Monday, February 01, 2010

I Can Run 100 Miles

Not consecutively, of course. That’s crazy talk. I find my mileage, like my personality, is better in smaller doses.

With apologies to The Proclaimers (and who thinks maybe they should apologize a bit to us for this song as well?), my February wraps up with a nice little total mileage near 100 miles. I did not run 100 miles. I didn’t even walk 500 miles…and walk 500 more just to be the man who walked 1,000 miles. I ran a shade over 94. What’s with all the walking anyhow?

Ninety-four miles represents a January high for me. Usually I spend the first two months of every year in a semi-hibernation waiting out the snow, ice, and cold. Not this year. I figure that if I want to make this the Year of the Ass Kicker, I better get off to a good start. You know, get my muscles pulls and debilitating injuries over early so I can quit YAKing by March. Why delay things?

I believe it was Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption, when faced with the movie refrain ‘get busy living, or get busy dying’, decided to get busy dying by kicking the table from under himself and hanging from the rafters. I think I’ll be like Red and choose to get busy living. In this case, get busy living is represented by a complete listing of runs on my training log. Not a missed day for the month! I sure know how to live it up, don’t I?

Today is the official kick-off for Bayshore Marathon training. And, of course, it is a rest day. I know how to start a plan the right way. Some of you schedule a run for the first day but that just seems silly. There’s 16 weeks to go. Pace yourself.

Also, even though I reference a “plan”, I still have not actually put my plan on paper. It’s still swirling around in my head along with sports scores, the plot to Lost, and amidst the wreckage of unrealized childhood dreams. I’ll tilt my head and dump it out my ear onto paper later today or tomorrow but don’t be surprised if week 8 contains ‘throw winning touchdown in the Super Bowl’ in place of a long run. I don’t know what’s going to come out. Plus, wouldn’t it be nice if once – just once – Runner’s World had an article about ’16 weeks to your best marathon!’ or ‘Our new plan for your fastest marathon ever!’? Help a brother out. Someone’s asleep at the switch over there.

So, off I go into February…into Bayshore training…with a get busy living attitude. Of course, if I come home again with my fingers mildly frost bit and face ice-wind burned like I did yesterday, I may be looking for the nearest rafter and a strong rope.

A month from now, Brooks’ way may not seem so bad.

Happy trails.

January total miles = 94.25
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Sunday long run: 12 miles @ 6:59 pace. Started out easy, got cold, picked up the pace, got really cold, decided to really pick up the pace and negative split the sumbitch. My hands were tingling and burning for the first half hour after returning home.

16 comments:

Jessica said...

I think Runner's world just recycles those articles. A few word changes, a different author and voila!!! Like they have never said it before!

EZEthan said...

My favorite Runner's World article is the ever popular: "Train less to a PR"... Sure makes all those "Elites" seem pretty silly for putting in all those 100+ mile weeks!

Nate Leckband said...

Starting a training plan with a rest day... genius!

BrianFlash said...

Oh if I could only go out and do 12 miles at under 7:00 pace. Beautiful run!

Jess said...

94 miles in January is an awesome total. Good luck with the start of marathon training!

Jen Feeny said...

Great start to the Year of the Ass Kicker!!! Bring on Feb, Bayshore training and hopefully some better temps! Spike told me his long run yesterday was brutal and I seriously don't know how ya'll manage!

Julie said...

Hi Nitmos,
This is my first visit to your blog and just so you know it came highly recommended:) Great job on the January miles!! Oh, and I love basketball too!! I never played it...not coordinated enough but I was a cheerleader and my daughter is awesome at it! I can't wait to read more of your posts!!

gene said...

fo-shizzle! i WAS happy with my hilly 10k at an 8:40 average, but not no mo. nice run out there! nice how the cold numbs our sensibilities!
i am just glad that you didn't reference the Friends theme song. otherwise that might be going around in your head instead.
you're welcome.
YAK it up!

Ace said...

Don't forget to feed Jake while you're at. Food is an important part of any training plan.

Also, you really need to extend this analogy. Other bloggers need to be assigned roles from the movies. Who will be the "Sisters"?

Anonymous said...

Runner's World probably does have a 16 Weeks to your best marathon plan. It's just not in the rotation right now.

RawBodyGoddess said...

Sheesh, one look at your title and I thought you were coming over to the dark side and doing an Ultra...

Vava said...

Nice run! And (skeptic alert) magazines just recylce articles, so anything new that RW might come up with will be unlikely to help you in your quest. In any case, I suspect your training and subsequent race will be very impressive, so good luck!

The Boring Runner said...

Annnnnnd now i have that song in my head... "When I wake up.... I'm gonna be the man that wakes up next to you!"

Keep us posted on the plan. I'm interested in how you balance the 2010 ass kicker 5K goal and marathon goal.

X-Country2 said...

Don't work too hard on day 1. Good thinkin'.

Anonymous said...

Now you've done it, mister. I happen to LOVE The Proclaimers.

prashant said...

Starting a training plan with a rest day... genius!

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