Back to it.

Ok, folks. Fun's over. I had my 20 mile week. I had my "taper/slacker" week. I had my 13.1 PR. Now it's time to get back to this business of marathon training.

This morning started at the gym. Warm up about 3 miles on the bike. Did some stretches.

Squats (body weight) on bosu 3x20 SS Reverse lunge on riser (5 lb dbs) 3x20

Sled calves (55) 3x25)

Seated row (20) 3x20 SS Walking lunges (forward & backward)

Rebounder (4 lb ball) 2x25 SS V-ups 2x10

Then I came home and read a little of these boards before heading back out the door for a 5 mile run. Took about 50 minutes. It's going to be hot again this week if I can't get my runs in in the early AM. Which I can't, so I'd just better resign myself to hot and sunny.
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I've decided that the next book I (re)read will be Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. I have been selected to chaperone a contingent of high school students from this area on a program called March of the Living. (I have created a link to the website). MOTL is a national program that takes Jewish teens to Poland where they will see first hand the sites where the Nazis murdered Jews during the Holocaust. On Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Ha'Shoah) we will simulate the death march from Aushwitz death camp to Birkenau. 2500 teens from around the country and their adult leaders including Holocaust survivors will make the march that symbolizes the life of the Jewish people. From Poland, we will travel to Israel where we will observe, with Israelis, Yom Ha'Zikaron the day where Israel honors its fallen soldiers, and then celebrate the next day, Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel Independance Day.

I have been wanting to do this for years and the opportunity finally arose where I saw an ad to apply for the position. I won't be training for a spring marathon because I'll be on the program the first two weeks of May. That means the Pig's out and pretty much any other marathon. I don't anticipate that I'll get too much running in while in Poland or Israel, simply because I think I'll need to be available for the kids. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity (ok, I'm committed for two years!) but it's so worth it.

Now, though, I'm going to focus my reading on Holocaust related literature.

Oh, how do you like the cornfields? That was the entire view from the State-to-State Half-Marathon.

I'm Chill Like That

I signed up for the State to State Half-Marathon on September 16 and I had that race on my mind as I did my 9 mile pace run this morning. Since turning 44 in February, I have met my goal of PRing in every distance I raced. Now I just want to continue the streak of PRs. That means finishing the Half faster than 2:09. But why stop there? I'd like to hit 2:05 or lower.

The weather was nice and brisk and I really tried to hit my pace this morning. In fact, I tried to beat my pace in every mile. I wanted to see a 9:xx whenever the Garmin beeped. Until Mile 6, I met my goal, between Miles 5-6 the course begins a steady and steep uphill climb that doesn't end until mile 8.

1 --10:06
2 -- 9:56
3 -- 9:08
4 -- 9:19
5 -- 9:42
6 -- 10:25 (Uphill)
7 -- 10:52 (Uphill)
8 -- 10:05 (Uphill halfway)
9 -- 10:14
AVG. PACE: 9:59

See what I mean? The problem is, the hills are so steep that it's hard to get my legs back after I'm done with them.

I'm happy to have a race coming up to keep me sharp. I was starting to feel sluggish, running mile after mile, feeling slower and slower.

Have a great Saturday. Shabbat Shalom!