Weekly Training Log

Only one week till marathon day!  I ran my last long run last Sunday.  It was only 18 miles (20 was my goal), but that is going to have to do for this marathon.  It took me 3 hours and 45 minutes.  On Monday I ran 2 miles on the treadmill and did 30 minutes on the elliptical to try to make up for what I didn't run on Sunday.  Tuesday I did 1 hour Spinerval class at the gym and Wednesday I did upper and lower body weights and then 20 minutes on the exercise bike.  I hit the weights pretty hard Wednesday and that is the main reason why my legs have been really sore this week.  Thursday I did 30 minutes run on the treadmill and 1 hour Spinerval class.  My legs have been sore all week, but are better today after only doing an easy 30 minutes on the elliptical yesterday.  I have been stretching and doing core work after most of my workouts too and that has helped.  My goal for the marathon is running it in around 4 hours.  As slow as I have gotten it is going to be tough.  This is the first time I have trained for a marathon without doing at least one 20+ mile long run.  It will be interesting to see how I feel afterwards.

I have been watching all the news about the runners in the NYC marathon which is tomorrow and I am soooo jealous!  I want to run that marathon so bad.  I have for years, but it is hard to get into.  I am going to make a little more effort to get in within the next couple of years.   I might do the Mardi Gras Marathon in New Orleans this February with the Running Nazi too.  Of course, there is always the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham.   I have run that one several times either the half or the whole.

A cold front came through night before last and it has been cold and windy at the coast.  It seems to have calmed down out there this morning.  I am heading to the gym to workout.  I will probably run and do weights (upper body only) today.  I passed up a 5k race at the Margartitaville Hotel mainly because the entire 3.2 mile run is on the sand at the beach.  I could just see myself getting injured trying to race as hard as I can on uneven surface.  I am too competitive to just go do it for fun.  It would have been fun, but I have to focus on the marathon next week.  Couldn't get the Murph to do it either.  It didn't sound fun to him!

Should I Sign Up For A Fall Marathon?

I was suppose to do the Chicago Marathon with the Running Nazi next month, but I waited too long to sign up and it was full.  I thought about racing with a charity slot, but if I didn't raise enough money I would have to come up with the difference.  The Murph was a little concerned about that (especially since he would be the one coming up with the difference).  The idea of spending thousands of dollars just to run a marathon didn't appeal to him even if it was for a good cause.  I tried to assure him that I would be able to raise the money and the Running Nazi said she would help.  Didn't work.  The Running Nazi told me I should just sign up anyway and not tell the Murph until I had raised the money.  I didn't think that would be a good idea!

I am considering running Pensacola Marathon in November even though I haven't really been marathon training.  The Running Nazi and I have also talked about doing Mardi Gras marathon in New Orleans in February.  She wants to qualify for Boston.  I ran Boston in 2003, but would like to do it again for a faster time.  I was injured when I ran it last time and so far it has been my slowest marathon.  I need to do it again, one more time at least.  We would have to do under a four hour marathon in order to qualify.  I think that's doable.  Of course, before I do a four hour marathon I need to actually sign up for and TRAIN for a marathon.  These little 3 to 10 mile runs aren't gonna do it!