The Next Goal

I started training for my next goal today. Pac Rim. The first year Jenny and I ran 50 miles in about 14 hours. Last year we ran 62 miles in 19 hours. This year my goal is to run for 24 hours, and I hope, about 80 miles. So how in the world do I train for that while working and spending time with family and friends?

Well...first off, many of my friends are runners, so that makes it a little easier. And those who aren't runners themselves have always been supportive of my crazy ideas. One good friend in particular, Lorri, even takes care of the crazy runners she knows - cooking for Eric, Steve and I, and spoiling us after our runs. I think the friends part will be okay. And of course the family part... Web's off in Tennessee, Riley's pretty busy, but is here at home with us, so I get to see him often, and as for Eric...I have to say his training schedule is more of a worry than mine. He is going to have to run more and longer and harder than I do, so we'll both have some balancing to do. And then there is my work. It is very important to me that it remains of the highest quality that I am capable of providing. I'm passionate about my students and my preschoolers and I really don't want my other passion to impact that. And so I work around work. How so?

Three days a week, I get up earlier than you can imagine to get my morning runs in. In addition to running doubles on Thursdays, I'm adding an evening run on Tuesdays. I can only manage five miles in the mornings and still get to work on time, and since I'm trying to balance life and running, I'll limit the evening runs to five or six miles. Weekends, I intend to either be at one of the races I've entered or to get some hilly and/or longer runs in. My original goal was at least 50 miles per week, but in the last few days I've come to realize that might be more than I can manage. So I'm going to aim for somewhere between 40 and 50 miles per week, with a rest week every third week or so. I'm also committed to Pilates at least twice per week - Mondays and Fridays are rest days from running, therefore they are perfect Pilates days. Will this plan get me to 80 miles and 24 hours? I think so. I am sure it will get me to 24 hours, not so sure it will get me to 80 miles, but I'm gonna give it a shot!

I've got a heavy course load this quarter, but I intend to stick to my once-per-week posting. I'll let you know how training is going and more importantly, if I'm able to keep some balance in my life. In the meantime, if you want a little taste of Pac Rim, I'm going to send you back to my reflective post from last year's race. Wow - when I pulled up that post to get the link, I stopped to read it. Then I read the race report. I got a little scared - I think I forgot how hard it was to run 62 miles. But then, since I was reading old posts, I read this one. And I remembered this - I'm 52 years old now. Many years ago, a doctor predicted valve replacement for me at 52. But hey! I think instead of valve replacement I'll go out and run me a few miles... just because I can.