Jun 5-Jun 16: First week and a half of Marathon Training!!!

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting the same result every time.  Something like that.

I've done 3:37-3:41-ish for my three marathons on relatively low mileage.  Last time, I upped my mileage, but it didn't seem to help, since I fared in the middle (3:39ish).  I debated whether I wanted to follow the Furman FIRST Run Less Run Faster plan, which emphasizes 3 quality runs per week, with cross-training.  Those runs are crazy difficult, like race pace stuff.  I don't know if I could've handled that.  Long runs were in the usual 20 range.  Another option was the Hansons Method, which caps LRs at 16 miles and makes up for it by having another decent run right next to it, and by having a pretty high volume overall. 

Right now, I'm planning on going with the Hansons plan.  Mileage goes up to 57mpw.  My max was maybe 39 on a week where I happened to have two long runs within the same week, I think.  So that'll be a stretch.  We'll see.  I'll play it by ear.

Here's the plan:

So far, so good.   But it starts easy.  So much for the 10% rule!!! 

Jun 5, Wednesday: 4.4 @ 7:57.

Jun 7, Friday: 1 hr strength session.

Jun 8, Saturday: 6.8 @ 8:54.

Jun 9, Sunday: 4.2 @ 8:28.

Jun 10, Monday: 4.0 @ 8:11... third day in a row of running!  Originally planned on catching up on sleep, but figured why not run, b/c I felt ok.  I breathed through my nose from mile 1.25->2.25... good lung exercise.

Jun 11, Tuesday: 50 min Biking session.

Jun 13, Thursday: 4.9 @ 8:46 outside at sunset... I got in 2x0.75 mi laps before I had to start using a headlamp, which I held in my hand... the risks of producing imbalances and injuring myself on unsteady footing are probably outweigh the gains of the run... know it for next time.

Jun 14, Friday: 1 hr strength session.

Jun 15, Saturday: 9.2 @ 8:48 outside.  Went by easily and quickly.  Sprained ankle @ mile 5 and limped for 100m before stabilizing and continuing on.  Didn't stop my watch.

Jun 16, Sunday: 4.5 @ 8:54 outside.  Ran on tired body, to build up endurance.  The run beat me up.  I rolled the right ankle again, in mile 4, but it wasn't as bad this time.

May 28-Jun 5: Working self into the ground... kinda literally

May 28, Tuesday: 5.0 in 8:24. 

May 29, Wednesday: 50 min biking.

May 31, Friday: 5.0 in 8:08.  Fear that I have adrenal fatigue.  Not much sleep in the past 2 weeks.  Looking fit, though.

Jun 1, Saturday: 1 hr strength session.  First half of the day, all I wanted to do was lie on the floor or on the bed, with no desire to do anything else.  In the morning, lots of low blood pressure blacking out.  Stayed in bed until 3pm, just about.

Jun 2, Sunday: 45 min biking.  Had a call at night with Asia, so I was on the computer, typing on my right, on the phone with my iPhone headphones, while trying to fit my bike session in.  Hope that didn't cause imbalances.  I did feel it a bit the next day, so I probably won't try that again.

Jun 3, Monday: 4.5 mi @ 7:52.  Tired, but wanted to run.  Night call with Asia until 1am.

Jun 5, Wednesday: 4.4 mi @ 7:57.  It was only Wednesday.... felt like I had worked 2 weeks straight, with no weekends... probably because I was doing US hours + half of Asia hours every day since Sunday night.  Needed the exercise to release energy/steam, though.

Stone Mountain, Georgia

After the 30K...

Slept lots the day after the 30K to help with recovery.  Craved calcium, and bones felt compressed.  My body itched to run, but I played it smart and rested.

Monday, May 20: Biked 60 min.  I had looked forwrd to working out all day during work, though after my post-dinner nap, I had to tear myself out of bed to get to the gym.  The time went by quickly, a sign of good times with the running magazine.

Tuesday, May 21: 1 hr Strength session.

Wednesday - at the office from 8:15am->11:30pm, so no workout.

Thursday, May 23: 5 mi @ 8:24.  Crazy sleep patterns today (after working til midnight the previous day, I had a 5am call).

Friday, May 24: 50 min bike session.  Time flew by again.

Saturday, May 25: 5 mi @ 8:10.

Sunday, May 26: Hiking at Stone Maountain with the fam.  It was suprisingly hard.  Maybe because I was still recovering from the 30K, or maybe because of the poor sleep.  I really only felt it during the uphills.  The backpack didn't make it any easier.

It was a nice day, though.  It's nice when big cities have more natural getaway spots closeby.

Had a bit of iPhone fun at the top.