Is this normal?

Sunday rain againand black toes

So it basically rained the whole time I would have been able to go outside again today. Lots of family committments, church, hockey, b-day party shuttle. I hopped on the treadmill at 7:00. I only did 4.25 miles. I think this may be one of the contributors of hip and knee soreness. I know I didn't really go long enough but it was what I could do today. I stretched really good and look forward to viewing my workouts this week. I am glad this is coming up soon. THis is really testing me mentally and physically. I have 4 black toenails (one that is ready to peel any minute). Anyway that is my whine for the week. B

white caps in puddles

Saturday

So I got up early to go to Target and get GU packs. Come to find out all they had was $2.00 and up energy bars and no GU. I picked the one with20 grams of Protein and headed to the checkout. Once outside it was pouring cats and dogs along with lightening and thunder. I decided to go home and wait it out. Once home it let up after about 1/2 hour I fugured now was my chance. I headed out and parked at M-72 west. Once out of the car I noticed it was VERY cold. I had 2 thin layers on and running tights/capris. I began my run and once behind McClains it started to sprinkle. I had stashed a H20 bottle at your house so I made my way over for water and a place to pee. I continued on across Garfield and the rain started to pick up a bit. I kept going then it started to downpour hard. I turned around infront of the airport and headed back. By this point I was soaking and FREEZING. I ran back along bike trail to my car shivering all the way. There were whitecaps on the bay and in the puddles that had formed on the bike trail. I felt fine except for the cold part. I only ended up going 7.4. Should I try for 14 tomorrow?

re-cap week

Tuesday 4 on treadmill - picked up the pace alittle.
Wednesday 7 outside - very windy hip sore
Thursday / Friday at a conference - did some walking.

Training Plan - Week 14

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 5 mile run
Wednseday: 9 mile run
Thursday: 5 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 14 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: No running today. This is another stepback week, giving you a break between Weeks 13 and 15 with their long runs of 18 and 20 miles. In order to train hard, you need to be well rested. While resting, congratulate yourself on the amount of training you have done so far. You are almost at the end of the tunnel. It is getting brighter ahead. You have one more hard week ahead of you (Week 15), then it is time to taper and get ready to race.

Tuesday: Despite this being a stepback week, today's mileage is one mile further than last Tuesday. Take five, but at an easy pace. You may still be feeling some residual fatigue as a result of the 18-miler you did over the weekend. For that reason, this might be a good day on which to schedule a massage.

Wednesday: Nine miles today. Depending on how you feel, you might want to pick up the pace slightly for a few of the middle miles. Try stretching out a bit between Miles 5 and 7, then come in at a gentler pace. Remember that stretching remains important for marathoners, who risk losing flexibility because of their high-mileage training. This is particularly important now that you are approaching 20 miles for your longest run with accompanying high mileage for the full week. The best time to stretch is not before you run. Pre-workout muscles may be tight; the risk of injury is increased. Instead, stretch during--or after--your run, when muscles are warmest. Admittedly, with a 9-miler taking so much time out of your work week, you may feel that you don't have time to stretch. But think of it this way: You don't have time not to stretch.

Thursday: Five miles today, the same as Tuesday's workout. Remember what I told you two weeks ago about selecting different courses for workouts run over the same distances. Since it will take you less time to run 5 miles than the 9-miler yesterday, maybe you can afford to go to a particularly scenic location for today's run.

Friday: Total rest. The long run mileage is up. The weekly mileage is up. What is the best thing you can do to insure that you training properly and get maximum advantage out of all the training you're doing? It's a variation of the old Real Estate Agent response about what is important in selling a house: "Location! Location! Location!" For runners interested in getting maximum advantage out of their long runs--or any other hard training--it's: "Rest! Rest! Rest!"

Saturday: Run 14 miles. Did you believe when you started this program there would come a day when we would tell you to go that distance, and you'd think, "Oh, an easy day." It all depends on your point of view. You're now looking down on 14, rather than up at it. Next Saturday's run will not be easy. That's a promise.

Sunday: An hour of cross-training today. Don't overlook this important part of your training. Since yesterday's workout was so "easy," you might consider doing some jogging today. If so, keep the pace at a very, very low stress level--and walk more than usual. Next week is a big one, because you will climax the week--and your training--by running 20 miles, the longest distance in this marathon training program.

Keep me in the loop about how you're doing.

Training Plan - Week 13

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 4 mile run
Wednseday: 9 mile run
Thursday: 5 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 18 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: A little rest for ya. These next three weeks are the ones where you achieve the peak training toward which you've been building. You'll end this week with an 18-miler and Week 15 (in 2 weeks) with a 20-miler (with another stepback week between).

Tuesday: Four miles run comfortably. The pace for a "comfortable" run this day may be faster than the pace you did a "comfortable" run a dozen weeks ago when you began your marathon training (can you believe it, you've been at this for 3 months!). Or it may not. Everybody reacts differently to training. At peak training, fatigue can set in. You may need to remove some of the other stresses from your life. For instance, strength training normally is good for runners, but not toward the end of a marathon buildup. So save your time pumping iron and devote the extra minutes you save to stretching.

Wednesday: Nine miles. Your most difficult task will remain not going the distance--since you can handle this many miles easily now--but rather fitting a run that may last well past an hour into your work week. My best advice...get some more sleep. At least eight hours a night. Be more like your hubby...go to bed early. When you sleep, your body works overtime to repair itself (which makes it stronger), compared to when you are awake.

