passed each mile marker and drew closer to the finish, we knew we had our second marathon in the bag. At around mile 23, we deviated off the course to grab a margarita (yes, it\u2019s a thing!) so we could cross the finish line with a celebratory drink in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2516-672x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-861\" srcset=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2516-672x1024.jpg 672w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2516-600x915.jpg 600w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2516-197x300.jpg 197w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2516-768x1171.jpg 768w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2516-1008x1536.jpg 1008w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2516-1080x1646.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG-2516.jpg 1274w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Crossing the final finish line of Marathon Weekend with a frozen margarita. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><br>Since then, we\u2019ve completed over 20 more half marathons and have two more full marathons on the calendar. What started as a near hatred for running turned into something we\u2026actually kind of enjoy! To anybody considering registering for their first 26.2, convincing your mind is half the battle. Once you get past that, anything is possible!<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your journey starts here<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re ready to sign up for your first marathon, here are a few tips that helped me survive (and enjoy) the journey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pick a race that excites you:<\/strong> Whether it\u2019s close to home or along a scenic coastline, having a race you genuinely look forward to makes those early wake-ups and long runs much more motivating.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Figure out your fueling strategy early in training:<\/strong> I can handle non-fruity GU gels, Payday bars, fruit snacks, and granola bars, while my friend is all about granola bars, peanut butter, and sports beans. Everyone\u2019s stomach is different, so find what works for you before race day.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Invest in the gear:<\/strong> I cannot stress this enough\u2026 invest in good shoes, clothing, and socks! Go to a running store and get fitted for shoes. Most runners need to go up at least a half-size. Also, purchase those insane $16-per-pair socks and a breathable outfit. Nobody likes blisters and chafing.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fuel and hydrate consistently:<\/strong> Make sure you eat something (about 100 calories) with carbs and sugar every 3 miles. Your body will thank you, and it will help you avoid hitting the dreaded wall. Don\u2019t wait until you\u2019re already dragging to start fueling. By the time you\u2019re hungry\/tired, it\u2019s already too late. Also, make sure to drink plenty. Whether you wear a hydration vest or grab water from every hydration station, make sure you don\u2019t skimp out on water.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build up your mileage slowly<\/strong>: Whether you\u2019re starting from one mile or comfortably running 13, give yourself enough time to safely increase your mileage and taper down a couple of weeks before race day. Most of your short runs will fall between 4-5 miles, with one long run every week. Look up training plans or consider hiring a running coach who can tailor a plan to your goals and fitness level.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Listen to your body:<\/strong> It\u2019s okay to skip a run if you\u2019re worn out. It\u2019s okay to slow down if it\u2019s hot. And it\u2019s definitely okay to rest if something feels off. Refusing to rest when your body tells you to will do more harm than good.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Lastly, remember that training is hundreds of miles put in over several months. Race day is the victory lap of all your hard work. You\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"909\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dopey-Finisher-scaled-e1753208666405-909x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-862\" srcset=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dopey-Finisher-scaled-e1753208666405-909x1024.jpg 909w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dopey-Finisher-scaled-e1753208666405-600x676.jpg 600w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dopey-Finisher-scaled-e1753208666405-266x300.jpg 266w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dopey-Finisher-scaled-e1753208666405-768x866.jpg 768w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dopey-Finisher-scaled-e1753208666405-1363x1536.jpg 1363w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dopey-Finisher-scaled-e1753208666405-1080x1217.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dopey-Finisher-scaled-e1753208666405.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 909px) 100vw, 909px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Run a marathon? If you had asked me that just five years ago, I would have laughed and said, \u2018Never!\u2019 In gym class, I was always the kid picked (near) last and did whatever I could to sit out of sports. In fact, I skipped the one-mile running test altogether. Unathletic and uncoordinated, I did my best to sit in the shadows and remain invisible. Fast forward to mid-2019, when a friend convinced me to sign up for a 5K. I must admit, the shiny medal and promise of hot apple cider and a pumpkin were quite the motivation. So, I started training. With every session, I got a little faster and a little stronger. And then\u2026my friend backed out. But I had already registered and put in the work, so I showed up alone on race day and finished feeling strong and proud. Later that year, I moved from Ohio to North Carolina and continued running 5Ks. A half-marathon started niggling at the back of my mind. It seemed both impossible and wild but also kind of doable. Before I could talk myself out of it, I started researching half-marathons and impulsively registered for one. It ended up being [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":857,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles - Life Run Sweet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thinking of running your first marathon? With some some determination and planning, you can cross that finish line.