Currently, I'm training to qualify for the Boston Marathon. This is the latest in a number of athletic goals on my bucket list. Items that have been checked off include "finish a marathon", "finish a trail marathon," and "break 45min in the 10k." Having been recently inspired by my friend TK completing his first ironman, I have given thought to the remaining contents of my list, and decided to post some of them.
1. Qualify for the Boston Marathon (in progress).
2. Break 20min for the 5k (perhaps in 2011?).
3. Complete an Ironman TBD. Once I've done this, I'm still naive enough to also say that I will then shoot for Kona.
4. Complete a 50k - probably the Stump Jump, and maybe in 2011!
5. Complete a 50 miler. I love southern Virginia (where I finished my first marathon), so perhaps Iron Mountain. Eventually, I'd also like to run the Vermont 50, because I love VT too.
6. Western States (I mean come on, are you a real endurance athlete if this one is not on your list?)
7. Comrades. Preferably during a year when the course is tougher. Probably because I like pain.
8. Spartathlon. Three years of Greek in college, affinity for Mediterranean history, an opinion that the story of the Battle of Marathon is awesome, love of running a long way...it just adds up.
9. Hood to Coast. Camaraderie, brotherhood, teamwork, sleeping in the back of a van in between stages...and Oregon, baby. What's not to love?
10. Finally - I want to watch my children grow into athletes, develop an attitude of sportsmanship, learn to win well, learn to lose well, and not only know the agony of defeat and the exhiliration of winning, but the quiet joy and inner peace that comes from simply competing well and doing your best.
I'm sure there are more that I am forgetting, and others that are not run/tri related, such as playing one season of soccer in an adult league. I'll add those as I think of them.
BB
Friday, November 12, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Lines on the Road, Nov. 11, 2010
(this is a feature I hope to include from time to time - news about running, stories of interest, etc.)
- Congratulations to Darlington School's varsity girls XC on winning the state championship last weekend! Congrats also to their coach, Alan Parish. Story from Rome News-Tribune; Photos by Coach Parish
- Sir Alex frustrated that the Red Devils (less Wayne Rooney) could do no better than a scoreless draw against City in the Derby (pronounced "darby"). If you knew what I meant by that last sentence before clicking on the link, you are a true fan.
- I understand that the Georgia Bulldog football team took a vote after practice yesterday, and yes, they will in fact make the trip to the Plains this weekend to face Scam Newton and the Tigers. Game preview from Viewfrom336.com
- Tim Tebow named in a restraining order, along with...you'll never guess. Florida Sun-Sentinel
- Video of the Day: Lance Armstrong saddles up with Jon Stewart.
- Congratulations to Darlington School's varsity girls XC on winning the state championship last weekend! Congrats also to their coach, Alan Parish. Story from Rome News-Tribune; Photos by Coach Parish
- Sir Alex frustrated that the Red Devils (less Wayne Rooney) could do no better than a scoreless draw against City in the Derby (pronounced "darby"). If you knew what I meant by that last sentence before clicking on the link, you are a true fan.
- I understand that the Georgia Bulldog football team took a vote after practice yesterday, and yes, they will in fact make the trip to the Plains this weekend to face Scam Newton and the Tigers. Game preview from Viewfrom336.com
- Tim Tebow named in a restraining order, along with...you'll never guess. Florida Sun-Sentinel
- Video of the Day: Lance Armstrong saddles up with Jon Stewart.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Haven't run consistently this week, so I have the tendency to feel behind the curve. However, I did manage 13.1 last Saturday a.m. for the first time in a long time. I was pleasantly surprised to finish in 1:55:34 - I would have been very pleased to break two hours. I did not feel as if I was exerting a great deal of effort. I was encouraged. Now I feel prepared to finish the Atlanta Half Marathon in 15 days without destroying the rest of my day.
In other news, a BIG congratulations to my friend and training partner Todd Kelley, who completed Ford Ironman Florida this past weekend in 13:46:56. Todd prepared for this event for a full year. I take my hat off to anyone who finishes an Ironman. This is on my athletic bucket list...maybe something to shoot for after this Boston craziness is over? Hmmmm....
In other news, a BIG congratulations to my friend and training partner Todd Kelley, who completed Ford Ironman Florida this past weekend in 13:46:56. Todd prepared for this event for a full year. I take my hat off to anyone who finishes an Ironman. This is on my athletic bucket list...maybe something to shoot for after this Boston craziness is over? Hmmmm....