Thursday: Five easy miles. Eighteen miles in the last three days. After resting tomorrow, you'll have an 18-miler over the weekend to cap the week at 36 total miles. Whew! As we approach the peak of your training, those days when I do allow you to rest (such as tomorrow) become increasingly important.

Friday: A day of rest preparatory to some tough training on the weekend. Get some extra sleep tonight, so you're ready to run long. How is your nutrition? This is probably not a day to go out for burgers and beer.

Saturday: Eighteen miles. That's almost 30 kilometers, close to three-fourths of the full marathon distance. (Remember that when you fly past 18 in the race.) But for now, it's the longest run so far in your training program. Do you need to walk a bit to finish this run comfortably. Do so while taking fluids. That's good practice for the race, since you can take more water if you walk through water stops.

I can't stress enough how important it is that you take in fluids (preferably gatorade, since that's what will be on the course on race day) and calories (Gu) steadily throughout the race (and training).

Here's what you should be taking in: at least 20 oz. gatorade per hour (that's a little more than one of the Asics bottles). One Gu every 30 minutes. I BEG you to follow this advice. I have learned the hard way, and don't want you to have to.

When you finish today's workout, congratulate yourself for what will be you longest run ever (so far :).

Sunday: Cross-training remains an important part of your training. An hour-long spin on a bike might work well today. Notice that we said "spin." Don't train too hard, regardless of which cross-training discipline you select. When you finish today's workout, congratulate yourself for all the training it took to get you this far.

Training Plan - Week 12

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 4 mile run
Wednseday: 8 mile run
Thursday: 5 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 16 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)


Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Four miles at your normal pace followed by strength training--and don't forget to stretch. "There is little doubt that some form of resistance training is beneficial to all runners," says exercise physiologist and Olympic champion Peter Snell, Ph.D. "Weight training is not likely to produce further increases in maximum oxygen uptake in runners, but may improve muscle endurance." Nevertheless, with the mileage now up there in the stratosphere, consider cutting back somewhat on your strength training. Less weight, fewer repetitions will allow you to conserve energy and also reduce the risk of an overuse injury.

Wednesday: The midweek mini long run remains at 8 miles, same as last week. Whether you run this in the morning before work, or after, be sure to budget enough time so you don't have to cut the workout short. Make this a "listen-to-your-body" workout. Run as you feel. If you feel like running a little faster (no particular pace), do it. If you feel like really taking it easy (even including some walking breaks or stops for water), do that. Training schedules should not be inflexible.

Thursday: Five miles at your normal pace. This is an increase of a mile from last week. To avoid getting in a rut, select a different 5-mile course rather than simply adding a mile to the 4-mile course you have been using for several weeks. Success in running is often as much mental as physical.

Friday: Savor this day of rest. Tomorrow you MUST get the full 16 miles in. Are you suffering any aches and pains? This is not an easy training program. No marathon training program is, because of the necessity to log lots of miles to get runners ready to finish 26 miles 385 yards. If you have any nagging injuries, now is the time to schedule an appointment. Prevention is sometimes the best therapy.

Saturday: Run 16 miles. The last few weekends your runs have been cut short, so this is extremely important that you make the full 16 miles today. You are approaching the peak of your training program and only have two runs to come that will be longer than this, so get it done!

Sunday: An hour's cross-training. I know today is Easter, but almost as important as yesterday's long run is getting up and moving around for a solid hour today. AFter all the guests have left, get out the door and go for a walk, or hit the pool (open from 4-6ish)

Tip of the Week: There is no such thing as "bad food," only bad choices. There's even a place for burgers, fries and shakes in your diet. You just need to balance everything you eat. If you eat a well-balanced diet, that includes ample fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, you can avoid expensive supplements. Tape these words to your refrigerator: "Eat a wide variety of lightly processed foods."

Training Plan - Week 10

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 7 mile run
Thursday: 4 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 15 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: Half way home. You have nine weeks of marathon training behind you and nine more to go. After a stepback week, this is the beginning of another three-week cycle. I have long runs of 15 and 16 miles planned for you over the next two weekends. Your weekly mileage will also increase to 32 miles during this next cycle. As you rest today, contemplate the training behind and the training ahead. Are you well-positioned for the next push upward in distance? I certainly hope so.

Tuesday: Three miles followed by strength training if you choose. And don't forget to stretch after you run and stretch also between lifts. Warm up is important. Research shows that warm tissues stretch better than cold tissues. Many runners interpret this to mean that you jog 5-10 minutes before stopping to stretch.

Wednesday: Seven miles today. Our midweek, sorta long run. Do you know what pace you plan to run in the marathon? This might be a good time to practice it--at least in the middle miles. Running 7 miles on a weekday is not easy, and it does take time. These longish weekday workouts may be increasingly difficult for those of you with busy work schedules, not because of the extra training load, but because of the extra time required. Plan ahead. Make sure you allow yourself ample time for this workout. You can do it.

Thursday: Four easy miles. Make this an even easier workout than usual. Consider the fact that you have a 15-miler coming at you this weekend. That's a lot of running. By running easy today and resting tomorrow, you are loading the gun so you are assured of running well on the weekend.

