Monday, March 05, 2007

Training Plans

I've signed my life away in marathons. Eric signed me up for the Nike Women's Marathon last week, and last night I signed up for North Discovery and Coeur D'Alene. At this point, I'm committed to every marathon on my sidebar. I plan to add a couple more fall marathons to the list - we'll have to wait and see how that shakes out. The Nike marathon is shaping up to be a great trip - so far 10 women from our run club are signed up for either the full or the half. We're talking road trip here! Watch out San Francisco, the Girls of Washington are heading your way!

I've started tracking time in terms of weekends...as in how many weekends before the next race? My mind is always turning over running routes and distances and planning, planning, planning (side note to Eric, Steve and Lorri - planning, not worrying). I have three weekends till Yakima, 20 miles, 13 miles, eight-ish miles. (The 13 miles will be a scouting run of the first half of the Tacoma City Marathon with our run group). Then I have two weekends till the Mt. Si 50K. I'm not sure what I'll do there. Then zero weekends till the next marathon - that's easy to figure out. After that it falls into an every other weekend routine for the next six weeks. That's easy too - recover week: all runs five miles or less, followed immediately by a taper week: again, all runs five miles or less. It's so much easier than all those complicated marathon training plans!

The real challenge will come this summer - how to keep my training up till October. I won't be running summer marathons, I have too many problems with heat. I could maybe do some half marathons (is it "halfs" when you are talking multiple half marathons, or is it the grammatically correct "halves"?), but I find that tricky to plan for. I could get up race day and find perfect weather, or it could be too warm and do me in - after last year's problem during the relay, I'm running (hah!) a little scared. I will try to do some marathon distance runs though - starting at 5:00 in the morning to beat the heat.

My cold is almost over - I'm much better today than the last few days. No worries though, I ran anyway, and fortunately, it was a recovery week, so I had short runs on the schedule. I got in 5.7 on Saturday and 5 on Sunday. I'm looking forward to picking up my mileage this week with a little more on the midweek mileage schedule and a 20 miler this weekend.

Marathon Maniac #402, signing off from Washington, where the mountains are high, the trees are tall and the runners are ready to go the distance!

19 comments:

Unknown said...

I would say, where the runners are psycho obsessive maniacs. I say that in the nicest way possible :)

Maybe I will be able to join you all for the 13 miles on the TCM course. Maybe I should see it one of these days.

Jack said...

Glad your cold is better. It sounds like you are going to have a fabulous year of running!

Tony C said...

Hmmm, I would stick to say "half marathons." Though halves is correct, it sounds odd. Just as you don't hear one saying, "I have one datum," but rather, "I have a piece of data." Which reminds me, is Mr. Data a schizophrenic? Never mind.

Oh yeah, running ... glad to see you getting so excited about running so many races. I think you'll enjoy the atmosphere of Mt Si. I especially like seeing all of the relay runners pass by. They're always so encouraging. I really think you would like some of the 50K races in the area more than running marathons ... they're so low key and social.

Have fun!

*tc

Thomas said...

... and one certain female runner has gone completely bonkers.

When is your first 50 miler?

Wes said...

That all sounds wonderful and exciting. I'm sure you will pull it off splendidly. You need to keep an eye on hubby and make sure he doesn't slip any more unplanned marathons into your sidebar ;-)

JustRun said...

My gosh, woman, you are a machine!
Your girls road trip sounds awesome, though! I'm so glad you're having fun with all of this!

Oh yeah, and a friend of mine that runs a marathon a month once told me the main reason she does it is to avoid all the long runs... she's either recovering or tapering! Good plan. :)

Ryan said...

Great views and thoughts in your last post. My daughter will be starting preschool soon, I hope they take the same approach as you have!

Looks like you’ll be a busy runner over the next couple months…..I’ll be cheering you on!

Anonymous said...

You are really an inspiration to me. Not only did you run with a cold but you are doing the Nike marathon. If I deciede to do a marathon ever again it will be that one. I'm hopeful for 2008 but we'll see what the cards give me. Can't wait to read all about your races.

E-Speed said...

I heard the Nike marathon is great! Have fun and enjoy the Tiffany's "medal" you get!

Anne said...

I like the variety in your race schedule...some smaller marathons interspersed with mega races. They should prove to all be interesting. Now, just stay healthy!

Sarah said...

I ran NODM in 2005 and 2006. It's a great little race. (My profile pic is actually at mile 16 or so.) You'll love it, I'm sure. : )

Olga said...

Yes, not worrying, but planning...you maniac!

Joe said...

I'd use "HMs" or "havzies" or "half-ers". If you were raised on a cattle ranch, it could be a "heifer" but you weren't, so scratch that.

Why not use the summer as a maintaince time...enjoy the relaxing weekends at home, get in some decent but not bonkers runs, let the legs repair and renew for the fall???

And...count your blessings you don't live in the midwest!!! You wanna run in heat and humidity?? Oh my!!!

Unknown said...

Did I already mention the psycho obsessive maniac thingy?

Jenny, Maniac #401 said...

Your signature sign off sounds like a commercial for something. Beer comes to mind, but that's not you. Just funny. Anyway you are always planning, planning, planning. Cracks me up!
See ya soon. I hear it's going topour on us for the 20 miler! More fun!
Jenny

Chad said...

After reading your post I don't know what to say.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll do awesome.

Donald said...

OK, I'll stop complaining about my race schedule (that's actually my next post), because you've definitely got me beat. Good luck, woman.

runliarun said...

This is so much you, this effervescence, this exuberance, this excitement, this ebullience.

Anonymous said...

Wowowow, holy marathoning batman! If being registered for these isn't motivation of the finest kind, then what really is? :)

Happy training!
Meghan
www.running-blogs.com/meghan