Back on the Grid

Categories: 2011 Goals, Bart Yasso, Dean Karnazes, Duathlon, Half Marathon, Maraton, Meb Keflezhigi, Ryan Hall

Happy New Year!
I am so not a resolution maker but I do plan and set goals.

2010 mileage: 1440.
To be honest if I didn’t do the Tall Mom thing, I wouldn’t have tracked at all because I honestly don’t care. I run as much as it takes to make me happy, stay injury free and hopefully race well. I’ve never tracked before so I have nothing to compare that to.

At last!
My first race of the year is signed and sealed.
I was poised at my computer at precisely 6am on New Years’s Eve to secure my spot in the March Madness Half marathon. It features a hilly ornery course (eerily similar to that of Boston) ghastly weather and sells out in a matter of a few hours. It’s one I love to hate yet force myself to do every year. It was my very first half. 2011 will be my 5th time running it. Geez time flies!

My Garmin is repaired and ready to go
It was very strange at first to be running (off the clock) but there’s definitely a sense of freedom without it.

Diet
Last week I finally disembarked the toffee bar-filled express train to sugar-coma-ville. All went great until I hopped back on News Year’s Eve. I definitely need to yank the proverbial diet choke-chain and stop making cookies a staple of my diet.
While I was +1 pound post runnbatical
I quickly took that off

But…
I am +5 pounds over BQ weight. Me no likey.
Yes my life will always be measured in terms of BBQ (before Boston Qualifying) and ABQ (after Boston Qualifying).

Goal: Get back to (or under!) BQ weight.

Training
This started last week. It’s actually half marathon training as I’m changing things up a bit and don’t foresee any full ones in the first half of the year. Oh mama that speedwork was ugly. Marcia has work to do.

The plan, as it stands now, is to focus on shorter races and cycling for the first half of the year while building up mileage to transition into the Pfitz marathon training plan for one, maybe more fall marathons.

Goal: Run a sub 1:50 half.

Cross Training
I will do my best to continue with the core and strength work I focused on during my runnbatical. I use the Jamoosh Hardcore Plan and have concocted my own hip plan which I will be more than happy to share as soon as my replacement stretchy band arrives. In my zeal I snapped mine right in half. How’s that for hip strength?

Goal: Do a Duathlon

Fall Marathons
NYC (if the universe is smiling down on me)

Alternate 1: Marine Corps (But it’s on 10/30, which may conflict with Halloween festivities for my girl posse).

Alternate 2: Twin Cities This is closer for me and I’ve heard all good things.
Any other good candidates?

Plus…
possibly a December marathon as well.
CIM?
Tucson?
Vegas?
What say you?

One final Goal
I’ve been accused cough cough Chris K. of not meeting enough running dudes (other than Mr. SUAR) in 2010. First let me say that is not true.
Behold the proof: