Getting Into It

It's been well over a week since I last posted so I'll give you the extremely abbreviated version and then move on to today's run and the future.

I spent a lot of days at the beach over the past 10 days including a long weekend with Heather and then last Wed-Sat with some friends in Sea Isle. This reduced my running totals to 33 miles last week and 27 miles this week. Not horrible but about 10 miles short of what I would have liked. It did however, give me a little mental and physical break from running and I am feeling ready to attack marathon training for the fall.

I considered today the official start of training, not only because I put it 12.5 miles but because I ran them with Seebo. Runs with Seebo generally mean that one or both of us are building towards a marathon and although it wasn't so long of a run today it was the first step toward building up the distance and the routine of the weekly marathon training ritual.

We started easy and we kept it easy which was just fine with me. There will be plenty of time for faster finish long runs in the future. We followed a loop on familiar territory from Llyod Hall out to the Belmont Hills and back through Fairmount Park. We were treated to the Philly Triathlon at the start and finish of the run. Conversation was easy, weather was decent and it was an enjoyable trip around some roads I haven't travelled in a bit. 12.5 miles 1:45.

I found my calves tighter than expected after the run. I at first blamed it on a few days off but then realized that it was the first long run on the roads in quite a while. I think my legs just aren't used to it and it means I need to make point of putting more miles on the asphalt and less on the trails.

As for a marathon this fall I am still undecided. I am looking for something in mid-October to give me enough time to train but will allow me to avoid training through mid-terms in November. It also has to be a driveable distance. Baltimore, Steamtown, and the Newport marathon look like good options. I am leaning towards Newport right now as it will allow some sightseeing and a totally different type of marathon than I am used to with a field of only 600 or so people.

I will break 3 hours.