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Random Thoughts: Running as an Addiction
I hate to be a lawyer and stuff, but let me begin by defining my terms. My leather-bound Black's Law Dictionary defines an "addict" as "a person who habitually uses a substance." Okay, that can include lots of things, like Vitamin Water, almonds, European football, and hugs from my wife and kids. But, the definition goes on - "esp. a narcotic drug." So I flip over to the definition of "narcotic", and I find the following: "An addictive drug." Circular definition, anyone?
I go down this road, because running has become a great habit for me for a number of reasons. Lately I've wondered if my body has, over the past two years, developed a dependence on running. I say that for at least three reasons:
1. Without it, I actually suffer from withdrawal. I become much less pleasant to be around. There have been a number of occasions in the past two years when I would bark at my wife, and she would (as only she can) calmy say "You need to go for a run." I also have much less energy throughout the day when I am not running on a consistent basis.
2. When I run in the morning, I accomplish almost twice as much and am hyperfocused at work. I have a job where being hyperfocused is a great advantage. I also have greater mental clarity - not only can I stay on task to a greater degree than otherwise, my mental processing speed improves greatly.
3. Finally, I woke up and was running at 4:15 this morning. All I can say about that is, "Hello, I'm Brian, and I have a running problem."
I go down this road, because running has become a great habit for me for a number of reasons. Lately I've wondered if my body has, over the past two years, developed a dependence on running. I say that for at least three reasons:
1. Without it, I actually suffer from withdrawal. I become much less pleasant to be around. There have been a number of occasions in the past two years when I would bark at my wife, and she would (as only she can) calmy say "You need to go for a run." I also have much less energy throughout the day when I am not running on a consistent basis.
2. When I run in the morning, I accomplish almost twice as much and am hyperfocused at work. I have a job where being hyperfocused is a great advantage. I also have greater mental clarity - not only can I stay on task to a greater degree than otherwise, my mental processing speed improves greatly.
3. Finally, I woke up and was running at 4:15 this morning. All I can say about that is, "Hello, I'm Brian, and I have a running problem."
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Setting a Goal Spread
One of the most important steps in preparing for a race of any distance is to set a proper goal. When I began running in 2005, my goal was simple: finish the race. However, like most, I quickly got sucked into the neurotic process of whittling down race times. My projected race plans for any given year would teem with what I hoped would be new and improved finishes. With dedication, I worked my way down to my current PR set and, again like most, my times began to fluctuate, mainly due to the fact that life circumstances (i.e., the things that matter more in life than running and race times) interfered with training on an increasingly consistent basis. Despite these peaks and valleys, I rarely enter a race without a time goal in mind. The point of this post is to show that, rather than setting a single time goal and gunning for it, it is much more constructive for a runner of any ability to set a goal spread. Practically, this involves toeing the starting line with three numbers in mind: a goal, a great day goal, and a bad day goal.
Your "goal" is where you reasonably believe you will finish, on the basis of the course, the conditions, your fitness, the buddy you are running with, and a host of other factors. My training for a particular race is designed with my "goal" in the center of the target. For example, I'd like to run between 1:30 and 1:35 at the Berry Half Marathon in March 2011, on my way to running a BQ at the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon in November 2011. A good "goal" for me to set for Berry, on which I will focus my training, is 1:32. Therefore, 1:32 is my goal for the Berry Half.
A "bad day" goal is where you will finish if the whole operation breaks down. Most runners of all ability levels who have run more than a few races understand that a number of factors can derail your chance for glory at the most unexpected and unwelcome time. Blisters, GI issues, adverse weather, gear issues, and physical illness are just a few of the many examples of circumstances that prevent you from reaching your potential. A "bad day" goal for me at the Berry Half would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:35 - 1:39.
A tip for setting a spread is that as the distance grows, so should your spread. Goals that are just minutes apart probably work for a 5K, but not for a marathon. Goals that are ten minutes or more apart are unreasonable for a 5K, but probably work well for a marathon or 50K. An extention of the "bad day" goal is a "worst day" goal, which is even lower than a bad day goal. Personally, I stick to three numbers; any more than that and I start to get confused (what was my super super awesome day number again??).
