Catching Up on a Few Things

Back-to-back 60 degree days in the first week of March in Chicago? Am I drunk? I was able to get out for a little over 7 yesterday. Today may be a little tougher unless I go out late tonight. It's unfortunate because I may not see this weather again until mid-April. Oh well. Such are the struggles of balancing life.

One of my running friends told me that life would become much more of a delicate balance and something (blogging?) would get a little less attention with a newborn. It could be a that your house is a little less clean, you don't run as much as you hoped or something else that you used to have so much free time for suddenly gets pushed aside. He was definitely right. I have have taken what I think it is a conservative approach to rebuilding my mileage. I averaged running somewhere in the 20 miles per week range for February. I'll bump that to the 30s for March, which will include the Shamrock Shuffle at the end of the month. April will hopefully see the low 40s and I'll get up in the upper 40s to mid-50s in May. The first week of June will be a nice relaxing week that will consist of whatever I feel like before I start the 18 week training program for Chicago in October. As of right now, I am thinking of following Pfitz 18/70 program.

I feel like I have learned so much in the last 6 months...notably, how to train correctly. I think I can challenge my body to run 6 days a week. I think I last tried running 5-6 days a week in 2005. I decided it wasn't for me and pretty much followed a 4-5 day a week plan in every marathon training program since then. I had a 6 day week in September of 2008 and felt okay. I think it's time to step up to the big leagues and crush my PR of 3:29. I am also staying consistent with my non-training running and will not have to run my self into shape the first 4 weeks of training like I have done the past couple years. Lastly, I am actually going to slow down some of my long runs and have real recovery runs, instead of constantly beating up my body like I have done in years past. Can you hear the hope in my words? I think I am ready to use this knowledge get out there and have the best marathon of my life in October.

Hmmm...I was debating if I should share this, but what the hell. The other day a "friend" and I were talking and I mentioned my daughter's belly was coming in as she gets bigger. He says, "Just like her daddy." Are you kidding me? This guy is not the picture of good health. His exercise is taking the dog for a short walk and quite a few 12 ounce curls on the weekends. He probably is 6'1" and weighs a good 210. Maybe 220. And does he have a belly on him. He often speaks of his ability to eat several pieces of fried chicken, a burger and a gyro in one sitting. Jackass.

I checked in at 177 again early this week. And that was after a Sunday night where I ate enough saganaki to feed a small Greek village. I think I am probably a little lighter than that as I am now on the last hole of my belt.

Yes, I did say I am running the Shamrock Shuffle. I have avoided the annual spring 8K every year until this year. With a little urging from a friend, I used my 10K time to get into the A Corral. He suggested we could push each other to solid times. I think he'll be blowing by me though, as he logged a mere 70 miles last week. The idea of 30,000 or so running 5 miles never really appealed to me. I guess if I don't have to run through 28,000 of them, it shouldn't be too bad. Plus, it fits in with the goal of running more races this year.

I'll leave you with this-
I have realized that if I have a free hour or two, I may as well just go out and run. Sometimes Mother Nature isn't as cooperative, but you do what you gotta do. I went out for 11 on Sunday in a windy 20 degree snow fest. It wasn't really a snow storm, but it was a little rough, especially the first 5.5 miles running into the wind. I took a picture of myself with my phone at the turn-around point. I could feel my facial hair freezing. Here's the shot:

And I didn't even have a full beard. I had a goatee, but the rest was just a couple days worth of stubble. It actually turned out to be an enjoyable run, despite the frozen face.