Blog
I can't believe I ran a marathon this past weekend!
I can't believe I ran a marathon!
Hi friend,
A few days before, I discovered this cool app called Rally Voice Notes that allows your family/friends to record voice notes for you at every mile. That way, when you reach a certain mile marker, it'll play the voice note to help encourage you during the race. I must admit that it made me tear up a few times during the run and really helped me stay focused.
A few things I've learned while training for my first marathon...
It takes time
Truly, lots of time! I followed a 3 run training plan because that's all I could do with my schedule currently. But each run involved a warm up and a cool down and washing up - which really added up a lot of time. But it taught me that just like calligraphy, some things can't be rushed. Practice is still practice. You're creating the muscle memory and the endurance to write correctly.
It's important to train the details
I must admit that I encountered some injuries this time around! That's why I had to take the time to really fine-tune some details, like strengthening my ankle, doing weights to build muscle around my knees and calves, practicing different parts of running with the drills. In the same way, practicing with the basic strokes in calligraphy is so important too, so that when you put it all together, you can improve the overall letter shape.
Training under all weathers
Since I started my run season in the spring, I've experienced all sorts of weather changes from windy to rainy to hot and sunny, and in various times throughout the day to vary my training. As much as I'd like to train only in "perfect conditions", the reality is that it most likely would not be "perfect" and I needed to train my mind and body to deal with it. The marathon started cold and cloudy, then peaks of sun, then drizzles then full on rain! In calligraphy, we don't often have to worry about weather, but it does help to prepare our workspace to avoid any issues with potential spillage, or tying up your hair so that you don't smudge, and positioning your body properly.
Practice Makes Progress
Marathons are long, but just like calligraphy, practice still makes progress, one step - one stroke at a time. Marathons are rarely just about the day of the race, but about all those miles you put in before the race to train for it - the process matters, too. I felt quite emotional as I finished the race, feeling grateful to God for seeing me through it all.
Just like there are running guides, we made our Practice Pads.
Practice Pads were created to help you through the process of learning calligraphy, and they're available in both lowercase and uppercase. They're printed right here in Canada, and they're available both in our US and Canada warehouses. They provide over 6 different calligraphy styles to explore and trace, and you can even pair them with our vellum sheets for additional practice.
If you prefer to print your own, we also have digital worksheets, also available in lowercase and uppercase, but this time in individual styles: Gossamer, Halcyon and Lissome. Each of these include 120+ pages of practice, so you can really learn one of our styles. Both the practice pads and digital worksheets are a great next step especially if you've got some calligraphy background behind you
xoxo,
Karla