16-Week Training Schedule (Jan 4th - Apr 24th)

This time around I chose an ambitious and highly structured training plan to take me to race day. I'm hoping that with the proper training I will not only boost my speed, but also learn to overcome The Wall that I hit last spring.

I got it from Runner's World! Haha. Okay, whatever. It's a plan and that's more than I had last time. I went with the "veteran" marathon plan which was described as being for someone who has run a marathon before and who can run 13 miles easily. While I'm no Kara Goucher, my slow-paced 13 miles is easy from my pace perspective. So why not, right?

The "Quality" workouts are below:
Quality #1: 5 x 1000 meters at 5-K race pace with 2-minute rec. walk/jog.

Quality #2: 6 x 800 meters at 10-K race pace with 90-second rec. walk/jog.

Quality #3: Three sets: 1 x 1200 meters at 10-K race pace (1-minute rec.), 1 x 400 at 5-K race pace (3-minute rec.).

Quality #4: 4 x 1600 meters at 10-K race pace with 3-minute rec. walk/jog.

Quality #5: 8 x 800 meters at 10-K race pace with 90-second rec. walk/jog.

Quality #6: 400 meters at 5-K pace (30-second rec.), 800 at 10-K pace (90-second rec.), 1200 at 10-K pace (2-minute rec.), 1600 at 10-K pace (3-minute rec.), 1200 at 10-K pace (2-minute rec.), 800 at 10-K pace (90-second rec.), 400 at 5-K pace.

Quality #7: 2 x 1600 meters at marathon goal pace with 3-minute rec. walk/jog

Pace: Start about 45 seconds per mile slower than marathon goal pace and gradually speed up to finish right on marathon goal pace.

Pace-Plus: Run 20 to 50 seconds slower per mile than marathon goal pace.

Hills: Do 6 to 8 repeats of a 200- to 400-meter hill at tempo-run effort. Jog down.

So much for running.

My boyfriend came the day after my last post and let's just say that I went on another vacation from running. I did some short post-work runs and kept up with my gym workouts, but it wasn't until August 13th that Chris finally met with me about a new strength training regimine that I could do alongside my marathon training.

I will start by saying that I understand why he chose the routine he did. But I will also say that no routine is a good one if you're not going to actually do it. And that's the problem. I've been having signficant trouble with the core/upper body exercises. He has me doing Polloff presses and chops, but the cables just scrape against my arm so that I get distracted and hurt my arms. It's just a really annoying and untenable exercise. I think my angles are correct, but I just can't get it down so that its a comfortable movement. So I'm just saying screw it. Do what I can, but stick to the upper body work I'd been doing before. Most of the free weights and barbells require significant core stability, which I think is fine for the moment. They aren't necessarily function movements, but at least the muscles are getting some work in at this point, and anything that supports my core right now is helpful.

Now this is my official routine, give or take the details, since I don't have it in front of me:

• Weighted squat jumps on bench (5 x 4, 10lb dumbbells)
• Weighted lunge jumps, power-driven, stop between jumps (5 x 4, 5 lb dumbbells)
• Quad-focused leg press (90 sec x 4, ~90-100lb to each fatigue per set)
• Weighted plie squats (15 x 3, 25lb plate held to chest)
• 10-15 min, steep incline 9 min/mile run on treadmill (hill running)
• Cable Bicep Curl/Tricep Pushdown (12 x 3)
• Cable Pull-Push simultaneous (10 x 3 both arms)
• Kneeling Pulloff Pull-to-Press (12 x 3 per arm)
• Kneeling Angled Chop (12 x 3 per arm)
• Back Extentions with 10lb weight to chest (12 x 3)

22 Mile - Distance Peak Done!

So this was just a weekend of running excitement. As I've complained endless about, I was sick last week and totally freaked that I wasn't going to be able to run well with the race upcoming. Well, the medicine seems to have worked great and all that rest left me feeling AMAZING this weekend.

Anyway, this weekend was my run. I started out saying that I'd only run 20 miles, but I was feeling so awesome that I decided to complete the full 22 miles. It was great! The weather was perfect, which I attribute the ease of the run to. It was in the low-60s with a strong wind, sunny, but since I started early, I got some decent shade from the trees.

I'm excited! I felt sooooo good coming out of it. I noticed some chafing that my chafeguard didn't entirely take care of, and my knees are a little sore today, but all in all, I'm feeling great. We even went out and walked around a bunch for the rest of the day.

It's probably the first time I've actually felt confident about the marathon. I think its going to be okay.