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles - Life Run Sweet\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Thinking of running your first marathon? With some some determination and planning, you can cross that finish line.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Life Run Sweet\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-22T15:02:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-22T19:05:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/unnamed-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1284\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1438\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ashley Kosky\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ashley Kosky\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ashley Kosky\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/30ed3eec352006a2c627e33162cf09cf\"},\"headline\":\"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-22T15:02:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-22T19:05:25+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1181,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/unnamed-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Running\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/\",\"name\":\"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles - Life Run Sweet\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/unnamed-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-22T15:02:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-22T19:05:25+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/30ed3eec352006a2c627e33162cf09cf\"},\"description\":\"Thinking of running your first marathon? With some some determination and planning, you can cross that finish line.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/unnamed-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/unnamed-1.jpg\",\"width\":1284,\"height\":1438,\"caption\":\"Disney castle during Marathon Weekend.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/running\\\/accidental-marathoner\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Life Run Sweet\",\"description\":\"Life, Running, and Desserts\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/30ed3eec352006a2c627e33162cf09cf\",\"name\":\"Ashley Kosky\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5e0701cd184fb46613fb7202d4a491945a82aa8bfc724896eeea64d6122f43ca?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5e0701cd184fb46613fb7202d4a491945a82aa8bfc724896eeea64d6122f43ca?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5e0701cd184fb46613fb7202d4a491945a82aa8bfc724896eeea64d6122f43ca?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ashley Kosky\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/liferunsweet.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/ashley\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles - Life Run Sweet","description":"Thinking of running your first marathon? With some some determination and planning, you can cross that finish line.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles - Life Run Sweet","og_description":"Thinking of running your first marathon? With some some determination and planning, you can cross that finish line.","og_url":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/","og_site_name":"Life Run Sweet","article_published_time":"2025-07-22T15:02:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-22T19:05:25+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1284,"height":1438,"url":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/unnamed-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Ashley Kosky","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ashley Kosky","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/"},"author":{"name":"Ashley Kosky","@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/30ed3eec352006a2c627e33162cf09cf"},"headline":"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles","datePublished":"2025-07-22T15:02:50+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-22T19:05:25+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/"},"wordCount":1181,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/unnamed-1.jpg","articleSection":["Running"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/","url":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/","name":"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles - Life Run Sweet","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/unnamed-1.jpg","datePublished":"2025-07-22T15:02:50+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-22T19:05:25+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/30ed3eec352006a2c627e33162cf09cf"},"description":"Thinking of running your first marathon? With some some determination and planning, you can cross that finish line.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/unnamed-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/unnamed-1.jpg","width":1284,"height":1438,"caption":"Disney castle during Marathon Weekend."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/running\/accidental-marathoner\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Accidental Marathoner: How I Went from Skipping Gym to Running 48.6 Miles"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/","name":"Life Run Sweet","description":"Life, Running, and Desserts","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/30ed3eec352006a2c627e33162cf09cf","name":"Ashley Kosky","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e0701cd184fb46613fb7202d4a491945a82aa8bfc724896eeea64d6122f43ca?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e0701cd184fb46613fb7202d4a491945a82aa8bfc724896eeea64d6122f43ca?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e0701cd184fb46613fb7202d4a491945a82aa8bfc724896eeea64d6122f43ca?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Ashley Kosky"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/liferunsweet.com"],"url":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/author\/ashley\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/unnamed-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=851"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":866,"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851\/revisions\/866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liferunsweet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}