Chili Peppers....on 'repeat'

12 weeks from today.  Wow!  How'd that happen so quickly?  It seem like only yesterday that I was celebrating the fact my entry was accepted into Boston.  That my qualifying time was good enough to gain that entry.  And now.......well now, it's time to go to work.

While many people I know have already started their training for Boston, I chose a shorter, more intense training option; 12 Weeks of Hell.  A couple of months ago, when I started planning this, it seemed like a good idea.  Today, I'm not so sure.  Fortunately I didn't rest on my fitness back then and kept running a decent amount of miles each week.  However, I didn't run fast very often and that has become an area of concern.  While on a casual long'ish run this weekend, I was asked about my upcoming training.  Before I could respond, Jenifer chimes in with "Run fast, all the time".  Yep, that pretty much sums it up.  So, it is only appropriate that this 12 week training plan start with a super-fast (for me) track workout.

The past 10 days or so have been pretty good in terms of running and mileage with a disappointing race performance sandwiched in there.  On Sunday, 1/18, I ran the Naples Daily News Half Marathon.  The goal for the race was to get as close as possible to 1:30.  It was not to be on this day.  66 degrees and 90% humidity for a 7:00 a.m. start.  I started out right in front of the 1:30 pacer, hoping that he was going to run consistent miles the entire way and that if I could stay right in front of him, I'd be good on my goal.  6:44 first mile and he's on my heels.  6:49 second mile and he's past me.  6:50 third mile and he's pulling away.  This guy is banking time and no way am I going to try to keep up with him and implode because of him.  I'm pretty good at implosions of my own.  And that I did.  Half way there and I'm on pace for a solid 1:30.  Two miles later, I think this is a great morning for a casual stroll.  Oh look, there's a Priest spraying everyone with holy water.  Ok, this is a first.  Never seen this one during a race.  Why doesn't this guy just have a sprinkler system of that stuff going off so that it's cooling as well???  I finish with a 1:34.  Not my best day by any means, but a couple of good things came out of this.  I was able to race without Plantar Fasciitis pain and I got to feel the adrenaline of the start line.

Oh yeah, this happened just behind me at this race.  While having snacks in the park after finishing I heard the announcer telling people that medical personnel were on the way.  Thankful that this gentleman is alive and well.

http://t.co/xH5EVacOIE


(Complete Tangent - Rant)
Seriously......IF you are going to be that person that wears the Vibrams (slap, slap, slap, slap), you CANNOT be the person that also wears speakers so that everyone else can hear your music.  PLEASE STOP!!!!  The guy that told you he hadn't heard the Red Hot Chili Peppers in a long time was not asking you to put it on repeat.  He was goofing on you!!!  You have essentially ruined 'Dani California' for me!  Damn You!!!!  HAHAHA!!!

Ok, enough of my ramblings.  Here's a recap of the last 10 days or so of running.........

Monday - 1/12 - 6.36 miles
Tuesday - 8.12 miles
Wednesday - 7.01 miles
Thursday - 8.05 miles
Friday - OFF DAY
Saturday - 4.02 Shake-out Run
Sunday - 1.15 mile WU, NDN Half Marathon
Monday - 1/19 - 7.08 miles
Tuesday - 7.09 miles
Wednesday - 6.45 miles (79 degrees)
Thursday - OFF DAY
Friday - Dry Needling/ART treatment
Saturday - 14.04 miles, on the ice with one fall. (28 degrees)
Sunday - 7.27 miles.

Goals
I'm about 10 miles off pace to reach 2500 miles for the year.  As Boston training starts today, I think I'll catch that up in a couple of weeks.  Nothing to be concerned about yet.

I am concerned about my 'cross-training' goal.  I did pretty well the first couple of weeks, but having been on the road a good bit, I've found it more difficult.  Need to get focused on this one.

PR goals......1 attempt, 1 failure.

