I Run

I've started formal training for the marathon. I missed the entire first week, but picked it up easily last week. My 13-14 mile run on Sunday was at around 9:00 pace, which was fine considering there were some good hills. I think I like that the Pfitzinger plan has you do some medium long runs during the week interspersed with rest days. Somehow it feels more right to me. I just need to juggle my work time to fit the longer runs in (work 9 or 10 hours one day so I can run 2 hours the next...). It's not easy, but I think it'll work OK.

I knew as soon as I started that today's medium long run (about 12 miles) would be a bit tough. The day was perfect, sunny and high 20s to low 30s. But I wasn't quite at the top of my form. Could be the somewhat increased mileage during this week. I ran to the Guilford school over Sweet Pond Rd., then back the same route. Ran 9:33 pace there, then 8:52 on the way back, which cut about 3.5 minutes off the first split. The hill on the way back I thought would be tough, but then I just started breathing deeply and huffing out deliberately to see if I could give my muscles more oxygen. And it worked. I just sailed up that hill, even if I did sound like a train. The trip down the other side to home was a bit faster, probably hitting 8:00 pace for much of the way. I generally don't breath deeply, so I'll need to force myself to huff and puff when needed. It really does help.

This was my first 30+ mile week since before the marathon. I ran about 10 on Sunday, 5 on Monday, rest Tuesday, 7.25 on Wednesday, 4 on the treadmill on Thursday, and 5 to 6 easy (scenic) miles today. So I'm getting my base built before I start formal training in another week or two (I'm not sure exactly when). I'm thinking about doing the Pfitzinger 55 mi./18 week plan from Advanced Marathoning (I just got this book on Tuesday). I'd like to do more mileage, but I don't think I'll be able to fit it in timewise. I sure wish I could somehow get back the two hours I commute to and from work every day. Those are just wasted hours (10 per week!) that I could use to really get myself to the next level.

It was less than stellar, but the run up Sweet Pond Rd. and back was pretty with the newly fallen snow on stark branches. It was a quiet day during a quiet time of year. All I heard were my footfalls on the snow or occasional patch of gravel. My legs were tired from the start. Maybe even the gradual increase in weekly mileage has already affected me. Or I've put on a little holiday weight, and I haven't been eating as well (those chocolates sure are tasty).