Chasing Boston

Every runner has a "dream race."  The one you'd love to do.  I have several I'd really like to do, but my dream race is the Boston Marathon.  Of course, in my dream, I qualify for Boston by running a BQ time.  I suppose some day I can run the race for charity and get a number that way.  Realistically can I qualify?  I have no idea.  It would take my best race on my best day to do so.  I haven't run close to the time needed in either of my two attempts (the needed time for my age group is 3:35, and even running that time doesn't guarantee entry).

Of course, in analyzing past marathon tries, I now feel that I did not have the best opportunity to run my best race.  In try number one, The Flying Pig, I learned later that I was 6.5 weeks pregnant.  Which, in hindsight, explained the crippling fatigue that I attributed to over-training.  On my second try, Air Force Marathon, I was 9 months post-partum, and feeling great.  However, I did not put in the training effort that I needed.  While I felt significantly better than try number one, for obvious reasons, I simply did not log enough miles late in my training program, and missed a whole week three weeks prior to the raise when we traveled out of town.

While finding time to run hasn't gotten easier with two small kids, I finally feel like I have found my stride so to speak.  I am running better and training better.  I have mapped out a plan that includes lots of speed work, pace runs, and hill work, which I hope will improve my overall stamina.  Additionally, I finally have adopted strength training.  I always sort of half-assed it, adding in some push ups, crunches, and (of course) ITB exercises here and there.  I'm in love with TRX lately, and have been doing it once a week in a class at the Y, and once a week at home by myself.  In two months time I have gone from not being able to do a single regular push up to being able to do 5-6 with no problem and 2-3 with my feet elevated.  This is real progress!

So, to get to Boston, my goal is to run a marathon this fall.  My eye was on Twin Cities for the past year, but I have given that up.  It's too far away to travel, keeping the kids in mind.  I'm trying to decide between three more local races.  My goal is to run 3:30, which equals somewhere in the neighborhood of 8:01/mile (for 26.2 miles).  Time will tell if it's realistic or not.

Wayne Gretzky wisely said: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

On Schedule

Since before Christmas I've been working out when I can, doing what I can with no real rhyme or reason.  I picked some workouts from the first weeks of my triathlon training program, peppered in some speed work, group classes at the Y, you name it.  But Sunday marked my first official day back on a training program.  I have mapped out my daily workouts from 3 days ago until the end of October!  It's kind of mind boggling and reassuring all at once.

The weather has been awful.  I can handle cold.  I love running in the snow.  But the weather we've been having is almost dangerous to be out in.  It's so windy where we are with no fields up to block the wind, and the gusts coming across snow burns when it hits areas of bare skin, which are few in these temps.  So, I've resigned myself to the treadmill the past few nights.

One positive of the treadmill, tucked safely in the basement, with no windows, is that I can get away with wearing get ups like this:

Yay for running at 10:00pm inside.  Alone.