Well folks, here I am, not even 30 minutes after the end of week one of my Marathon Training... And I think I am still in the game.
I adopted the Hal Higdon Novice training schedule which I thought fit my general level of running fitness based on my recovery. I have been regularly running between 10 and 12 miles a week, and this one starts you off at 15, so not that high a jump, and seemed a challenging progressing without teetering over into crippling stupidity. Several friends (including my good friend Jim- Shout out to my Brothers!) recommended schedule based on running time instead of distance to allow for flexibility in running; i.e. run 30 minutes rather than 3 miles so I can run whatever path my run takes me. Call it being too brainwashed by my firm, but I like a measured schedule. I think I am just used to running my distance so I am sticking with that for now until I do get bored with my trails.
That being said, I did exceed what's on my schedule for week one. Sierra Vista had a cold front come in this week. Tuesday's three miles was no big issue, but it was mighty cold Wednesday morning. I ran my three, but ended up having to be outside longer for a firm-related bit of administration, so to keep warm I ran another two miles. Keep in mind the psychological shift this signifies for me. I ran to increase my comfort level. Weird. Thursday was even colder, so I cheated- got up early, threw on clothes, and before I'd even gotten outside or woken up started running. Thirty-two degrees out, I didn't spend a second in it walking. Ran out the door, ran in the door. But did it!
Friday as you see is rest, and this morning was the week's long run. I did my six, but only parts of it felt as relaxed as I had on the five I did a week ago. The path I ran had a steady uphill for the last two miles, and it was telling on me. Pushed through though, but I realize I need to work more on relaxing my form.
Learning all kinds of stuff from the McDougall book "Born to Run" (which is not, as I initially thought, about Bruce Springsteen). The chapters on hominid running being responsible for us evolving into an intelligent species makes so much sense- if it's junk science, then it's hot rod junk science. The chapter where a Westerner learns to hunt antelope on foot from the Kalihari Bushmen was riveting. As a long time science fiction fan, I have long been of the mind realizing something is possible can make it happen- in other words, young man watches "Star Trek" as a kid, grows up and invents the cell phone (no, seriously), or the iPod (no really, it's in a documentary called "How William Shatner Changed the World" hosted by... well, William Shatner of course). Seeing there are people in the world who can run down an antelope not by speed, but by endurance (they rarely go faster than a 10 minute mile) has opened up my head to amazing possibilities. Our bodies ARE designed to do this, but like a car that we don't drive properly, or don't do maintenance on, they are not performing like they can or should. Maybe that's the Apple in the Garden; sitting and eating instead of going and catching. We've been on the road to damnation ever since.
So there I am, tired but good tired, feeling really positive and looking forward to week two (after my rest days!). Oh- and a quick thanks to Fatboy Slim. As I was dragging myself uphill those last two miles, my iPod switched over to "Funk Soul Brother," which happens to have a beat exactly at my most comfortable steady run pace. I was able to "Right About Now, Check it out now" right up that hill. Word. Maybe next week I'll play "Weapon of Choice" and pretend to be Christopher Walken.
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