Cold Weather Training

Yeah, I don't do it! This is the time of year that the YMCA membership gets some good use. Sad to say though, this past 30 days has probably been the least I have run in 5 years. That might be a good thing physically, but mentally its a big struggle. I will say that the runs that I have done, have been more quality than usual so its not a bad trade off.

I have a three pronged approach to the Spring Season. 1. Stay Strong 2.Get the lead out 3. Don't do anything too dumb! The goals are to run my fastest 5k, my fastest Marathon and to run a great Ultra. The Ultra goal is a little different because I may be running a race that I have wanted to do for a while. The Strolling Jim 40 Miler in Wartrace, TN on May 5th. (You can all breath a sigh of relief... I'm not doing a 50 miler!) http://sj40mile.com/ It was named after a great walking horse, named, you guessed it "Strolling Jim". If you can finish under 7 hours you get a gold t-shirt....as you know if there is a t-shirt involved... I am in. Plus, I have positioned this to Rose, that this would give us a great chance to go Nashville, someplace we have not been. So, sounds like a "Win-Win" to me!

The next goal race is the Carmel Marathon on April 21st. I was looking at this as a "tempo run" for whatever ultra I ended up deciding to do. this might be a little, well maybe a lot closer to the Ultra time wise. But I tend to do better with a 2 week taper! ;-) I did Carmel last year, fair, flat course, that I set a PR on it last year in June heat, so I am feeling like if I get a good day weather-wise, it can come together. The goal food for after the race is a Big Ugly at Bub's so we may all have to have a get together there for some large burgers!!!

The most pressing goal coming up is in March and April to go after the Holy Grail of the Fat Runner... the Sub 20 minute 5K!!!! I just need to see 19:5X.... I will confess that I have that number up on the fridge. I was once told stories of Olympic swimmers putting times up on the wall and hitting it by thousandths of seconds! that is fine just as long as I get into the 19's!!!

To hit these goals of have enlisted the help of Nationally Recognized Coach Carl Egbert. You may have heard of him from 3HS fame or from his Flying Delaware Blue Hen days. (If you need an online Coach you should give him a try... he's way better than Alberto Salazar) Carl and I have taken my based, and how should I say... We are sharpening steel, with steel. The quality of my workouts have improved tremendously. And I am doing speed work outs in ranges that I have never hit before. So well see... first shot will be March 11th, for the Big 10 Hoops Classic 5K... I am sure Rose will let me race for my 12th wedding anniversary!

The one thing I am content with is... unless it warms up a lot I have no intention of going outside...(except for the trip to Mexico at the end of January) most miles are getting logged on a Treadmill. I just hate getting over dressed and I certainly can't try to run up-tempo in it. Another interesting wrinkle is I have my first appointment with a Registered Dietitian on February 24th... so I can unknowingly enlist the help of another professional into my mania! Until next time... Be!