Well, well, well…
A month went by without my posting updates. That went by fast. I’m going to try to catch this think up, bit by bit with a little additional information thrown in as I think of it.
Where am I in the training plan?
I just completed Week 16. That means the marathon is 10 weeks away from the Sunday I just passed.
What’s left on the training plan?
Three more long runs 20+ miles each, depending on how far I can take it), five more tempo-type runs (mile repeats or “magic mile” repeats, and one plain 7-mile jog. Those are the weekend runs, of course. The weeks don’t change that much except for the last couple of weeks leading up to the marathon. That is a “taper” time, where I will run less weekly than I have been running. The idea is to come down off of the aggressive plan to allow the body to get ready for the big day.
How am I feeling?
Mostly confident. The majority of my runs go well. Each really long run has really felt long…my biggest fear right now is hitting the wall, of course. And since I’m training differently than I ever have, I don’t have a baseline comparison. I am feeling stronger, and I know that my endurance is building.
What about weight?
My weight has been coming off according to plan, losing 8-10 pounds monthly. Each loss makes running a little easier. I still have a ways to go, but I’m feeling great about my progress this year. I’m feeling even better than I think I have resolved to work on the issues behind the weight gain…which is harder in some ways than just doing some kind of diet plan. I will post some observations soon. Right now, weekly, I experience a pleasant weigh-in with lots of non-scale victories.
How is Steve?
Steve may be out for four more weeks. He’s hating that. His ankle is improving. He’s more mobile now. Not ready to run yet, but he is making progress daily. I’m looking forward to running some with him soon and continuing the training cycle with him after Chicago.
This weekend will bring a 20+-mile run. I’ve been mapping it out into three segments that begin and end at my house so that I can refresh water, potty if necessary, and change shorts if it is a very hot morning.
More later, but there is the update for right now.
greggorunner 