Training

I promise that this will be one of the only posts that speaks specifically of running plans.

To say that I have read a lot on running in the past year would be an understatement. For Christmas, I received a subscription to Runner's Magazine as a Christmas present from my sister. I have purchased three running books but have been unable to get past Chapter 3 in any of them. I have read countless articles & blogs about running. My most recent running reading fetish are blogs that tell of Chicago Marathon experiences. If you have some extra time on your hands, here is one of the most humorous blogs you will ever read about one guy's experiences preparing for and running in the marathon: http://dickheadmarathon.blogspot.com/2013/02/decision-day-d-238.html.

At times, I have found myself overwhelmed by all the "literature." It is as if I am looking for the easy way to run faster and longer, but I know no such plan exists. But there are training plans...

When preparing for my half marathon, I knew I wanted/needed to follow a plan. I was clueless in how to prepare. I needed the structure to get me going each day. Unfortunately, this literature can be just as overwhelming as the "how to run" literature.

There is Hal Higdon's Training Program, this one by Runner's World, and Jeff Galloway's training plan, to just name a few.

There are no shortage of marathon training plans either. Due to my schedule, I knew I wanted a schedule that operated on about 18 weeks. Of course, there is Hal Higdon's Program, which is nice because he has different running levels, but I wanted something where I did not run for three days straight. After some searching, I found this one: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Beginner-Marathon-Training-Plan-28858450. In case you are wondering, I had no idea this site existed before I typed "Marathon Training Plan" into Google.

Regardless of the plan, the fine print in all of them are the same: modify to suit your own abilities. That's easy to say when you know your own abilities, but what happens when you haven't a clue?

For Chicago, I initially started with the Pop Sugar regiment. This one appealed to me because it recommends that you run every other day, except for Saturday and Sunday. This plan also includes one day of speed work, but I found the suggestions for speed work easier to follow in other plans, such as Hal's program.

After the first week, I decided to incorporate a plan that blends the Pop Sugar with Hal Higdon. It looks something like this...

As October approaches, I may modify this schedule. I'm already starting to wonder if I should not worry about the speed workout and just run.

I'm not going to set any records at Chicago. I've never run a marathon before and I have no idea what to expect, despite everything that I have and will read. When I completed the application, I said my target time was 4:30:00. I think this is reasonable, but in the end, my goal is simply to finish in one piece.