Agh, my ankle

You know, I was told that you could injure yourself doing this kind of stuff, but I just didn't believe it . . .that was of course, until my ankle started acting up.

At first, I still didn't believe it. I mean, conceptualizing finishing these runs as you're running them is like playing the role of Tantalus. So naturally, being as honest as I am, I assumed initially that I was faking it--or imagining it, what have you.

After a tantalizing thirty-six minutes on the run, I threw in the towel, and called it a day.

Immediately, a wave of disappointment--uncanny in resemblance to my incredibly sensitive conscience--devoured me, and I was lost in oblivion. But only for a moment, then I did a full upper body workout and finished by trying to redeem myself with some laps in the pool.

On the way home, I picked up some more IcyHot and took an Ibuprofen. That seemed to work--I hardly noticed my ankle throughout the day, so I made a second attempt after work. This time, after only about five minutes on the treadmill, I felt assured of my injury.

Now, I'm going to wrap some ice packs around my ankle and elevate it above my heart.

141 Days left . . .

Crosstraining

Today, was crosstraining day.

I did thirty minutes on the elliptical and then did laps in the pool.

This is actually quite a workout.

But a change is like a vacation, so I do feel rested.

Tomorrow's a different story, I just got my modified workout for the week.

I plan to mentally prepare in my dreams if I can.

142 Days left. . . wish me luck.

Buoy Yeah !

Eight miles this morning Bizkneeahtchhhh !

I arrived a little tardy for my pre-training-appointment run, so I ran three brisk miles around the track in lieu of the initial four mile run (with 4 min uphill intervals) I had scheduled.

Ravina then took me over to do some chest and tricept exercises shortly thereafter. In performing these exercises, what we found was astonishing--apparently, though I am undoubtedly right-handed all the way, it appears that my left arm is stronger than the other.

I know, at first I couldn't believe it either.

Even more astonishing though was the fact that I could actually sustain a conversation with her while performing these exercises. Usually, I have to focus on what I'm doing with everything I got just to keep my survival mechanisms functioning. You know, I think this stuff she's been having me do may have actually affected me positively somehow.

After another insightful training, I hopped on the treadmill and did my scheduled run, only it turned out to be over five miles by the time I started cooling down. All in all I ran over eight miles this morning . . .and with 143 days until my marathon, I'd say that's pretty decent progress.

No Excuses

Confession: I didn't crosstrain today.



I make no attempt to conjure some reason worthy of acceptance for why I did not crosstrain on my day off today and I think the best thing I can do right now is just admit what I've done and continue forward.



Also, while were on confessions . . . : I haven't consistently kept a blog of my marathon training activities now for two days.



Again, I make no attempt to persuade anyone, myself included, that my being abandoned and left--without an internet connection in the world--should in any way, shape, or form convince, coerce, or compel you compassionately toward considering perhaps how such a thing could have happened to me. In any case, please feel free to come up with your own conclusions just as quickly as you are ready.



Just to cover the last couple days of training, in case you're curious, I ran a full hour Saturday doing five minute speed intervals consecutively, and Sunday, I ran seven complete miles in one hour one minute.



Not too shabby if I don't say so myself.



However, when viewed comparitively, my training schedule (as shown below) from this point on looks considerably daunting:

Week One:
Mon: [today] Rest / X-train
Tues: 4 miles, including 4:00 TUT
Wed: Rest / X-train
Thurs: 1-hour run
Fri: Rest / X-train
Sat: 4 miles
Sun: 6 miles

Week Two:
Mon: Rest / X-train
Tues: 4 miles, including 4:00 TUT
Wed: Rest / X-train
Thurs: 1-hour run
Fri: Rest / X-train
Sat: 4 miles
Sun: 7 miles

Week Three:
Mon: Rest / X-train
Tues: 4 miles, including 5:00 TUT
Wed: Rest / X-train
Thurs: 6 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 8 miles

Week Four:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 4 miles, including 5:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 6 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 9 miles

Week Five:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 4 miles, including 3X2:00 AI
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 4 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: 5-K race
Sun: 6-8 miles

Week Six:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 6:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 7 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 10 miles

Week Seven:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 6:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 7 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 12 miles

Week Eight:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 7:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 8 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 12 miles

Week Nine:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 7:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 8 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 14 miles

Week Ten:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 3x3:00 AI
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 4 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: 10-K race
Sun: 4 miles

Week Eleven:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 8:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 9 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 16 miles

Week Twelve:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 8:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 9 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 18 miles

Week Thirteen:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 9:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 10 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: 4 miles
Sun: 20 miles

Week Fourteen:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5 miles, including 9:00 TUT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 10 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: 4 miles
Sun: 10 miles

Week Fifteen:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 3 miles, including 3X3:00 AI
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 5 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: 3 miles, including 3x2:00 AI
Sun: 5 miles

Week Sixteen:
Mon: Rest
Tues: 3 miles, Including 3x2:00 AI
Wed: Rest
Thurs: 3-mile jog
Fri: Rest
Sat: 2-mile jog
Sun: Marathon

Definitions:

Aerobic Intervals (AI): Timed repetitions (of 2:00 to 3:00 minutes) slightly faster than your normal training pace--enough to make you breathe harder, but still not go anaerobic (panting, gasping, verge-of-out-of-breath). Jog slowly after each repetition until you are refreshed enough to run the next.
Total Uphill Time (TUT): The total number of minutes you spend running semi-vigorously up inclines--could be repeats up the same hill or total uphill time over a hilly loop.
Easy Runs: mean totally comfortable and controlled. If you're running with someone else, you should be able to converse easily. You'll likely feel as if you could go faster. Don't. Here's some incentive to take it easy: You'll still burn about 100 calories for every mile that you run.
Long Runs: are any steady run at or longer than race distance designed to enhance endurance, which enables you to run longer and longer and feel strong doing it.
A great long-run tip: Find a weekly training partner for this one. You'll have time to talk about anything that comes up.
Speedwork: means bursts of running shorter than race distance, some at your race goal pace, some faster. This improves cardiac strength, biomechanical efficiency, running economy, and the psychological toughness that racing demands.

***Your “Rest” days can be substituted with cross training***

144 Days until the Marathon