I’m baaaaack!

It’s been a long while since I last wrote.  This past year has been a busy one for me, with many changes personally.  I went back to work full time, in a management position (WTF was I thinking?), sent my eldest son off to college, and upped my half-marathon game.  I had precious little free time, let alone time to write, so my blogging sorta slipped.

As I start to reflect upon this past year and what my running goals are for the coming year, I have decided returning to blogging is a key part of my 2017 race chase plan.

Looking back on 2016

My original goal was to attempt to do 9-10 half marathons this year.  In part to see if I could keep up the training, in part to see if I might have the motivation to eventually consider a full.  I actually ran 8 half marathons, choosing not to run races in Jan, August, Nov, or Dec.  I did run two in April (to qualify for Half Fanatics!) and two in October though, plus a handful of other fun local 5K’s!

The half marathons were:

• The Ocean’s Run half in RI ( a nice cold March run by the beach)
• Fools Dual Run in April in MA  (Crazy cold, snowy, and windy!)
• Moose on the Loose Half in NH in April (a nice run, with a good portion on a wide trail)
• Horseneck Half Marathon MA, May (another nice beach run, warm and humid)
• Narragansett Summer Running festival half MA July (why I ever thought running a half in July was a good idea I’ll never know.  Thank GOD for sprinklers!  Hot, hot, hot! – nice after party, beer and music)
• Worcester running festival half MA July (hot, hilly, a tough run for me)
• Narragansett Fall Harvest half MA  October (quiet fall run, good after party with PIE, beer and hard cider, DJ at finish)
• Newport Half Marathon RI – October (a gorgeous course but 40 degrees and rainy/windy most of the race, temp dropped and wind kicked up at the beachside finish.  COLD! but I’d do it again in a heartbeat)

My fastest races were the first two, and I ran the exact same time for the last two, all the middle races were slower than I’d have liked, mostly due to the temperatures.  I do not fare well in heat and humidity but apparently do well in the cold!

The Wall

Since running the Newport half, I have fallen off the wagon.  Barely getting my ass out the door once a week.  I was tired.  I was burnt out.  I was lacking motivation.  There was less daylight and colder temperatures.  Soccer for my son started back up and work got crazy and then the holidays.  And my race buddies were not training for various reasons, so I raced alone my last several races.  Not as much fun.  Poor excuses, but there it be.

I think I know why.  No more races on my schedule.  Without a race to train for, it’s harder to get my sorry ass out the door.  I have, but hate, the dreadmill, and I’ve learned if I don’t run in the morning or right as soon as I get home from work, I won’t run.  After work is harder because I eat horribly.  Especially for a runner.  I need to sign up for races that I will look forward to and want to train for!

Looking ahead to 2017

So, my running  resolution is to fix all that!

I’ve also decided, after a year of not running a Disney race, mostly due to the costs associated, I need me some mouse motivation.  I’ve completely lost my mind and am planning to run the WDW FULL Marathon in January 2018!  I’m not sure WTF is wrong with me!  I said I’d never run more than 13.1.  I always said I was only half-crazy!  Mostly because I have no idea how I’ll manage to fit in the training, especially at the busiest time of year for me.  It’s scary and daunting to consider, in the amount of time those runs that will take 3, 4, and 5 hours to do alone!  That’s a freaking long time to be out on the road, alone, and basically means an entire lost day each weekend the entire fall.

But if I’m going to do it, I feel like now is the time.  I’ll be 48 this year.  I have no idea how much longer I’ll have the desire, ability, and motivation to train at the level a full will require, and I know I can get at least half way there easily right now!  Crazy talk coming from a woman who 8 years ago could barely run 800′ without feeling like I was going to die.

It will be a huge training and time commitment, it will force me to schedule my time more efficiently and stick to it, eat better and more regularly, and it gives me an amazing goal and an amazing experience to look forward to!  And really, what better full to be your first (last and only) than at Disney?  The course support is amazing, and I need that level of support and entertainment go get me through those 26.2 miles!

It also means that I need to chose my races carefully this year so as not too mess with the training schedule.  So far, I’ve chosen a spring half, in April, in Newport (pretty much the same gorgeous course I ran this fall, different race organizer) to get me back on track.  I may do a local 10 miler in March and my favorite 5 k is also in March.

The only other races I’ve registered for are both in the fall, 2 weeks apart.  I am going to do Rock and Roll Philly in mid-September, in part because I’ve wanted to for years, and in part because it’s supposed to be flat and fast and would be a good PR race and proof of time for the WDW full, assuming it’s before the deadline for proof of time.

I’ve also registered for the Wineglass half in NY the first weekend in October.  Also a beautiful race, with a fast net downhill course and good PR course.  They both fall at the right place in my marathon training and I’m doing the 5K Saturday and half on Sunday for both races.  They are both destination races for me and hotels were hard to find already, but I lucked out.  I’m hoping I can convince the girls to come and make it a girls weekend, whether they run or cheer!

I may register for a May/June half to motivate me to maintain the 13.1 training with speed work being the focus through the summer.

Choosing a Marathon Training Program

I’m trying to decide on a marathon training program.  I am actually reading a few books and many articles to find the right training plan for me.  Jeff Galloway has you run the full 26 before tapering but with 3 weeks between each long run increase, but the increases are by 3 miles each time!  I’m not so sure my legs are gonna go for that, even using run-walk-run, which I most certainly will.   I’m so conscious of injury avoidance and over-training.

Most other marathon training programs have your longest run at 18-20 miles but with more weekly running miles comprised of  longer short runs.  I’m currently reading Hal Higdon’s Marathon, and it’s not all resonating with me either.  Having to run a full 10K farther than your longest pre-marathon training run in the actual race sounds like a recipe for a hellish last 10K, the “wall”,  and potential for injury!

I will probably choose something in between, maybe a 22-23 mile long run and make the training program ramp up more gently.  I’m starting with a good running base, I just need to maintain it until the dedicated marathon training commences.

I do know my long runs after 14 will be slower paced with more/longer walk breaks. Training wise I’d like to do a sub 5:30 full. My goal at the actual race is a sub 6 hour full, allowing for character stops and riding Everest, given it’s a Disney race!  Although finishing upright, alive, and before the balloon ladies is really my goal!   My half pace is about 2:30, and I’d be starting mid-corral placement I’d guess, so that should be no problem.

My plan also consists of the focus of the non-running days the next few months being cross training/strengthening and being really dedicated to rolling post run.  My calves are much happier when I do.  I also have massages every 3 weeks or so.  I ballroom dance, so that’s also cross training to a degree, but really would count as a short run more than anything.

Nutrition also becomes key and I’ll have to be better about planning meals, shopping ahead, and actually making and eating them.  Figuring out nutrition before, during, and after those long runs will be an interesting adventure.

Follow along as I post my adventures in marathon training throughout 2017.  And if you’ve done the WDW full before, let me know what your experience was like, both in training and on race day!