Tuesday, January 2, 2007

So you want to be a marathoner...

Maybe. Maybe not. 26.2 miles is a LONG way to travel and especially via foot! However, I decided that I'd give it a try. Over the last month or so following the last 1/2 marathon of the year, Detroit Free Press, I've been putting together a training schedule that will play out over the next 18 weeks leading up to The Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. Now I KNOW I won't stick to it completely because it's a little rigid, but do-able at times too so I figure if I even get 85% of the distance covered and 50% of the specific training types I'll be doing pretty darn good.

Background: I've been running for 1.5 years. I've been a "member" of DTRW, Downtown Runner's and Walkers for all but 3 weeks of that time. To date the longest distance I've raced at one time has been the 1/2 marathon at 13.1 miles and I've done that race distance 6 times. In '06 I also participated in 2 relays one of which went across the state of MI covering 270 miles with 10 runners and another was 60something miles with 5 runners. In addition the longest training run I've done has been 15 miles, but that run was so ugly I can hardly take credit for more that 14. I've have several injuries along the way too, mostly due to over use: pulled upper left hamstring (that was bad), blisters, pad of foot pain, top of foot pain, etc. Obviously I've encountered a lot of sore muscles too.

ANYWAY.... I've been taking it easy the last couple weeks to let any little irky spots heal up (hopefully) before pressing on with this new goal. But Saturday we headed out to Mayberry State park for a little running with Dave and Mark. Oiy. I over did it! 9 something miles there might as well have been 13 miles on road. I'm sore, sore, sore! This is NOT how I wanted the first day of training to go!

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