A "great day" goal is the opposite of the bad day goal. Those who understand that sometimes bad stuff happens during a race also know that sometimes the sun begins to shine (metaphorically) and everything just works well. Sometimes a runner hits that sweet spot in the middle of a thousand factors: course, weather, training, pacing, nutrition, hydration, gear, et al., and just knocks it out of the park. For these occasions, a great day goal is appropriate. I find it constructive to set a great day goal either just out of what I think my ability is, or on the opposite of some significant barrier. I have chosen the latter approach for Berry. 1:30 in a half marathon is a significant barrier, therefore, my great day goal is 1:29. I have found myself much more likely to hit my goal when I have a great day goal set, because my competitive nature makes me shoot for the great day goal every time.
Goals are important even if you don't expect yourself to PR or set any land speed records. My last marathon was the Thrill in the Hills Trail Marathon at Fort Yargo State Park in Winder, Georgia back in February 2010. I originally signed up for it because I freaking LOVE the course - two loops on a mountain bike trail around the perimeter of the park. Then, an earthquake hit Haiti, and I started raising money for Samaritan's Purse. I was honored by a ton of donors, and knew that some of them would be checking up on me and my finish time. I considered the weather (thirty degree temperature shift from start to finish, from 28 to 58!), the course (moderate hills the entire way), and my marathon fitness (about a 5.5 on a scale of 1-10), and set my goal spread at 4:30 (great day), sub-5:00 (goal), and 5:00 - 5:15 (bad day). I finished in 4:55, and felt great about it. I knew I would not break my marathon PR, but having a goal spread kept my head in the game. It held me accountable to think about pacing, heartrate, nutrition, and hydration.
So, I have defined my spread for Berry. As time progresses I will develop one for other races, and ultimately for the BQ.
Your "goal" is where you reasonably believe you will finish, on the basis of the course, the conditions, your fitness, the buddy you are running with, and a host of other factors. My training for a particular race is designed with my "goal" in the center of the target. For example, I'd like to run between 1:30 and 1:35 at the Berry Half Marathon in March 2011, on my way to running a BQ at the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon in November 2011. A good "goal" for me to set for Berry, on which I will focus my training, is 1:32. Therefore, 1:32 is my goal for the Berry Half.
A "bad day" goal is where you will finish if the whole operation breaks down. Most runners of all ability levels who have run more than a few races understand that a number of factors can derail your chance for glory at the most unexpected and unwelcome time. Blisters, GI issues, adverse weather, gear issues, and physical illness are just a few of the many examples of circumstances that prevent you from reaching your potential. A "bad day" goal for me at the Berry Half would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:35 - 1:39.
A tip for setting a spread is that as the distance grows, so should your spread. Goals that are just minutes apart probably work for a 5K, but not for a marathon. Goals that are ten minutes or more apart are unreasonable for a 5K, but probably work well for a marathon or 50K. An extention of the "bad day" goal is a "worst day" goal, which is even lower than a bad day goal. Personally, I stick to three numbers; any more than that and I start to get confused (what was my super super awesome day number again??).
A "great day" goal is the opposite of the bad day goal. Those who understand that sometimes bad stuff happens during a race also know that sometimes the sun begins to shine (metaphorically) and everything just works well. Sometimes a runner hits that sweet spot in the middle of a thousand factors: course, weather, training, pacing, nutrition, hydration, gear, et al., and just knocks it out of the park. For these occasions, a great day goal is appropriate. I find it constructive to set a great day goal either just out of what I think my ability is, or on the opposite of some significant barrier. I have chosen the latter approach for Berry. 1:30 in a half marathon is a significant barrier, therefore, my great day goal is 1:29. I have found myself much more likely to hit my goal when I have a great day goal set, because my competitive nature makes me shoot for the great day goal every time.
Goals are important even if you don't expect yourself to PR or set any land speed records. My last marathon was the Thrill in the Hills Trail Marathon at Fort Yargo State Park in Winder, Georgia back in February 2010. I originally signed up for it because I freaking LOVE the course - two loops on a mountain bike trail around the perimeter of the park. Then, an earthquake hit Haiti, and I started raising money for Samaritan's Purse. I was honored by a ton of donors, and knew that some of them would be checking up on me and my finish time. I considered the weather (thirty degree temperature shift from start to finish, from 28 to 58!), the course (moderate hills the entire way), and my marathon fitness (about a 5.5 on a scale of 1-10), and set my goal spread at 4:30 (great day), sub-5:00 (goal), and 5:00 - 5:15 (bad day). I finished in 4:55, and felt great about it. I knew I would not break my marathon PR, but having a goal spread kept my head in the game. It held me accountable to think about pacing, heartrate, nutrition, and hydration.