Friday: On this day of rest before a weekend during which you have your longest run so far scheduled, pause and consider how far you have come since starting your marathon training nine-plus weeks ago. Have you begun to notice any improvements? Improvements are not always easy to measure day by day or even week by week, but think back to nine weeks ago. Or think back to nine months before then. You may not have lost nine pounds in the past nine-plus weeks. You may not have discovered muscles you didn't know you had. But you should begin to notice some improvements in your fitness level and some improvement in your overall ability to run. This training program is designed to help you to finish a marathon. Hopefully, your confidence has begun to grow.

Saturday: Run long. Fifteen miles. That's three-fourths of the longest distance (20) I'll ask you to run in this marathon training program. By now, you should begin to adapt to the rhythm of these long runs. Don't do them too fast. Take walking breaks if necessary. And remember: unless you're a speed demon, you're going to be running for a relatively long period of time. If the weather is warm, you will dehydrate. Take a good swig of water just before you start to run and if there are any water fountains on the course you choose, don't run past them. You might even consider carrying a water bottle. Dehydration becomes more of a factor the longer you run and the higher the temperature. If you can't find water fountains along your route, consider purchasing a belt for carrying fluids. Yes, you have a right to finish a 15-miler feeling tired, but you should not finish exhausted. Running steady pace is the secret to marathon success.

Sunday: Cross-training today. By now you probably have determined the cross-training routine that works best for you. But don't be afraid to vary it. Is rollerblading okay? Yes, if you're used to doing it and wear proper equipment so you don't get hurt if you fall down. But if you're new to the activity, or inexperienced, don't start now. What about soccer? Or tennis? Basketball? While they may be fun, sports that feature sideways or up-and-down movements are risky, particularly as the mileage builds. Choose your cross-training sport carefully. Remember that the day after a long run is a good time to do some extra stretching. Even a 5- or 10-minute swim at the end of a cross-training workout will help loosen you up.

Tip of the Week: Practice makes perfect. Practice not only running, but everything else related to race day. That includes equipment. Do you know what shoes you'll wear on race day? Buy a new pair now! How about shorts and singlet? Test your clothing in training to make sure nothing chafes or causes a blister. Do you expect hot or cold weather race day? Weather can be unpredictable. Will you be prepared if the temperature suddenly drops (or rises) 30 degrees on race day? Consider every scenario you might encounter.

I'm so proud of how far you've come, and can't wait to watch you go even further!!

Get outside and run girl!

Last week looked like this.

Tuesday - 3 miles at 11:30 pace treadmill

Wednesday 7 miles = 86 minutes treadmill

Thursday - felt really outta gas. Did 2 miles at 11:30 pace, 1 mile at 12:30 pace, 1 mile at 13:20 treadmill.

Sunday - 8.5 miles outside at approx. 11 minute mile.

Training Plan - Week 9

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 7 mile run
Thursday: 4 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 10 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Details soon...

Kickin it up a notch

So today I ran a solid 3 miles and it felt good. I kicked up the pace on the treadmill to an 11:00 pace which is still slow but the fastest time for me yet. I did some sit-ups after too. Looking forward to getting outside this weekend. I think it is supposed to snow tomorrow.

Saturday 12.5 miles 2h 45 min.
Sunday cross trained. Lots of walking and some basketball
Monday Rest ahhhhhhh
Tuesday 3.0 miles 33:22

It's March already

Well last week was pretty uneventful except for the fact that I did my longest run yet. 12 miles on Saturday and you know after mile 7 I just kept going and it wasn't that big of a deal. Also key in the equation were the bananas, power drink and GU that helped me through the over 2.5 hour run. Did the 3,6,3 runs respectively last week too. Goal for the week keep better track of the times this week. Busy week this week with conferences etc. in the evenings. It will be tough to get the workouts in but that is why it is called workouts not playouts.

Training Plan - Week 8

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 6 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 13 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: Rest day. You'll need it, because the mileage continues to climb this week--subtly, though inexorably. You have seven weeks behind you; you have 11 weeks ahead of you. Your total mileage this week is 25, just short of the distance you'll cover in the marathon itself. Your long run will be 13 miles, half the distance of the marathon. Looking ahead, you may wonder: Will I really be able to accomplish what I set out to do? Yes, you will. Look back at where you were when you started this program. Think of all the progress you've made so far.

Tuesday: Three miles at your usual comfortable pace. On these midweek workouts, run at a time convenient for you, a time when you will feel comfortable running.

Wednesday: Six miles. If so, you might want to run a nudge faster this day. Don't push too hard at the start, but see if you can pick up the pace the last mile or two. The fact that you're moving at a slightly faster pace over a slightly longer distance doesn't mean you can't hold a conversation with a partner while running, but allow yourself the luxury of getting slightly out of breath. Important to success in any sport is a distance base, and that is one of the purposes for running a bit longer today.

Thursday: Another 3-miler. Comfortable pace. You may get a bit bored running the same, or near-same, distances day after day, week after week after week. There are a lot of short runs of 3 to 5 miles in this program. If it's an out-and-back course, your options are limited, but if it's a so-called "loop" course that goes in a circle, running it in the opposite direction will result in a needed change of scenery. Use the opportunity to do something different, when it suits your purpose, and don't be afraid to jump in a car occasionally and pick some scenic route you never have run before as a mood booster.

Friday: Preparing for the weekend's double-pronged endurance activities, claim a day of rest. Let's talk a bit about food... Frequently, when people become runners or run more, they find that they begin to eat differently. This is partly conscious and partly subconscious and reflects the fact that carbohydrates are the most efficient form of energy. People who embrace fitness routines discover this through their reading, but often it happens naturally. Runners crave carbs; their bodies tell them that breads and grains and fruits and vegetables are the best foods for fitness and for good health. You'll often find us in an Italian restaurant the night before long workouts or marathons.

Saturday: Run 13 miles, a significant distance, since it is half the distance you need to run in the marathon itself. You may finish this workout wondering how you'll ever be able to run twice as far. Trust me! You're not yet halfway through your training program. In another ten weeks, you'll be standing on the starting line at NMC well-trained and ready to roll. Use these long runs to practice your race strategy. You should begin to think about what shoes you'll wear on race day and also what outfit to wear: shorts, singlet and a cap to keep the sun off your head. Don't leave anything to chance. And continue to practice drinking as well, both water and the replacement drink you plan to encounter in the marathon.

Sunday: Cross-training. An hour of aerobic training. Don't push yourself too hard the day after your longest run so far. Go for a walk. Smell the flowers...er...snow. Listen to the birds..er..wind howling :). Take a bike ride. Swimming is a particularly effective way of loosening your muscles after a long run the day before. Next week is another stepback week, a change to gather your strength. In cross-training, you don't need to limit yourself to a single activity. Think like a triathlete: Combine sports. Follow a half hour on a bike with a dip in the pool. Walk for 45 minutes, then stretch for 15. Innovate. The most important point of cross-training on Sundays is that you not only train easy to recover from the long run the day before, but also you prepare for more of the same in the coming week. If you cross-train on Saturday before a long run on Sunday, don't train so hard that you compromise your long run.

Tip of the Week: To improve your ability to concentrate, visualize your race during workouts, particularly during marathon pace runs. "Put yourself into an emotional marathon mode," says Bob Williams, a coach from Portland. Oregon. "Picture different parts of the course." One workout, practice cruising miles 8-12; the next, rehearse miles 12-14. If you're running a hometown marathon, run specific portions of the course during practice for familiarization. If it's an out-of-town course, and you've run it before, replay the memory. Running Boston: Is there a hill similar to Heartbreak Hill near where you live? "Training on terrain similar to that on which you plan to race is essential," emphasizes Williams.

Still running

So it looks like some excuses here but I dio understand the purpose of the consistency here and feel that I am starting to get in the groove. 3 miles to me is not a big deal anymore. 5 is starting to be not as big a deal. Now I need to get over the 7 mile hurdle. Below is last week's progress.

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile (check)
Wednseday: 5 mile (check)
Thursday: 3 mile (OK I'm honest...got home from school at 8:00 pm. This is the first workout I've skipped)
Friday: rest
Saturday: 7 mile (Did 6 here because the time of day got away from me)
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.) Skiing at Crystal

Training Plan - Week 7

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 6 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 12 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: With six weeks behind us, you now have completed one-third of this 18-week marathon training program. Twelve more weeks to go! This is a day of rest. You'll need it, because the mileage continues to build toward your marathon goal. The long run at the end of this week is 12 miles, meaning you're getting up in distance. Add to that 12 more miles run during the middle of the week, and you're up to 24 miles run for the week. You are definitely making progress!

Tuesday: Three miles at a comfortable pace. The mileage for the Tuesday workouts remains consistent, but will change too as we get further into the program. While running your 3-mile easy run today, evaluate how your training is going. Today's workout should feel real easy to you, particularly after diminished mileage the week before plus yesterday's rest day. Resist the temptation to do more or run faster. So relax and enjoy today's run. I'm going to ask you to run somewhat more tomorrow.

Wednesday: Six miles today, a step upward from last week. As these midweek workouts continue to climb, you may need to budget more time out of your schedule.

Thursday: Three easy miles. Assuming you do some strength training in combination with this run, as you move from exercise to exercise, don’t rush and don’t waste time watching the TV. Stay focused on your workout by stretching in between. "It’s very important while strength training to have a stretching routine," warns personal trainer Cathy Vasto. "You don’t want to lose your flexibility, which can happen if you forget to stretch. Eccentric contractions (which occur when lowering the weights) actually can tighten the muscles." Stretching while strength training provides a double dose of conditioning in a minimum of time.

Friday: Rest today will provide just that extra dose of recovery necessary for you to have a good weekend of workouts. While the focus on this training program is increasing the quantity of your training, you can't achieve either quantity or quality in your workouts unless you come into the days you run hard well rested. And "hard" is what I have scheduled for you tomorrow, considering the distance. You'll be able to accomplish tomorrow's long run much more successfully if you are rested and ready. This means getting a good night's sleep tonight too. Social considerations aside, you probably don't want to hang out all night, then be forced to get up the next morning and train hard. What's important in life to you? Make that decision and follow up on it.

Saturday: Run long. Twelve miles. You have now doubled the distance of your longest run in the previous six weeks. Make certain you don't run this workout too hard. Running long workouts too fast is a major training error. Be conservative in your approach to training, and you're more likely to succeed. Don't be embarrassed to stop and walk briefly. You may need to do so in the marathon. The trick is to walk before being forced to.

