Pre runs before beginning training. Saturday I laced up and decided to go out for a 6 mile run. The snow was finally done falling and the streets though icy were bearable to run on though I dodged icy spots and stepped in some puddles. I managed to do 6 miles with no expectations of speed as it was beyond comfortable enough to get the cobwebs out from my legs and also done cautiously as not to bust my ..... :)
Sunday I got away with doing 4 miles. So far I have put about 13 miles on my new sneakers with 3 miles done last week. They continue to feel really great on my feet and should stand up to long runs. I am a bit jittery in starting Marathon Training and that is why I wanted to get some of schedule running in before I start. I know I really have to be committed to the schedule this time to really see the impact and if I am going to be serious about Boston Qualifying this year. A year older - I will be 36 by race day - puts me in the catagory of having to run a qualifying marathon in 3:40:00. Yet even if I hit this time it does not gurantee me a spot as thousands of others will also hit this time so I actually have to do better than that by about 10 minutes as acceptence into Boston by time qualification is given to the best of the category within a 15 minute gap. So if I get a 3:31:00 time someone with a 3:25:00 will most likely be chosen before me! The popularity of this race is extremly high and race officials weed out this way! So my actual goal is 3:30:00 meaning a pace time of a 8:00 minute per mile.
To put into perspective how much work I have to do, last year I ran the Santa Rosa Marathon in 4:00:00 which was 9:05 minute mile. I have to shave about 70 seconds per mile of my pace time....sounds like a little yet thats a lot. I am looking forward to the challenge though.
So training will follow Hal Higdon's Advanced 1 and Advanced 2 training schedules. I have 33 weeks until Marine Corp Marathon with the backup marathon being Philidelphia in November which gives me a bit more time. Advance 1 scheule is here http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51133/Half-Marathon-Advanced-Training-Program. I should wrap this up by July and then begin on Advance 2 schedule.
This weeks schedules looks like this -
3.9 Monday - 3 miles
3.10 Tuesday - 5 miles
3.11 Wednesday - 3 miles
3.12 Thursday - 3 x hills
3.13 Friday - REST
3.14 Saturday - 5 mile pace
3.15 Sunday - 10 mile
26 miles in total and 3 hill repeats. For the hill I will use the one right infront of my house. It is a great steady incline a little less than half a mile in distance. Basically I run up the hill as fast as I can in a controlled fashion to get to the top of course and not burn out half way while steadily decreasing my time to do this throughout my training.
I will do between 1200 and 1400 calorie meal plan so basically counting my calories and not exceeding 1400. I love the app "everyday health calorie counter" which I have on my phone. If I don't know the calories for a specific food item there is a search feature and I can also add food and put the calories in if I know them. It is a pretty friendly app.
So far today Monday I have had a bagel with butter (356 calories) and almonds about half a cup (170 calories) so total 526 calories. I will exercise ( 3 mile run and abs) which deducts from my intake so days that I run or exercise I will consume 1400 calories and on rest day 1200 calories - see..easy! Goal is to be about 25 to 30 pounds lighter on race day. I know I don't look like I have to lose that much right...lol...yet winter hibernation definitely took a toll and most of it is in my backside which you can't fully see from the pic :)
What's your caloric intake look like? Do you use an app to track or do you have it all in your head...old fashioned and use paper and pen and keep a journal. Let me know!
Here's to BQ'ing in 2015,
Yvonne!
Best of luck!
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