So, I have defined my spread for Berry. As time progresses I will develop one for other races, and ultimately for the BQ.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
BQ Pace in a Half Marathon
Anytime I want to calculate pace, I use the pace calculator over at Cool Running.
According to it, I need a 7:17 average pace in a marathon to post a 3:10:59. In my mind, I will tell myself I need a 7:10 or so. A 7:10 average pace in a half marathon leads to a time of 1:33:57.
My pie-in-the-sky goal for the Berry Half is now sub-1:34. If I can hit that, my confidence going into a fall BQ would be sky-high.
According to it, I need a 7:17 average pace in a marathon to post a 3:10:59. In my mind, I will tell myself I need a 7:10 or so. A 7:10 average pace in a half marathon leads to a time of 1:33:57.
My pie-in-the-sky goal for the Berry Half is now sub-1:34. If I can hit that, my confidence going into a fall BQ would be sky-high.
I had a medical procedure done this past Monday, which puts me out of commission until Monday, October 4. This reality has permitted me to go back to the drawing board and re-plan.
This morning, I wrote a training schedule for the Berry Half Marathon, where my goal is to break 1:40 and sustain a 7:20-7:25 pace (pie-in-the-sky goal is to maintain BQ pace, or 7:10). Between now and March 3, I will run the following races during training:
1. The Atlanta Half Marathon, Thanksgiving Day
2. New Year's Day Resolution 5k(in planning stages for Rome GA, 1/1/11)
After the Berry Half, I will take it easy for a few weeks and jog the Virginia Creeper Marathon on Sunday, March 27. I will reserve judgment on a goal for that race. I plan to set something though; I don't do well with "go out there, just run and have fun." I might shoot for ten minute miles, or 4:20, just to enjoy the course while having a concrete goal in place. And, at that pace, I won't be trashed afterward.
This morning, I wrote a training schedule for the Berry Half Marathon, where my goal is to break 1:40 and sustain a 7:20-7:25 pace (pie-in-the-sky goal is to maintain BQ pace, or 7:10). Between now and March 3, I will run the following races during training:
1. The Atlanta Half Marathon, Thanksgiving Day
2. New Year's Day Resolution 5k(in planning stages for Rome GA, 1/1/11)
After the Berry Half, I will take it easy for a few weeks and jog the Virginia Creeper Marathon on Sunday, March 27. I will reserve judgment on a goal for that race. I plan to set something though; I don't do well with "go out there, just run and have fun." I might shoot for ten minute miles, or 4:20, just to enjoy the course while having a concrete goal in place. And, at that pace, I won't be trashed afterward.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Brother, am I out of shape
Life circumstances have kept my running schedule tentative for the past few weeks. I know, I know, that's normal and to be expected. Our circumstances have been a little more extreme than normal. In such times, playthings such as running take a backseat.
I wrote a schedule for the Roman Rumble, hoping to run 21:00, but scrapped it after I could not complete the first three weeks. So, this past weekend I prepared a training schedule for the ATL Half, and began that this week. So far, all is well, but I consider training to be tentative at best.
This morning I completed my first tempo run in about 100 years (details on RTW), completing three tempo miles at a 7:40 pace. It felt good to run faster again. Between the 1.5 mile mark and the 2.75 mile mark, I felt smooth and in rhythm. I can tell that I have a great deal of work to do to maintain that rhythm over a long distance, like I could in the past. But, you have to start somewhere!
Lately I have been reminded of the mental toughness aspects of running. More on this in future posts.
I wrote a schedule for the Roman Rumble, hoping to run 21:00, but scrapped it after I could not complete the first three weeks. So, this past weekend I prepared a training schedule for the ATL Half, and began that this week. So far, all is well, but I consider training to be tentative at best.
