Archives for September 7, 2006

…and the “real” training begins:

I’m finishing up week 6 of training. It’s the last step-back week before the program rapidly moves into the “real deal.” My training schedule has sort of been paralleling the “pre-season” of football.

As I nervously look forward to BoBo’s 1st game, I am looking forward to the movement towards peak training.

You may, or may not (if you are a newer runner), know the scenario. The 1st many weeks of the training schedule gets your running base set. It gets you used to the pattern of the training program. In my case: Monday = cross training, Tuesday & Thursday = shorter runs + strength and stretching, Wednesday = sort-of-long run, Friday = rest day, Saturday = sort-of-long distance at marathon race pace, and Sunday = Long run.

So, as my “pre-season” training ends, I look forward to 14 – 15 – 17 – 20 mile runs with various races mixed in. Next week, my shorter run and sort-of-long run distances increase and my long run continues to climb. It’s time to get jazzed about my training, to embrace it, and to gear up for marathon day.

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I walked down the stairs to change for today’s run. Time had gotten away from me today. I hadn’t even eaten my morning snack bar yet. Since I began on the JC program, I’ve needed something to carry me through my mid-day run. Today, I grabbed an over-ripe (for me) banana.

The day was off kilter from the very beginning. Just out my front door, I dropped some salsa on the front of my shirt. I tried not to let it fluster me. I drove back home to change and meet my carpool partner after dropping off the kids. But my carpool partner wasn’t there. And she didn’t answer her cell phone. I waited until 7:30 am. No show. Reluctantly, I began my horrible trek to work. The traffic had really built up. There were many accidents along the way. It was rapidly turning into a bad day.

And at work, the funk continued. It seemed wide spread. On my office chair was card being circulated for signatures and well wishes to another employee jumping ship. When will it all end? I began to wonder if I should be resuming my hunt for another job.

During my lunchtime run, and then in the fitness center I could smell a stink. It was foul. Wait a minute…It’s me. My sweaty workout clothes have gotten *really* ripe over the last few days of repeated use. Since I’ve been running hard, I’ve been sweating a lot. They were far more ripe than my banana. Pee-yoo!