Wedding Blog
Yes - I did! Twenty-six-point-two-miles of wedded bliss!
Mr. Cubbie and I thought this would be a good goal for our getting-in-shape-for-the-wedding pipe dream. Mr. Bear Cub is from Portland, and has always wanted to run the Portland Marathon. Unfortunately, two years ago while he was training for it, his step dad died in a plane crash (while on a rescue mission!). This happened about a month before the race - he would have had to be running 40+ miles a week to adequately maintain his training (and not risk injury!). He went to the funeral, and pulled out of the race. A month after, we ran the Rio Grande half marathon together.
Running is something that has truly brought us together as a couple. You need to trust your running buddy - both to help you and to challenge you. I started out not being able to run even a mile… and then 7 months later, I was running 13.1 of them.
Running in Portland is even better.
There’s rain, trails, cool air, and a positive running culture. The Portland Marathon is known for being the most walker-friendly marathon!
There’s also Forest Park. It’s one of the largest urban forest reserves in the US. While the Portland Marathon doesn’t go through the park, you could run a marathon on trails to work if you wanted! Mr. Cubbie and I always make time to run together in Forest Park when we’re visiting family in Portland.
Granted, I’m definitely not in shape to run a marathon. That halvsie I did? Two years ago. I still consider myself a runner, but moving to another country (and finishing my masters degree) last year really ate up my time.
If you have a good attitude though, running a marathon with 5 months of training is completely doable. My favorite resource for running advice is Runner’s World. We get the magazine, but the website is hundy-percent free!
Running is an awesome way to get in shape for your wedding. Don’t be intimidated - anyone can do it! Runners World has a great first 5k training plan. If you’re interested in the sport of running to get in shape for the dress, you should check out their advice (walking is totally acceptable!).
I’ve got a different beast ahead of me - the marathon. Luckily, Runners World is a wealth of knowledge for first-time marathoners. Their most accessible training plan takes 16 weeks. They also have great training advice to keep you from being injured. The last thing I want is for my new husband or myself to get seriously injured after only two weeks of being married!
Besides looking better in my wedding dress, I’m looking forward to sharing such a special event with my new husband (it will be his first marathon, too!). We’ll be racing for each other, and cheering one another along the entire way.
What are you doing to get in shape for the dress? Do you work out with your fiancé? Are you training for a marathon (or another race) this year, too?
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Share this post: Did She Just Say Marathon?
Our wedding is in October and we plan to do our first half marathon together 2 month afterwards in December.
We’ve been training for 3 months now and have 5 10ks planned between now and our wedding date.
I agree, running has definitely brought us closer as a couple as well. 
Sorry to hear about Mr. BC’s stepdad. What a devastating loss! 
I love working out with Mr. Q! We push each other.
We don’t run together, but we run on our own. I’m too slow and run too far for him! I just finished my first half marathon this spring and am planning on another before the wedding. I love what running does for my metabolism - I can eat what I want and still stay slender. Hello runner’s waist!
We’re not doing a marathon, but we are doing our first cycling century ride in NY on Labor Day (2 days after the wedding) Oh my poor butt 
I am planning on doing the Goofy challenge in Florida: a half marathon on Saturday and a marathon on Sunday. Here’s hoping I can survive the training for it. I have to do two long runs a week. Yikes.
@Melizza: wow! and I thought my 10-miler this weekend was going to be hard!
My fiance and I have both ran marathons before, and for our honeymoon, yup honeymoon, we are running one together!! The race is in France, and there are 20-ish wine stops along the way!! Who needs gatorade right?! The race is 6 days post wedding, and we are taking it more as an adventure than a race, with our goal time being more than an hour slower than our personal bests… we definitely plan on enjoying the exclusive wine tastings along the route!! This is something we are both soooo excited for, and yes, the training is definitely helping with the dress fitting!! Good luck to you guys!! What a special first marathon!
@Tiffany @ bride-on-purpose: omg. FRANCE??? You just said the magic word! Where & when is it?? I just might have to tack on another marathon
We’re running our first half together tomorrow! Now the trick is to keep it up since our wedding is still 69 days away
I did a 5K in the dress. Months after the wedding, though.
Good for you! I envy those who can do marathons. The most I ever run is five miles. Sorry to hear about Mr’s stepfather.
yayy! miss bear cub, i’m totally on board with you. i had already run around 7 marathons by the time FI and I met 3 years ago… i dragged him into a 1/2 just 4 days before the race and his agony was captured in several of our race photos. we’ve since run 3 marathons together and several 1/2s. We love cycling together and even tried to plan a trip from vancouver bc back down to LA (til we realized how cost prohibitive it would be). half of our wedding slideshow shows us in action.. racing down the coast on our bikes, and running in cities all over the world.
i think the fun part of the story is that i’m the jock in this outfit. we love working out together (and thank goodness we had established this lifestyle before our wedding got “in the way” … our exercise regimen has taken a hit, so we’re able to rest on our laurels for now.
Yay marathons! I also used to not be able to run even a mile (I was soooo out of shape), but after I ran my first consecutive three (with FI cheering me on, of course), I became more motivated and now consider myself a “runner,” too! I haven’t completed a full marathon, yet, but I’ve done two halfs ;). Not sure I need to finish the whole thing!
Running is a great way to get in shape, but you know what is even better? HIKING!
Totally my plan too Miss Bear Plan. I’m planning on running the Chicago Marathon a couple weeks after our wedding for our mini-moon. We’ve got a bunch of 1/2 marathons under our belt and felt what better timet o step up to a full! Like you, I’m hoping the training will translate into a fit bride come September. I love this post. Yay!
I’m so sorry to hear about Mr. Cub’s step dad. How horrible.
We are whimps compared to all of you! We are knew to this working out together thing but we are training for a 5k in August. Yes, “training” because neither us worked out prior to this training.
Actually, any suggestions on a running program?
Seriously, we’re like life twins. I just ran my first marathon! I wanted to get in shape for my dress, and along the way I lost 20lbs, 5 inches off my waist, and I ran the 26.2! FI was all along the route cheering me on. It’s a huge undertaking, but as long as you’re patient, it’s nothing impossible. I think a lot of people put it up on a pedestal. But really, if you can run 5 miles at a nice easy pace, you can do the full marathon. You just need comfortable shoes and a great playlist. Don’t give yourself a TIME to finish, just say you WILL finish. It is SO REWARDING! Good luck on yours Miss BC!
PS-For all you ladies out there who don’t consider yourselves “runners” per se, I recommend “The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer.” It is an AMAZING book, and I couldn’t have finished the race without it! It has tips and tricks and a training plan! Highly recommended…
Yay running!
I second the that book, MightySapphire! its awesome.
My FI and I are running our first marathon this year, just one month before we walk down the aisle! I’ve always wanted to do one - it totally runs in our family. My dad and five of my uncles are all running again this year, plus a few other relatives, so we’ve got a whole crew of 10 doing it! They’ve all done a few… so their advice has been sooo helpful! I’m really looking forward to it and I think it’ll be so much fun, even if the training sucks
I’m not doing anything specifically for the wedding. I started trying to get in better shape last July, which has made me happier overall. I run the local half-marathon every year and debated running the full this year… and then came to my senses!
I think it will be fun for you two to run together. J tried to run a 5k race with me once (& he’s very athletic), but he crashed and burned after a mile… not realizing how long 3 miles was!
Whew. I just did my first half marathon. I don’t know if I’m up for a full because while the first 10 miles weren’t that bad by 12.8 my legs were in spasms screaming at me to stop. But there is no high like a runners high. Before I met my FI I didn’t work out period and he was an avid runner. We tend not to run together because he is a lot taller and faster than me. But it has been the best thing for getting in shape for the wedding and a stress reliever. And when you are worried about your wedding you have so much to think about while running it doesn’t seem so long. It is awesome to be that in touch with your community as well. I run all over the city I live in seeing new things every day.
Good luck Ms BC
If anyone wants an awesome half plan made for me personally by someone who works at Runner’s World feel free to PM me. Some of their plans are a bit unrealistic for working people
Way to go!! I just ran my first 5k back in the fall, but had surgery in December that threw me off track for my Aug 1 wedding! I am so mad! I just started running again a few weeks ago, and I am hoping that I will be at least back to where I was before the surgery.
I do have to ask, how much do you run on a regular basis? I can run a 5k in about 40 minutes… I don’t have much more time than that to work out a day. How where are you fitting it in?
Thanks Miss Bear Cub! You just gave me lots of hope as a non-runner. Like you before, I can’t even make it to 1 mile! But the FI did his first marathon in May. I really want to start running with his help after we move in together in September. You are such an inspiration!
Oh, I’m so jealous! I used to run all the time, but the last few years, I can’t go more than a mile without my knees absolutely killing me. Now I have to stick to ellipticals and bikes, but running is what I really love.
You go girl!! I’ve done multiple halves but don’t know if I am brave enough for a full!!! Good luck!!
Wahay - good for you - it definitely gives you time to think, I am impressed with all the above women. You are all an inspiration. I am training for an Olympic Triathlon - I have just taken up swimming and biking, its challenging but I love it and my boyfriend is supporting me the whole way. Good Luck
That’s so cute that you two run together! I hate running, but I like working out. I do various DVDs at home–yoga, Pilates, cardio. I like to mix it up to keep it interesting. I wish I could get the Dude involved, but he hates working out. At least he goes for walks on his breaks at work.
I’m doing Hood to Coast with some coworkers, once my fiance is up here permanently we’ll be fencing together again which will be wonderful.
I’m doing Hood to Coast with some coworkers, once my fiance is up here permanently we’ll be fencing together again which will be wonderful.
OH! You’re my new favorite blogger fyi
The Mr. and I can’t run together - we fight! He calls me slow, I call him lazy, it’s pretty bad. I’m a middle-distance/endurance runner, which is why I get away with +10 minute miles and can run half-marathons. He runs 7-8 minute miles, then hurts his knee or hip after 2-3 miles and has to stop and walk. It is a source of a lot of contention. I also run more frequently and further than him, and I think he is always surprised that this doesn’t make me faster.
I have a great running buddy and I love her. I hate going for runs without her and she’s moving so I don’t know how much running I’ll be doing….but even if I am running, it’s def. not with the Mr! We decided that its best for our relationship if we don’t run together.
We do bike together and rock-climb, as well as SCUBA diving, so its not like we’re totally out of options for togetherness and physical activity.
Hey Miss Bear Cub… sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner!! The Marathon du Medoc is on September 12th (yup, that’s 6 days after our wedding!) in the Bordeaux region! It looks like the most amazing race… we are getting sooo excited about it!! Check out all the details here: http://www.marathondumedoc.com/
[...] weekend when while Mr. Cubbie and I were on a 10-mile run (marathon training full steam ahead!), one of my favorite songs played in my [...]
[...] I’m crazy. What was I thinking when I decided it’d be “great” to sign up for a marathon? While planning a [...]
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Mrs. Cub, Chile/Portland
Age and Occupation: 26, Astronomer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Astronomer
Engagement Date: May 10, 2008
Wedding Date: September 2009
Venue: Westwind YWCA camp
About Me: I'm a small-town girl who's making a living in Chile, with her heart in the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in Southern California, went to high school in Texas, grad school in New Mexico, and now I can't wait to settle down in Oregon! I love pears, hazelnuts,
knitting, traveling, running, baking, and long talks on the phone with
good friends. I'm planning my Oregon coast summer camp wedding while
abroad with my best friend - I'm always at home when I'm with him!
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