This morning I completed my first tempo run in about 100 years (details on RTW), completing three tempo miles at a 7:40 pace. It felt good to run faster again. Between the 1.5 mile mark and the 2.75 mile mark, I felt smooth and in rhythm. I can tell that I have a great deal of work to do to maintain that rhythm over a long distance, like I could in the past. But, you have to start somewhere!
Lately I have been reminded of the mental toughness aspects of running. More on this in future posts.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
New (or new to me) Blog
Check out the blog for Team USA Georgia. This is an organization founded and operated by my friend Jay to improve the performance of post-collegiate runners. Jay is a rock star when it comes to running, and has the mind and heart of a teacher/coach when it comes to couch potatoes like me. In the next year, I will run with Jay as much as possible, and will shamelessly and relentlessly bug him for training tips.
In other news, new shoes! I am a flat-footed overpronator who is built more like a running back than a runner, so I am always in need of support. I have long been a fan of the Asics Gel 2100 series, which was originally recommended to me by the good folks at Fleet Feet in John's Creek (then Duluth). The latest shoe in that series is the 2150, which I bought last Thursday. Since I like to support local rock, I patronized Just Sports & Tennis in Rome, and they hooked me up.
I'm having mental difficulty with this whole "maintain a base until REAL training begins in 10 weeks" proposition. I have always done the best with a training regimen when a race is on the calendar. Accordingly I am thinking now that I need intermediate races other than the half next spring and full next fall. There is a great possibility that I will run the Atlanta Half Marathon on Thanksgiving Day. If I commit to running it, I will enter a training plan for it in the next few weeks.
In other news, new shoes! I am a flat-footed overpronator who is built more like a running back than a runner, so I am always in need of support. I have long been a fan of the Asics Gel 2100 series, which was originally recommended to me by the good folks at Fleet Feet in John's Creek (then Duluth). The latest shoe in that series is the 2150, which I bought last Thursday. Since I like to support local rock, I patronized Just Sports & Tennis in Rome, and they hooked me up.
I'm having mental difficulty with this whole "maintain a base until REAL training begins in 10 weeks" proposition. I have always done the best with a training regimen when a race is on the calendar. Accordingly I am thinking now that I need intermediate races other than the half next spring and full next fall. There is a great possibility that I will run the Atlanta Half Marathon on Thanksgiving Day. If I commit to running it, I will enter a training plan for it in the next few weeks.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
New Course
I need to figure out how to upload maps from my Garmin.
This morning I ran on the campus of Darlington School with AP and Wilson. Both of those guys are much faster than me, so I need to run with them AMAP. Darlington sits on 400 acres of mostly wooded areas. AP, the head XC coach at the school, took us on a 5 mile course that had everything - wooded trail, grass, the school's XC course, paved road, hills, even a tunnel. It was a great course that reminded me of the value of hill training. My ankle was tender this morning, but a mile into the run, even with the unstable terrain of trails, I was running pain-free. Hopefully I can now put that behind me.
Another topic I need to cover is heartrate training - one of the top reasons I got into running and keep running was and is to stay heart healthy. Heart disease runs in my family. To this end, I wear a heart rate monitor when I run (almost like a bra - very manly). I have a suspicion that my average heart rate is too high on easy runs - this morning my average rate was 167. I will probably get into this in future posts.
Finally, AP mentioned a chart that compares race times in various distances that has been developed by our friend Jay. The purpose of the chart is to show how a time at one distance compares to a time at another, for what we can call "reasonable projection" purposes. For instance, AP's recent performance at the Peachtree Road Race (38:59) translates into a 3:02 marathon. While this is not an exact science, it can be very helpful. I will be interested to see what my race times need to be to project a BQ marathon time.
This morning I ran on the campus of Darlington School with AP and Wilson. Both of those guys are much faster than me, so I need to run with them AMAP. Darlington sits on 400 acres of mostly wooded areas. AP, the head XC coach at the school, took us on a 5 mile course that had everything - wooded trail, grass, the school's XC course, paved road, hills, even a tunnel. It was a great course that reminded me of the value of hill training. My ankle was tender this morning, but a mile into the run, even with the unstable terrain of trails, I was running pain-free. Hopefully I can now put that behind me.
Another topic I need to cover is heartrate training - one of the top reasons I got into running and keep running was and is to stay heart healthy. Heart disease runs in my family. To this end, I wear a heart rate monitor when I run (almost like a bra - very manly). I have a suspicion that my average heart rate is too high on easy runs - this morning my average rate was 167. I will probably get into this in future posts.
