Marathon, for real!

Well, on October 7th I will be running 26.2 miles around my favorite city, Chicago, with one of my best friends!

I just spent the couple hours figuring out a solid plan for my marathon. I am loosely basing it off of Hal Higdon's Marathon training plan.  I say "loosely" because I have read that it is good to lengthen your training cycle. For example, instead of trying to get all your runs and workouts in in a 7 day period, stretching it out to 10, 14, or even 21 days.  This is essentially what I am going to do. I'm extending each week on his plan to a 2 week period. During that 14 day cycle I will get in 6 runs, 1 of which will be a long run, 4 strength workouts, 2 cross training workouts, and 2 rest days.

I have also learned that I train best when my schedule is pretty flexible. I like to be able to move around days, combine workouts, and sometimes skip them all together (yes, I realize the last one is not the greatest).  What I have decided to do this time is to plan out my major milage first. I have planned out when I need to be at specific mileage over the next nine months. I have also planned out a few triathlons that I would like to do between now and the marathon.  Beyond that, I decided to only plan my runs and workouts for January and February. That way I can re-evaluate how I'm coming in two months and make any necessary changes.

Basically right now I am working on building up my weekly mileage so that I can get to a point where I feel comfortable about working in runs over eight miles. I am also working back into a solid routine with running/workouts since it is now very difficult to run outside in the cold and dark.

I am also working on not killing the people at the gym that made it their New Year's Resolution to work out for the 15th year in a row, who take my treadmill during this crucial time, and will be nowhere to be found come February 1st. Its fine.

I am looking forward to this adventure!! I will continue to update on my training and progress!!

21 days to normalcy

I've heard before that it takes 21 times of doing something to form a habit.
Its been just over a month into the semester and I've started to see lots of BAD habits beginning to take root. So after finally having enough of myself, I decided that I'm going on a 21 day trek to a normal routine.

One big reason for doing this is that fall is one of the worst seasons for me for migraines. I've had several in the last 2 weeks that have been awful. Having a normal routine, specifically normal sleep patterns, significantly helps migraines.

Another reason is that I want to try to get into a routine of having a "job." School is technically my job (only for 3 more months, praise JESUS!!) but I want to get into that routine.  I do well on routines, and college is definitely one of those times in life when no two days are the same.

I don't like having to do homework at home. I'd rather stay on campus, get my work done, and relax when I get home.  Having a routine will help that because I'll know what needs to get done at school, and then it won't feel as though school is running my life.

Lastly, I was very inspired by a Nutirgrain commercial.  It was all about making good decisions, and how one good decision leads to a whole bunch of other good decisions (watch it).  Its totally true. If I wake up and pull myself out of bed and go work out, I feel better all day, I eat better all day, I'm more productive, and I even go to bed better.  It goes the same with my relationship with God. If I get up and spend time in the Word, I am more focused on the Spirit, more in tune to what He is saying to me, and more apt to run to Him with every need.

For whatever reason I'm not so good at being regular with running right now. And I always have a tendency, like most runners, to increase my mileage, which just takes more and more time.  SO, because of that I'm going to let my friends Billy Blanks and Jillian Michaels help me out.  Yeah, thats right. Billy's Boot Camp or The 30 Day Shred every morning for the next 21 (well, 30 I guess) days.

This could turn out to be a very hilarious endeavor.
Well call today day 0. I'm also very curious to see if this habit thing works too.

Bring it on discipline!!

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  

Well, I'm off to coach some flag football. My friend's team is playing the all campus champions from last year. I made them some brownies to soften the blow . . . pray it doesn't end as I'm anticipating.  :)