Sunday: Cross-training today. Walk, bike, swim: your choice. But before we end this week of instructions, let's talk briefly about calorie burn. Running will help you maintain or lose weight. You burn the same number of calories (about 100) walking a mile as you do running a mile. That seems unfair, but calorie burn is related to foot-pounds: how many pounds you push over so many feet. Since you lose 1 pound for every 3,500 calories burned, theoretically by running 24 miles this week you will have lost the equivalent of 2/3 pound compared to if you hadn't run. That assumes your eating habits didn't change. You can lose weight faster by combining diet and exercise, which is the best way to lose weight as well as keep it off.

Tip of the week: Marathoners need to learn the value of strength. If you plan to win the marathon, running is not enough. Most top runners head to the gym two or three times a week to pump iron. That's good advice for anybody. Machines and barbells work for the elite, but you can stay in shape with push-ups and sit-ups in your own basement. Then you can flex your muscles while crossing the finish line on May 23rd.

Training Plan - Week 6

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 5 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 7 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: This is another week of comparative "rest," since the weekend mileage drops as part of our second "stepback." Total miles this week are 18 with a 7-mile run on the weekend. No running today. Consider the fact that your marathon training program will be one-third complete at the end of this week.

Tuesday: Three miles at your normal pace. What is "normal?" You be the judge. Remember: Tuesdays and Thursdays are good days to include some extra stretching in your workout to loosen your muscles. Ten minutes or so will do. But don't stretch too hard. Stretching should never feel painful, otherwise you risk damaging the muscles you're trying to protect.

Wednesday: Despite this being a stepback week, your midweek workouts continue their distance progression. Run 5 miles today, the same as last week, but next week you go 6. How do you feel after the first six weeks of your marathon buildup? The answer to that question will partly dictate how hard you run today.

Thursday: Three miles at an easy pace, then do some strength training. Learn to breathe right when you do your lifts. The worst mistake you can make while lifting is to hold your breath. That simply tightens the muscles that you want to keep loose. Inhale while you prepare to lift the weight, then exhale while lifting it, inhaling again while lowering it.

Friday: Rest is always an important component of any training program. Sometimes rest is important for the mind as much as for the body. Although I love running and find that my day is not complete without a run or some sort of aerobic workout, I realize that not everybody feels the same way--yet! So Friday is the day when you don't have to think about what course you're going to run or how to fit your workout into a busy schedule. You can even skip taking a shower, but if you brush your teeth, don't forget to floss. Relax. Take a day off.

Saturday: Run 7 miles. In a logical arithmetic progression you would have done "11" miles today. But since it's a rest week, you're only doing 7.

Sunday: Do some easy cross-training: 30 to 60 minutes of an aerobic activity. You want to exercise the body. Some cycling would be fine--as long as it's at an easy pace. Walking would do you good too. If you're combining a number of cross-training exercises, for example: cycling, swimming and strength training at a the gym, some easy jogging also might be appropriate.

Keep your blog posts coming....
These are a vital part of your training program. Writing down your workouts will help you chart your progress and how you feel. For each day, include how far you went (miles), how long it took, and how you felt. If you want, yo ucan indlude any other pertinent information (like, "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night" or "I'm really tired in general lately")

I'm still here

So I haven't taken time to BLOG lately but I do have good news to report. I have done all of the workouts as posted except on night I had to cut one night down due to shear exhaustion and lateness of the day.

I am also struggling with the cross training on Sundays, but I am making it through the long runs with bananas and gatorade.

Training Plan - Week 5

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 5 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 10 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: A day of rest. As marathon day draws near, you will need this rest day more and more.

Tuesday: Run easy: 3 miles today at your usual comfortable pace. Don't be embarrassed to walk, even for this short a distance. There's nothing wrong with walking in marathons, particularly when taking a drink. Maybe not this early in the program, but as the mileage builds the stress levels build too. Short walk breaks can help you avoid injury as well. Don't take any chances. Make no quick moves, only slow and steady ones. Slow and steady guarantees a medal being hung around your neck after you exit the finishing chute.

Wednesday: Five miles, a jump of a mile from last week and the week before. Don't worry about the pace. Just cover the distance. This is the "tough" workout day in the middle of the week. But does this run of 5.0 miles still seem hard to you? Hopefully you're starting to get in shape so that running for 45-60 minutes is no longer quite the struggle it once seemed. You should feel confident. You're a Certified Marathoner--or will be in another 14 weeks. If people pass you on the road, greet them a wave, a smile, a hearty "hello!" Say to yourself, "I'm a marathoner!"

Thursday: Three miles today, the same as Tuesday. While shoes are the most important item of equipment a runner can own, comfortable clothing also is a must. If it's cold when you run, particularly in the early morning, you will want to layer on levels of clothing as the best approach to coping with varying temperature levels. And while you want to stay warm, the worst sin is to overdress so that you finish soaked with sweat. More a problem is coping with heat, since there is only so much clothing you can shed without getting arrested. Keep experimenting with different clothing variations. Wicking fabrics work better than cotton T-shirts You'll figure it out.

Friday: Today being a rest day, maybe this is a day to head to Running Fit to get some new shoes and gear. Good running gear will last for years, so even though it may seem expensive, think of it as an investment you'll get returns from for years to come.

Saturday: Run 10 miles. Your first single workout in double digits, thus somewhat of a milestone. Fourteen weeks from now in the marathon, you should be able to cruise past the 10-mile marker. "Ho hum. This is me the marathoner, floating on home to 26 miles 385 yards!" Ten miles is the peak run in the second 3-week segment of your training. Next week is another "stepback" week.

