Getting back to this..

Last year I started out with the best intentions to begin writing on here - while the intention was there, the execution was not. As I embark upon another marathon training season I am going to make this a part of my routine, maybe not daily, but hopefully, at the very least, weekly. 

Back at it...

When I started this blog I had grand ideas that I'd write daily, or at least a few times a week but that hasn't exactly happened. I've been distracted with house hunting and purchasing new toys for hunting season this fall. Ask me 10 years ago if I'd ever hunt and I would have told you that you're nuts.

A nice benefit my employer offers is free gym membership to its employees. It's a good deal for all involved as the local gym gets paid by the company and judging by the coworkers I see, or don't see there, they are probably making out pretty well. I've recently discovered the advantages of working out during my lunch. I can get a good workout in without having to worry about blowing it off after work because all I want to do is go home. This is also forcing me to go lift during non-running days on my training schedule, so it's really a perfect fit. I'll be the first to admit that I neglect lifting and just convince myself running is more than enough...I mean when is the last time you saw a huge jacked up runner?? Logic prevailed and I've realized that I really should do some weight training to strengthen my legs and core which will help me during those wonderful long runs this year.

In excitement for the running season I've also signed up for three races, however, I wasn't paying much attention and realized that in the span of 6 days I have three races - a half marathon, a 3.5 mile race, and a 10 mile race. I suppose this will be a good indicator of my training fitness as the official date of marathon training is about 10 days after those races.

Back at It

Thursday was my official attempt to start running again for the year. With having two IT Band issues going into the marathon I decided I'd take a couple months off and start back up in January. I was on track to start up in January, but then life happened and I wasn't able to dedicate any time to running, so now that things are getting back to normal it's time to get moving.

Thursday was a short, 2 mile run. Not wanting to make the same mistake this year I've decided to work on some strength training to help prevent another injury. It's strange how easy it is to stick to a training plan yet when it comes to strength training and stretching I'm horrible at sticking to it.

So the run was OK  I felt good but still felt a little tightness in the IT Bands. This week I hope to get a few days of running in. There really isn't any reason for me not to go to the track as the gym is literally 2 minutes away from my office.

The gym... Something I don't think I'll ever understand is the thought process of old men in the men's locker room. When I use the locker room it's for as little as time as possible - I change, throw my clothes in a locker, and head out for my workout. I don't use the showers at this gym because I go after work so its easier to just go home and shower, however, when I used to workout before work I'd use the showers at the gym. I'd shower, change, and get out of the locker room as soon as possible. However, I think there is some thought process that is modified once you reach a certain age that I can't explain. For some reason there are men in the locker room that feel the need to sit around naked, for an inordinate amount of time...watching TV, talking to others, etc. I just don't get it and never will. If I ever become that 'guy' at the gym, please, someone, take away my membership.

First Attempt

Well, here's my first attempt to enter the blogging world. I know a handful of people that blog as they are pretty interesting, and some who think they are interesting, but I'll throw this out there now, I don't claim to be very interesting. The point of this blog for me was to keep tabs on my marathon training as I frequently lurk on running blogs to learn what I'm not doing correctly, or on the rare occasion, what I am doing correctly. I'll throw in occasional stories about life and my pursuit of ultimately ending up in a warm weather climate.

My first marathon was in 2009 when I ran the Disney Marathon. I was never a distance runner and the only reason I started running was because a coworker wanted to run a half-marathon and I figured I'd support him and run with him. I quickly found out that I loved running and halfway through training for the half marathon I decided to run the marathon.

While I continued to run over the next few years I didn't commit to any more marathons until last year when I decided to run Chicago. My best friend, who had a medical scare, added running a marathon to his bucket list and ran Chicago with me. I told him he'd be hooked once he ran one and I think he's now a convert, so we'll both be running Chicago again this year.

I was hesitant to call myself a marathon runner with only one marathon under my belt, so now my made up rules allow me to now call myself a marathon runner. My first marathon goal was to finish, last year was to break 4:00, however, I had IT Band issues on both knees with just over a month before the marathon so my goal was adjusted to finishing. This year I'm shooting for 3:45 and have decided to take up the Pfitzinger training plan....It looks brutal, and from what I've heard, I'll probably despise the day I decided to use the plan, but it's now written down so I'm pot committed and hoping for 3:45.