2 Weeks Down, 14 Weeks to Go
The first 2 weeks of my marathon training has gone well. All my key runs were good, and I managed to run 30+ miles each week. I also got in 3 cross-training days each week, 2 on the bike, 1 in the pool. I would really like to be swimming at least twice a week, but if something’s going to give, that’s what it’s going to be. This Wednesday I leave for CA for 6 days to work at Stitches West. I did this event 2 years ago and it proved to be exhausting; I ate poorly; and I gained a good amount of weight. I’m hoping that it will go better this time around. My plan is to try to stay close to an East Coast sleeping schedule, which will mean not going out with everyone to eat after the show each night. This is going to be hard since that is one of the fun things about these events. I am cutting out my swimming for the week and only going to do 2 cross-training days. I need to simplify to get through it. Plus I’ve got a 17-miler which I will most likely be doing in the dark in an unfamiliar area. But I like an adventure.
On my long run today, I recorded a little audio every two miles. I’m not good at editing audio, so it’s not pretty. But once my long runs are over, my memory of it fades fast. This does not mean I have any plans of doing a podcast. I actually hate talking.
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And a few picts from the run this morning. 1) Look Park 2) End of the path to Easthampton 3) Why I don’t run on sidewalks when it’s dark
Marathon Training Begins
Today begins the official day of my marathon training for the Keybank Vermont City Marathon in Burlington, VT. This will be my first marathon. Two years ago I started running and I had no idea then that it would lead me to a marathon. My only plan at the time was to get my clothes to fit better and be able to run a local 5K. But now I’ve completed 16 races in the past 18 months: 7 5Ks, a 4-miler, 1 10K, 3 half marathons, 1 duathlon, a run leg of a triathlon, and 2 sprint triathlons. And I’ve found I truly love running.
I’ll be using the FIRST marathon training plan from the book Run Less Run Faster. It consists of 3 focused runs each week (intervals, tempo, and a long run), plus 2 non-weight bearing aerobic cross-training days (I’ll be biking), and then an optional day. This plan worked well for me for my two half marathons last fall, especially when that training overlapped my triathlon training. I can’t help but to have doubts as to how well this will work for a full marathon. Will my running mileage be too low? Of course my main goal is to just finish the race, happy. But I know I want to do a little better than just finish.
Time to fit in a ride this morning before work. Then I’m off to the pool after work, desperately trying to work on my swimming form so I don’t flail so much at the triathlons this summer. But I’ll leave the tri-talk for another time.