Sunday: Cross-training. An hour of aerobic training. You should exercise the body after your 10-mile peak run yesterday--but not too much. If you decide to flip-flop workouts and cross-train Saturday and run long Sunday, you won't want to overdo it on this day. An hour of cycling would be fine--as long as it's at an easy pace. An hour of walking would do you good too.

Training Plan - Week 4

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 4 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 9 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)


Monday: This is your fourth week of marathon training, and you begin it with a day of rest. This is actually the first week of your second 3-week cycle, after the stepback Week 3 during which you cut mileage somewhat. This week your total running mileage will be 19 miles, the long run on the weekend 9 miles. In Week 15 (peak week before tapering begins), you will run 40 miles for the week, 20 on the weekend. That means in the next 11 weeks you will double your mileage. It's doable. A lot of people before you have been there, done that. I have no doubt you can do it.

Tuesday: An easy day: Three miles at a comfortable pace. There are several ways to judge "comfortable." If you are running with a partner, the two of you should be able to converse without getting significantly out of breath. Or, if you're running alone, you could even talk to yourself--although people will think you're crazy. Particularly after a day's rest on Monday, you should finish this workout feeling better than when you started.

Wednesday: Four miles. A mile further than yesterday and tomorrow. The same distance you ran last Wednesday. If you're feeling good--and we hope you are after the stepback week--push the pace a bit today. Maybe for a mile or so toward the end of your run, increase your pace by about 15-30 seconds a mile. You still can converse, but you become more out-of-breath. If you examine the schedule you'll notice that Wednesday mileage remains the same for two weeks, then goes up a mile. As we continue, I will probably ask each second time you run the distance (odd-numbered weeks) to increase the pace a bit. If your answer is, "No, I don't want to," that's okay. I'm the coach, but you're the boss.

Thursday: Repeat Tuesday's workout. Three miles, comfortable pace. I forgot to remind you on Tuesday that you might want to do some stretching after you run. And if you're doing strength training, today is a good day to do it. Don't do too much of either. Moderation is the secret to success, both in running and in everything associated with running.

Friday: Friday, like Monday, is another day when the workout never changes. It's "rest." Take the day off. How can doing no running be considered a workout. I count it as such, because your day of rest is designed with a purpose. It's to get you ready for your weekend workouts, which generally are harder than weekday workouts.

Saturday: Run long. Nine miles today. We're back into the mileage progression. The pace should remain comfortable, similar to the early miles of the marathon. Don't be afraid to walk occasionally to break the pace. (You may need to do so in the marathon.) Start teaching yourself to drink fluids before, during and after your runs. At the end of your 9-miler, listen to your body. How did it feel? Legs tired? Out of breath? Some fatigue is normal, but you don't want to finish exhausted, otherwise you are training too hard.

Sunday: A cross-training day. If you experience some fatigue after yesterday's 9-miler, that's natural. Use today's workout to relax and loosen your muscles.

Let's see some posts this week to keep everyone up to date on how things are going! :)

Training Plan - Week 3

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 4 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 5 mile run
Sunday: cross-train

Monday: Today being Monday, it's your rest day after two days of hard work over the weekend. This is an "easy" week in the training program, since you will "only" run 5 miles for your long run, instead of 8 (which would be the progression after 5 and 6.5). You will encounter these "stepback" weeks every third week at the beginning of the program, every other week as we near peak mileage. Most training programs are progressive, meaning you gradually increase mileage over a period of weeks and months. This program is no different, but the progression is not in a straight line, which is one of its unique features.

Tuesday: Run 3 miles at your normal pace. You might also spend another 15-30 minutes doing some stretching and strength training.

Wednesday: Today is a 4-mile run, up from 3 the first two weeks. Your mileage on this midweek "hard" day will continue to build along with your weekend mileage. This is called a "sorta long" run. This sorta long run is positioned in the middle of the week to be more or less equal distant from the weekend long runs. That gives you a chance to recuperate between and rest before.

Thursday: Run 3 miles. This should almost begin to seem like a short distance now. If you bought into my idea Tuesday of doing 15-30 minutes of stretching and strength training after your run, today do the same.

Friday: Your day of rest. As this 18-week program continues, you will continue to rest two days each week, bracketing the weekend of harder training. If the schedule of Monday/Friday rest doesn't always fit your schedule, feel free to adjust the days. Review what you have accomplished so far. Does running seem any easier? Hopefully any sore muscles you may have suffered after your first-week workouts have begun to feel better--and stronger. It may be difficult for you to sense any change from the way you feel today and the way you felt before you began this program, but you gradually will get into marathon shape.

Saturday: Run 5 miles. As mentioned above, we drop back in distance every third week on our long runs to offer you extra rest. Keep an invisible "8" in your mind, since we jump ahead to 9 miles next week. Remember that the long runs--like most runs during the week--should be done at a conversational pace. You may run out of conversation by the last few miles, but not today since you stop early.

Sunday: Cross-training for an hour. Aerobic exercises work best: walking, cycling, swimming. Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing are also great. Since your run yesterday was short, you might even consider doing some jogging as part of your workout. You now have completed three weeks of the 18-week marathon program. You are one-sixth of the way toward completion. Having finished the first stepback week, we're now ready to crank the mileage up in Week 4. Hold onto your hat!

This Week

I ran 1.5 hours straight probably about 6 miles. It was fun to be outside and I had a new neighborhood that I was running through so it passed the time quickly.

Still feeling like crap after the long runs on Saturday. Three ibuprofin still not even cutting it.

Rode 50 minutes with dad around the Tri-Par neighborhood Sunday.

We need to talk nutrition next. I think that is maybe an issue with me. My current diet stinks.

Sense of Urgency with NO EXCUSES

I am at a conference this week and really had to work hard to fit in the workouts, BUT I DID.

I did all three workouts this week Tuesday, Wednesday (only ran 30 minutes but it was not 3 miles) and Thursday and even got to run outside in warm weather with no snow. It was great.

I think I may be building up a little stamina. I am not dying when I go out although I am still pretty slow. But today I did my 3 miles (1.5 on eliptical and 1.5 on treadmill-since is was pouring rain in 30 minutes) and felt OK.

A few of the speakers I heard this week talked of the sense of "urgency" we as educators need to feel to help our students to learn. They also went on to say there are "no excuses" our charge is to teach them all.

I happen to agree with these speakers and think these words not only fit into education but also into my training for this race.

Goal for the rest of the week...stretch after each workout. Make it through the 6.5 miler on Saturday. YIKES!

Week 2 Training Plan

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 3 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 6.5 mile run
Sunday: cross-train


Monday: Rest. While taking the day off, evaluate how you felt after your first week of marathon training. You'll probably notice that there's a difference between "training" and simply "running" or "jogging." A lot of people play at running, going out for an occasional run on weekends, if the weather is good. Sometimes they'll run three or four days in a row--then skip several weeks before running again. But that's not training. Training is when you follow a schedule, such as this one, where each day has a purpose. If the weather is bad, you still run. If you have important business, you simply rise an hour early to run. Why? Because I told you to! :) And if Bro Bro tells you to rest, you rest. Follow my directions, and I'll get you to the finish line 17 weeks from today. That's a promise!

Tuesday: Today's workout is a run of 3 miles at a comfortable pace, the same as last week on Tuesday and the same as next week on Tuesday. Don't worry about yor pace for right now. Just get the mileage in.

Wednesday: Another 3-miler. This is your "hard" day of the week. If you want to run a bit faster than yesterday, do so. Today's 3-miler is also the same as last week's Tuesday workout, but next week you move up to 4 miles. As the program continues, the Wednesday mileage will increase 1 mile every second week. It's all part of my "Grand Vision" to get you in shape for the marathon. And trust me: You will do it!

Thursday: Still another 3-miler! It seems like we're in a rut, but don't worry: Next week the midweek workouts take a slight bump upwards in distance. Most of the mileage changes from week to week in this program are "slight." Slight changes will gradually get you in shape--and that's the best way. Slight changes will do it, but for the time being, be content with your third 3-miler in 3 days. The simplest and easiest way to accomplish a 3-mile workout is to run the same measured course each time. But consider having separate Tuesday and Thursday courses. Particularly as the program continues, you may want to bring some variety to your workouts.

Friday: This is a day of rest. Seemingly, you don't need a rest day now, but wait until your weekend runs start getting longer. If you're looking for something to do with your extra time while not running today (yeah right...I know, I know) jump in the car and go out and measure a series of courses from 3 miles up. You'll use them during the remaining weeks of this marathon training program.

Saturday: Run 6.5 miles. In your second week, you now have gone from 5 to 6.5 miles for your long run. This doesn't seem like much of a jump, but steady increases in distance will help prepare you for the stress of running 26 miles. Don't worry too much about how fast you run in these early weeks. Just run at a pace that will allow you to cover the 6.5-mile distance easily. Feel free to take some walking breaks in the middle of your run. And remind yourself: You're doing great! Today you've finished your second week of marathon training.

Sunday: Take an hour and go for a walk, or bike ride, or do some swimming. This is your cross-training day, and it's here for two purposes. One, you want to train for about an hour to improve your aerobic base. Two, you want to exercise differently to both loosen your running muscles and allow them to recover. Don't underestimate the value of this second weekend workout. It's important!

5 miles down...many more to go

5.0 miles on treadmill 66.53 minutes

As I mentioned in the last post I was dreading this one. I haven't run 5 miles in about 3 years. I cleaned the house, got a massage(won't do this again on my hell workout day) ate a little lunch and waited until the absolute last hour in the day I had before I had to pick up my son from his friend's house.

I hopped on the treadmill, cranked up the Prince, Cirque De Soleil, and ACDC CD tunes and started running. The first 3.5 miles felt long. I kept a 12:35 mile pace and then had to drop back to 13:20 mile pace for the last 1.5 miles. It was a killer and I was sick the rest of the night from the physical challenge I just put my body through.

I took plenty of Ibuprofen and drank lots of H20 and look forward to my cross training day on Sunday.

I'm "living life" and "training this race" and I am on my way.

Living like Grandma Millie did

As I sat at Grandma Millie's funeral service this week and listened to the pastor's message about how G'ma Millie lived her life I was reminded that I have a choice in how I train for this marathon.

You see the pastor explained to the attendees that Grandma Millie made a choice 40 years ago when her husband died at a the age of 50. She had grown sons and a decision of how to go on. She could curl up and feel sorry for herself or she could "live life". For those of you who don't know her, she chose the latter... she lived life. She picked herself up by the bootstraps, found employment at age 50 and had plenty of challenges and fun along the way until she retired at 90 years old.

