What Can I Say?

Another great week of 2012 in the books.  This being first full week of showing up to work every day in the office without a vacation or business trip in a while, which seemed to begin and end on a positive note.  The training this week also went exactly as planed:

Just a random picture that makes me laugh

Monday -- Almost 4 mile speed workout
Tuesday -- weights
Wednesday -- 4 easy miles
Thursday -- 3 easy miles
Friday -- bike around the lake
Saturday -- 6 long slow miles
Which leaves tomorrow, Sunday-- rest, stretch, and roll out the soreness

So far my body is reacting to the increase in mileage positively.  I am doing my best to eat healthy (although I am far from perfect) and doing the little things that I hope will get me to the race start line healthy and ready to go.

After reading Rich Roll's book, Finding Ultra (which I thoroughly enjoyed), I tried to pay attention to my heart rate more on my easy runs.  After a few runs last week and this week, I have modified that plan to running based on how I feel to keep it easy.  I found that trying to run while watching my heart rate distracted me from the enjoyment I get out of running, so I decided that I would focus less on the number and more on the effort all the while minding the purpose of not overextending my efforts.

I also decided to incorporate walk breaks into my long run, a la the Galloway method.  I am not running the marathon to win (although I wouldn't complain!) and that even to meet a modest time goal of under 5 hours requires one main thing -- for me to maintain the training program and reach the starting line healthy.  I hope that the decreased stress on my body the run/walk provides will help me achieve this goal.  I have walked during long runs in the past since I struggle to eat and run at the same time, this plan will just have those happen a little more often.  The current plan is to run a mile and walk a minute; every mile.  So far my long runs are slower but I do seem to finish with a little less muscle and joint soreness.  The real test will be when the mileage increases to the 15 - 20 mile range.

Until next time, run well my friends. . .