Baseball, Boston and Plantar Fasciitis

Do you smell it?  Seriously?  Take a whiff.  That's the smell of college baseball's opening day being only 30 days away.  It's this time of year, every year, that I start to really miss the game of baseball.  There is nothing better than a freshly cut baseball field on a sunny spring day.  The smells and sounds of the game remind me so much of why I love being a part of it and work so hard to hold up my end of the bargain.  This year, baseball season is going to be a bit different because I'm training for a marathon.  I've never actually undertaken a spring marathon because of baseball.  That's always been my sort of built in recovery period from a summer and fall full of training.  To say that this is going to be a challenge is a gross understatement.  My anxiety level goes up every time I look at my calendar for the month of March.



So, there's a little race that starts in Hopkinton, MA on Patriot's Day that I was lucky enough to qualify for and be accepted into.  It ends 26.2 miles later in Boston at Copley Square.  This will be known as the 119th running of The Boston Marathon.  When I first started thinking about running a marathon almost 6 years ago, I never thought this was even a possibility.  Now, it's about to go down!!!


I'm stoked about the opportunity to run this race.  Coming off a disappointing day in the New York Marathon, I'm even more motivated and dedicated to my training.  In two weeks, I'll actually start a 12-week training cycle.  This is going to be a bit different for me because I've always done 16-18 weeks with a base building phase.  Not so much this time.  Fortunately, since New York, I've continued to run and have stayed in at least half-marathon shape and have a solid base under me.  Another change in my training is that I've assigned specific paces to each of my workouts.  In the past, I just ran how I felt except on Monday's when I would do speed work.  My thought behind this is to give each run a 'purpose' if you will.  Speed, Tempo, Long Run, Recovery....whatever it is that is going to make me fast enough to chase down another PR and do it in Boston.

Speaking of half-marathons and PRs, one of my goals for the year is to run a PR at every distance.  This coming Sunday, I take my first shot at a PR in the half-marathon.  I'll be running the Naples Daily News Half in Naples, FL.  Those of us that live and run in middle Tennessee know nothing about how flat this course is.  We think that the Tom King and Middle Half are flat courses.  Dude........this course is as flat as an airport runway.  Flatter than a 4th-grade girls chest! HA!  I think there might be 5 feet of elevation change.  That said, it's up to me to go out and race smart and put in a good effort.

One thing that could stand in the way of a solid effort is a case of Plantar Fasciitis that I've been dealing with for a couple of months now.  While this hasn't exactly slowed me down, or stopped me from running, it is something that I know is always there and it takes me a bit longer to loosen up.  I really feel this each morning when I get out of bed and shortly after a run when everything starts to tighten back up.  Last week I saw a doctor in Nashville that performed some Dry Needling, ART and I'm using some Kenesio Tape.


I got almost immediate relief.  This week has been much easier than past weeks and I've even knocked out a couple of really 'comfortable' runs.  I'm finding that it's all upstream from my foot.  Tightness in my calves, hamstrings and back seem to be the source for all my pain.  I'm really trying to be diligent about stretching and the use of my Stick and massage balls.  We'll see how things shake out on Sunday.

Here's a bit of a recap of last week's running.......
Monday - 9.4 Miles - Track Work - 1.25 mile WU, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1600, 1200, 800, 400 with 400 recovery jogs between each segment, 1.25 mile CD.  I didn't execute this perfectly, but wow, I felt great about just finishing this workout.  I know that I got better while doing this one.
Tuesday - 7 miles
Wednesday - 7 miles
Thursday - OFF - Travel Day
Friday - (Dry Needling and ART) - 7 miles
Saturday - 7.85 miles - Felt very fatigued in my calves from the previous day's treatment.  Cut this one short.
Sunday - 8.1 miles

2 weeks until Boston training officially starts.  I'm feeling pretty good about where I am physically and the progress that I've made with the Plantar Fasciitis.  Hopefully there's more relief on the way.