Yesterday as I stalled before doing the longest run of my training thus far, I was faced with a choice. I could cut corners and train the same half assed way I have through my 30's and into my 40's and try to cram in the training into the month before the 5k that was coming up, or I can really "train this race" and do the full workout without cutting corners.

I like Grandma Millie chose the latter. I will train this race and do what my trainer(s) recommend. Even through I may not feel like it on certain days I will follow through with my training plan and work hard to build my body, mind and soul to be successful with this endeavor.

Training plan - Week 1

I'll be posting Biz's weekly workout plan on the blog here each week.

Here's the plan for this week:
Monday - off/rest
Tuesday - 3 miles (40 minutes)
Wednesday - 3 miles (40 minutes)
Thursday - 3 miles (40 minutes)
Friday - off/rest
Saturday - 5 miles (65 minutes)
Sunday - cross train (~60 minutes)

Here's a description of how this week should unfold:

Monday: Monday is always a day of rest (you can count on it). Rest is important for recovery after the weekend's workouts, particularly as the long runs progress from 6 to 20 miles. Your body needs time to recover. So take the day off.

Tuesday: An easy day. Run 3 miles (or 40 miunutes) at a comfortable pace. Over the next 18 weeks, you will add only a few miles to your Tuesday workouts. In a few weeks you'll move up to 4 miles. In week 14, you'll be up to 5 miles. By that time, you'll be so used to doing much longer runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays, that a run of that distance will seem easy. It's all part of the progressive buildup of total mileage designed to get you ready to run 26 miles. If even running 3 miles seems a strain for you, don't hesitate to mix in a walking break.

Wednesday: Three miles, same as yesterday. As the countdown continues, you will begin to run more miles midweek. Every second week, you will add another mile to your Wednesday workout. This midweek workout is what I call a "sorta long" run. What you will find most difficult as the mileage progresses from 3 to 10 is not going the distance, but finding time to squeeze a run taking more than an hour into a busy weekday. Just do it!

Thursday: Run the same distance that you did on Tuesday: 3 miles at a comfortable pace. Again, remember the walking-break option I mentioned for Tuesday. At 3 miles, you may want to run the full distance. But as the distance builds, and particularly on days when the weather is warm, you will appreciate a short break, particularly to stop for water. A lot of novice runners will do some walking in the marathon--if only through the aid stations--you want to practice this as part of your strategy.

Friday: Friday is also always a day of rest, to allow you to gather strength for the weekend. I know you won't hesitate to do exactly what I tell you. So take today off :)

Saturday: Today is your "long run." Even for a novice or beginning runner, 5 miles (today's workout) may not seem that long. But over the next 18 weeks, the distance for your Saturday run will increase to 20 miles. Don't worry too much about pace now; just run easily. If you want to do your long runs on Sunday rather than Saturday, simply flip-flop the two workouts, but the long run is the most important part of your training schedule. Avoid missing them at all costs. Wait, let me restate that...DON'T MISS THEM! :)

Sunday: Use this second day of the weekend to recover from your weekly long run by doing some easy cross-training. What kind of cross-training you ask? The exercise should be aerobic: an hour or so of walking, biking, swimming or some such activity. Swimming is a especially useful, because you can use it to loosen your muscles. If you run long Sundays, you can cross-train on Saturdays.

I've posted late (Tuesday night) so don't worry about the Monday and Tuesday workouts I have written in, just pick up with Wednesday

Follow the plan, and you're on your way to 26.2, Sista!

~ Bro-Bro (aka- Joel)

Power Surge

1.63 miles on treadmill
1st mile 12:30 30 push ups (15 knees 15 real) 72 crunches

Well I got a little excited today and did my first mile in 12:30 a minute faster than 3 days ago and 5 minutes faster than 4 workouts ago. I'm obviously still not at a training time and I only did 20:36 for 1.64 miles (how many more to 26.2?) I have along way to go. Felt like I could eat an elephant today. I have been really good with portion control and sticking to 3 meals a day for the last week(except Sundays) I think with the surge my appetite surged too and I fed it. Had a full dinner then half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for something sweet.

I think I need to up the mileage and keep the strength and diet in check. Suggestions? I really need to get this extra 10-12 lbs. off.

O.K. let's get this party started

13:45 1 mile 75 sit-ups 30 push-ups


Energy level a little low today. Of course it is Friday night but I'm still in. Yes, I think I can..just think of the train you know that little engine. Hmmm but did that Little Engine run 26.2 miles or did he just go over that little hill?

Day 2 I'm still in

13:55 1 mile Treadmill 100 situps 30 push ups

Music of choice while on the treadmill ACDC Live Album. A little THUNDER can always get the heart pumping and the "I can do this" attitude flowing.

Well I am still feeling strong today but who wouldn't I've only run a mile, ha ha. With this pace now I will finish the race in 6:06 (ouch) Damn that is like running (yes literally running) a whole day.

O.K. since that doesn't sound like fun, now I am motivated to get my time down and get my miles going.

Trying to watch my diet (which I have never really had to do before) and it is not very fun. Would like to lose about 10 lbs. so that I am not dragging any extra weight around with me.

I'm going to do this

Tuesday