Marathon Training - Capitol City to Gay Games!

I'm just in from a 20 mile training run and since I'm just in and have been wanting to post on running/training for awhile I thought I would do it while it's fresh on my mind. I've been training for the past 6 weeks for the Capitol City Marathon which is the next marathon I'll run on May 16, 2010.

I'm currently running between 45-50 miles per week. I've got kind of a split personality when it comes to training - sometimes I'm really focused and follow a strict training plan and other times I'm just putting in the miles so that I know I can finish the marathon without injuring myself. Up to this point training for Olympia has been pretty relaxed - that will all change a week from Monday when I get serious about training for the Gay Games Marathon this summer in Cologne.

 Like many runners I've got a lifetime goal to quality for the Boston Marathon. At 46 I've got to complete a marathon in 3:30 to make it. The closet I've come is 3:42:53 in the San Diego Rock n' Roll Marathon followed by the New York Marathon at 3:46:23. Both of these were marathons that I put in some strenuous training, made adjustments to my diet and crossed trained. So now that I've got a good base of miles built up, starting on 4/19/10 I'll begin the serious plan for the 16 weeks leading up to the Gay Games. What's the difference between just putting in the miles and serious training you ask - well like I said up to this point I'm just putting in miles - not the greatest way to improve my speed but it gives me a good base of miles to start the serious training, keeps my weight down, keeps me from getting running related injuries and gives me the confidence I need to complete the marathon.

Serious training on the other hand means I track what I eat, give up certain foods, no alcohol, cross train and follow a running plan where each and every run has a specific purpose - not just putting in the miles. What does it mean to run with purpose? Depending on the day of the week, I'll do tempo runs (slow, fast, slow), speed work, hills and hill repeats, track workouts and long runs. I enjoy the regimen and structure that come with serious training but it is tiring and I've injured myself pushing too hard and increasing my speed to quickly.

My plan is to blog at least weekly about the training that I am doing and to log my progress in the blog and to discuss the various aspects of doing like I've done and basically move from couch potato to running marathons. I hope to inspire you to get out and go for a little run yourself!
Thanks for the comments on the new look to the blog - I have to say that I'm not totally satisfied and will probably keep making changes at least until I get bored with it.

I thought I would leave you with this video on the gay games - enjoy!



Have a great week - more running posts than you can count will be occurring over the next several months!

Later -

Jim