Finally, AP mentioned a chart that compares race times in various distances that has been developed by our friend Jay. The purpose of the chart is to show how a time at one distance compares to a time at another, for what we can call "reasonable projection" purposes. For instance, AP's recent performance at the Peachtree Road Race (38:59) translates into a 3:02 marathon. While this is not an exact science, it can be very helpful. I will be interested to see what my race times need to be to project a BQ marathon time.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Back at it
I believe the ankle is 95% healed. I will find out for sure with a quick 5-miler by the river after I leave the office this evening, and/or during an easy run tomorrow morning with AP.
In other news, I have been investigating homeschool curriculum. Yes, the time is upon us. Among other benefits, homeschooling offers flexibility in scheduling. "Hey kids, how about a field trip to Boston next April? Patriot's Trail? U.S.S. Constitution? Harvard Square? Oh, and, since we will be up there anyway, Daddy might run a little race..."
In other news, I have been investigating homeschool curriculum. Yes, the time is upon us. Among other benefits, homeschooling offers flexibility in scheduling. "Hey kids, how about a field trip to Boston next April? Patriot's Trail? U.S.S. Constitution? Harvard Square? Oh, and, since we will be up there anyway, Daddy might run a little race..."
Friday, July 2, 2010
Annnnndddddd....he's injured, folks.
Four days into my quest for Boston, and I'm laid up with ice on my right ankle. If official training didn't start in September/October, I might take this as an omen.
I've had minimal pain in my right ankle, which I attributed to the usual aches and pains of getting back into a regular routine. I had run 15 miles this week when, on Wednesday evening, I twisted my right ankle while playing soccer with my four year old. Don't ask, it's already embarassing enough. I laid on the ground and, for the first time in my life, felt like I had reached my thirties.
Despite a valiant boast, and despite laying out running clothes, I didn't run on Thursday morning. I got out of bed at 3:00am to retrieve Tucker for feeding, and almost didn't make it to the door. But I managed, and woke up (again) around 5am and laid on the couch with the McDonald v. City of Chicago oral argument transcript, a cup of coffee, and an ice wrap. Same for last night and this morning. Last night, I reached the zenith of my personal pity party. Today I finally feel like I am on the mend, and might try a few miles in the morning. I will play that by ear.
In other news, I have not had a soda in over a week. That is a major deal for me. I have an unhealthy dependence on soda, particularly Cherry Coke, for most of my life. Like my friends who smoke, I have tried to quit numerous times. My PR is three months. I am not saying that I am trying to quit this time - I don't want to jinx myself. But if I want to qualify for Boston, desparate times call for desparate measures. This morning I tried to remember the last time I had one - I believe it was last week sometime. Since I don't remember for sure, I have decided to designate Monday, June 28 as the beginning of the Bojo No-Soda Counter (BNSC). The BNSC currently stands at 4, for four days. My BQ is anywhere from 465-500 days away. Can I make it 500 days without a soda? I don't want to think about it.
I've had minimal pain in my right ankle, which I attributed to the usual aches and pains of getting back into a regular routine. I had run 15 miles this week when, on Wednesday evening, I twisted my right ankle while playing soccer with my four year old. Don't ask, it's already embarassing enough. I laid on the ground and, for the first time in my life, felt like I had reached my thirties.
Despite a valiant boast, and despite laying out running clothes, I didn't run on Thursday morning. I got out of bed at 3:00am to retrieve Tucker for feeding, and almost didn't make it to the door. But I managed, and woke up (again) around 5am and laid on the couch with the McDonald v. City of Chicago oral argument transcript, a cup of coffee, and an ice wrap. Same for last night and this morning. Last night, I reached the zenith of my personal pity party. Today I finally feel like I am on the mend, and might try a few miles in the morning. I will play that by ear.
In other news, I have not had a soda in over a week. That is a major deal for me. I have an unhealthy dependence on soda, particularly Cherry Coke, for most of my life. Like my friends who smoke, I have tried to quit numerous times. My PR is three months. I am not saying that I am trying to quit this time - I don't want to jinx myself. But if I want to qualify for Boston, desparate times call for desparate measures. This morning I tried to remember the last time I had one - I believe it was last week sometime. Since I don't remember for sure, I have decided to designate Monday, June 28 as the beginning of the Bojo No-Soda Counter (BNSC). The BNSC currently stands at 4, for four days. My BQ is anywhere from 465-500 days away. Can I make it 500 days without a soda? I don't want to think about it.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The Plan
Following is how I hope to qualify for Boston.
