Recently in training plans Category

As I did with the half marathon and the TC 10 Mile, I am following a training plan to get ready for the Minneapolis Marathon. I base my weekly rewards and reminders around the clipart I find on my computer.

Here's what I'm doing (more or less):

For most of us, New Year's Eve is full of friends, revelry and maybe one too many glasses of champagne. And if you're not careful, you might wake up the next morning with foggy memories of things you immediately regret. We've all experienced heard stories about this, right?

Well, my NYE didn't involve anything remotely resembling lechery, but I did wake up in a panic the morning after. Because on New Year's Eve I decided it was a fantastic idea to sign up for a triathlon AND do a marathon.

That's right folks, 2009 will be the year of my first triathlon and marathon! And I am absolutely excited. Oh, and terrified. But still excited. Mostly terrified, actually.

I've signed up for a marathon clinic with a local running store, so I'm not as worried about finding a training plan for that race. I'm shooting for the inaugural Minneapolis Marathon on May 31. I chose not to do Grandma's, a larger and arguably more "prestigious" race, because I want to sleep/toss fitfully in my bed the night before. Staying close to home eliminates a lot of variables that I'd rather not deal with for my first marathon -- travel, hotels, weird Duluth food, weird Duluth people, and so on (just kidding, I love you Duluthians).

(Disclaimer: By saying "first," I in no way mean to imply that there will be a next.)

Running 26 miles is certainly a special kind of crazy. But do you know what's even crazier? Voluntarily signing up to get kicked in the head and drown in the middle of Lake Phalen. Also known as the St. Paul Triathlon.

Here are the pros of this whole triathlon situation, as I see it:

• It forces me to cross-train, something that I usually neglect.
• I will learn about bike maintenance.
• It's great motivation to get stronger and healthier and try new challenges.
  
• I signed up with two of my good friends, so I'm not alone.
• We're going to make T-shirts. Clever team name pending (ideas, people!).
• It's not until August.
• UPDATE: I also get to wear special biking pants with a padded butt. Awesome!
  

And the cons:

• I don't know how to swim. I mean, I can keep myself afloat and know the strokes, but I am just awful. I'm going to have to figure something out there, or death is imminent.
• Imminent death is a pretty big CON, come to think of it.
• I don't have a training plan (yet) or training group. This means I need to get my responsibility on, and that is a tricky business.
• I don't really know how to bike, either. At least not in a "Ooh, hot aero bars, where'd you get your clip-in shoes?" kind of way. Leisurely pedal to a nearby restaurant? Sure! No problem! Ride in a race where I'm not allowed to do things like "drafting" and I have to ride many miles CONSECUTIVELY? Eep.

I have many things to learn between now and August. Well, hopefully I learn them long before August so that I can practice the skills I learn, like "not drowning" and "how to bike fast without tipping over." I might join a training group through Life Time, and will probably volunteer at the LTF Tri in July, so that I can get a feel for it.

If you seasoned triathletes are still reading, I am in need of recommendations for good training plans (and any other tips you might have).

(Photo by ableman, of a tri that looks much more my speed)

I've officially started my training for the Twin Cities 10 Mile race in October. I decided to challenge myself, so I'm running with a faster pace group than I would normally run with and so far it's been great (minus the 70 percent humidity).  As I did with the Get in Gear 10K (which I, um, didn't run. Shhh), I've crafted a training schedule for the next couple of months -- complete with mileage and weekly rewards. Like last time, rewards are based on whatever clipart pictures I dug up whilst putting this bad boy together.



It continues . . .
 

A few things to note:

• You might have noticed that there are pushups mentioned three times a week. That's because I, too, have jumped on the 100 Pushup Challenge bandwagon. And like Marcy, I'm starting with "alternative" pushups.  They're very alternative, actually. They would probably make Pavel Tsatsouline cry.
• My TC 10 Mile training doesn't end after the race is over. It morphs into my half marathon training. That's right, folks, I'm going to run my first half marathon! I figure I'll be running 10 miles already, so why not add a few?  Plus I've heard that the Monster Half is a really fun race -- costumes, low stress and lots of frivolity. And you know how I love frivolity.
• PSA time! I am not condoning or promoting the use of performance enhancing relaxing drugs, the deadly sin of envy or the dangerous reality of spontaneous combustion. Thank you, you can go about your business now.

I am making the declaration for all the world my mom to see -- I'm doing a half and I'm getting buff (actually, I'd settle for getting enough upper body strength to open the storm doors in my apartment building).

(Goats image courtesy of kris247)

So my 6 mile long run this weekend turned into a 5 mile run. I woke up late, was distracted by Tim Russert* and left the house 20 minutes after my planned start time.

I was feeling a bit frustrated with myself and my lack of running progress, and was about to wrap up my run when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted someone who looked eerily familiar.

I scanned my brain trying to figure out how I knew this guy (ex-boyfriend? Crazy neighbor? UPS man?). But then I realized -- it was none other than local meteorologist/goat farmer/runner Sven Sundgaard (a.k.a. the Pocket Swede**). Nothing like a celebrity*** sighting to motivate you to pretend that you are Really Good At Running toward the end of your miles.

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This week, I have the TC 1 Mile on Thursday.**** I'm pretty excited about the race because I've never tried to run a mile as fast as I can, and I'm curious to see what sort of blazing fast speeds I can conjure from my legs. (In all honesty, I'm just hoping to beat the 12-minute cut-off time.)

The fun continues on Saturday with the 10K on the 10th of May, the brainchild of the ever-inspiring Nancy. I've got my club in hand, and I am ready to beat down any lingering negative thoughts that try to stop me.

Congrats to everyone who raced this weekend. Your marathon and half-marathon reports are getting me excited to start training for my 10-mile race this fall. Or at least answering the question in my mind: Who would be crazy enough to run these distances??

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*I blame the probing questions and perma-smirk. Irresistible.

** Not sure of his actual heritage, but Pocket Scandinavian doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well.

***Celebrity might be a bit of an overstatement, but here in Minnesota we adore our Norse-ly named newscasters.

**** $18 to run a mile downtown, past all the People Smarter Than Me who will be spending their hard-earned money on happy hour. Reason No. 4367 runners are loopy pickins.

Yes I realize that I haven't actually completed my first 5K yet, and that this whole thing might need to be revisited if I, say, collapse into a puddle of blood, sweat and tears¹ after getting only 400 meters into the race. In that case, this training plan will be revised immediately to create a more suitable schedule involving Hostess Fruit Pies, America's Best Dance Crew marathons and excessive wallowing.

I've drawn up a seven week plan (starting this Sunday) to get me ready for the Get in Gear 10k. It's a mash-up of Hal Higdon's program, Cool Running's schedule and my own insanity.

While I was making the chart, I realized that it was bo-ring and decided to add pictures of rewards I would get after completing a week. So I did what well-meaning high school teachers and corporate PowerPoint specialists² have been doing for decades -- I spiced it up with some Clipart.

Which explains why, instead of giving myself "awesome" things like a Garmin or a massage, I get to harass city employees and foster illegal pets. In any case, here's the plan (click to enlarge). Wish me luck.
 

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1. Cue "And When I Die."
2. Best. Job. Ever.