Marathon...

The La Salle Bank Chicago Marathon closed in record time for registration (31 days) this year.  Matt and I are both signed up and so I start my planning for the upcoming year's marathon.  Here is some background for those who don't know my running history... In 2003 I signed up with Matt to participate in the Chicago Marathon.  Unfortunately Matt was unable to run due to injury.  I too was injured during training (thought I stress fractured my foot, got a steroid injection- took 4 weeks off, missed my long run) but was able to finish the race, which was my goal.  My time was 5:15 (hr:min) pace of 12:03 (min mile) overall finish was 27,092, and for women 10,583.  Three years later, one year after having Mason, I ran in 2006 finished 4:32, pace 10:25, overall finish 19,908 and for women 6,866.  Three years later 2009, one year after having Kate, I finished in 4:23, pace of 10:03, overall 16,904 and for women 5,468.  I share this not to show you how slow I am, but rather to remind myself with age and more children I've gotten faster not slower.

I was so excited to find the front cover of my women's running magazine this month had a headline "train for a marathon running 3 days a week". I thought this was a sign.  I had been contemplating following Hal Higdon's 3 day a week training program for marathon this year.  Hal Higdon is known for his knowledge about the Chicago Marathon and has marathon training schedules for all abilities.  I have followed his beginner's training schedule for every marathon I've run.  The trying to fit runs in 4 days a week plus cross training makes me crabby just writing about it and so I was super excited to find Hal had a 3 day a week running training program.  The article in my women's running magazine was less than desirable.  The training schedule was filled with acronyms and a lot of run for 3 minutes at this tempo and then go to this tempo stuff- I don't like the complicated schedules some runners follow and instead prefer plain old mileage schedules.  You'll hear more about the training schedule when it gets closer.

I have read some good running books and here they are in case you are ever have thought about starting up running or training for anything.  The first one was my first ever book of running which I read prior to my marathon in 2003.  The second one is a book I read last summer and really enjoyed.  So the planning an prep start- hope to again improve on time and rank this year, but as always hope to just finish. 

  No Need for Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running by John Bingham

Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running: The Best Advice to Get Started, Stay Motivated, Lose Weight, Run Injury-Free, Be Safe, and Train for Any Distance (Runner's World Complete Books)  by Dagny Scott Barrios

 

Here is the training schedule for anyone interested...

Hal Higdon'sMARATHON
TRAINING GUIDE

Marathon 3

Stepback weeks are indicated in blue

Nonobligatory races in red

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest	Run: 3 mi	Bike: 30 min	Pace: 3 mi	Rest	Run: 6 mi	Cross 60 min
2	Rest	Run: 4 mi	Bike: 30 min	Tempo: 30 min	Rest	Run: 7 mi	Cross 60 min
3	Rest	Run: 3 mi	Bike: 30 min	Run: 3 mi	Rest	Run: 5 mi	Cross 60 min
4	Rest	Run: 5 mi	Bike: 35 min	Pace: 3 mi	Rest	Run: 9 mi	Cross 65 min
5	Rest	Run: 5 mi	Bike: 35 min	Tempo: 35 min	Rest	Run: 10 mi	Cross 65 min
6	Rest	Run: 4 mi	Bike: 35 min	Run: 4 mi	Rest	Run: 8 mi	Cross 65 min
7	Rest	Run: 6 mi	Bike: 40 min	Pace: 4 mi	Rest	Run: 12 mi	Cross 70 min
8	Rest	Run: 7 mi	Bike: 40 min	Tempo: 40 min	Rest	Run: 13 mi	Cross: 70 min
9	Rest	Run: 5 mi	Bike: 40 min	Run: 5 mi	Rest	Rest	Race: 5-K
10	Rest	Run: 7 mi	Bike: 45 min	Pace: 4 mi	Rest	Run: 15 mi	Cross: 75 min
11	Rest	Run: 8 mi	Bike: 45 min	Tempo: 45 min	Rest	Run: 16 mi	Cross: 75 min
12	Rest	Run: 6 mi	Bike: 45 min	Run: 6 mi	Rest	Rest	Race: 10-K
13	Rest	Run: 8 mi	Bike: 50 min	Pace: 5 mi	Rest	Run: 17 mi	Cross: 80 min
14	Rest	Run: 9 mi	Bike: 50 min	Tempo: 50 min	Rest	Run: 18 mi	Cross: 80 min
15	Rest	Run: 6 mi	Bike: 50 min	Run: 6 mi	Rest	Run: 13 mi	Cross: 80 min
16	Rest	Run: 9 mi	Bike: 55 min	Pace: 6 mi	Rest	Rest	Race: Half Marathon
17	Rest	Run: 10 mi	Bike: 55 min	Tempo: 55 min	Rest	Run: 20 mi	Cross: 85 min
18	Rest	Run: 7 mi	Bike: 55 min	Run: 7 mi	Rest	Run: 14 mi	Cross: 85 min
19	Rest	Run: 10 mi	Bike: 60 min	Pace: 7 mi	Rest	Run: 20 mi	Cross: 90 min
20	Rest	Run: 8 mi	Bike: 60 min	Run: 8 mi	Rest	Rest	Race: 10-K
21	Rest	Run: 10 mi	Bike: 60 min	Tempo: 60 min	Rest	Run: 20 mi	Cross: 90 min
22	Rest	Run: 6 mi	Bike: 50 min	Run: 6 mi	Rest	Run: 12 mi	Cross: 75 min
23	Rest	Run: 4 mi	Bike: 40 min	Run: 4 mi	Rest	Run: 8 mi	Cross: 60 min
24	Rest	Run: 2 mi	Bike: 30 min	Rest	Rest	Run: 1-2 mi	Marathon Race