Today is June 29, and I ran 5 miles this morning at an 8:50 pace. I hope to establish a base between now and October 1. At the zenith of my recreational running career, I ran 40+ miles per week, in preparation for the Rocket City Marathon in December 2008. I don't know that I have time to repeat that, but want to get somewhere around 30-35 miles per week.
On October 1, I hope to begin training for a spring half marathon (current PR 1:47). To feel confident that I have a shot at running a BQ in fall 2011, I want to run mid-1:30's. As of this moment, the half will either be the Berry Half Marathon or the Georgia Half Marathon in Atlanta. Berry would be a lock, but I might run that with my wife and not race it.
After a spring half, I will move into six months of training for a fall BQ marathon. If I had to choose now, my attempt at a BQ will either be at Chicago or Chickamauga. The choice will be made on a financial basis. Chicago is my preference, but Chickamauga is local.
So that's the plan. More analysis on this later.
Today is June 29, and I ran 5 miles this morning at an 8:50 pace. I hope to establish a base between now and October 1. At the zenith of my recreational running career, I ran 40+ miles per week, in preparation for the Rocket City Marathon in December 2008. I don't know that I have time to repeat that, but want to get somewhere around 30-35 miles per week.
On October 1, I hope to begin training for a spring half marathon (current PR 1:47). To feel confident that I have a shot at running a BQ in fall 2011, I want to run mid-1:30's. As of this moment, the half will either be the Berry Half Marathon or the Georgia Half Marathon in Atlanta. Berry would be a lock, but I might run that with my wife and not race it.
After a spring half, I will move into six months of training for a fall BQ marathon. If I had to choose now, my attempt at a BQ will either be at Chicago or Chickamauga. The choice will be made on a financial basis. Chicago is my preference, but Chickamauga is local.
So that's the plan. More analysis on this later.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Every Story Begins at the Beginning
SO IT BEGINS - the story of my journey to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
I am writing this story for a number of reasons, some of which I do not yet know. In the weeks leading up to my first Boston, I want to be able to review this story and draw inspiration from it. Also, I have learned in my short life that a destination, any destination, is largely valued by the journey that it takes to get there. In light of that, the idea of chronicling a journey that will last more than one year appeals to me. I hope that I can learn about life, running, and myself during this time. I hope that my children will one day draw inspiration from these pages.
The previous paragraph is a literary case study in rambling, albeit in a conversational format that I hope will be the dominant method of communication. Since I do not know all that this journey will entail, it is pointless for me to describe all that I hope these pages will accomplish.
What I know right now is that I want to run the Boston Marathon. I am 32 years old, and need a 3:10:59 or better to qualify. I have run five (5) marathons with a PR of 3:53. I hope to spend the next year of my life training for this goal, and hope to run a qualifier in the fall of 2011. This blog will record my progress and thoughts along the way. My running journal, which I have linked to the right, is kept on Running2Win, which I recommend to any runner of any level.
So here goes.
I am writing this story for a number of reasons, some of which I do not yet know. In the weeks leading up to my first Boston, I want to be able to review this story and draw inspiration from it. Also, I have learned in my short life that a destination, any destination, is largely valued by the journey that it takes to get there. In light of that, the idea of chronicling a journey that will last more than one year appeals to me. I hope that I can learn about life, running, and myself during this time. I hope that my children will one day draw inspiration from these pages.
The previous paragraph is a literary case study in rambling, albeit in a conversational format that I hope will be the dominant method of communication. Since I do not know all that this journey will entail, it is pointless for me to describe all that I hope these pages will accomplish.
What I know right now is that I want to run the Boston Marathon. I am 32 years old, and need a 3:10:59 or better to qualify. I have run five (5) marathons with a PR of 3:53. I hope to spend the next year of my life training for this goal, and hope to run a qualifier in the fall of 2011. This blog will record my progress and thoughts along the way. My running journal, which I have linked to the right, is kept on Running2Win, which I recommend to any runner of any level.
So here goes.
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