a better strategy

Here I am with 226 days till I get the chance to hear some of the most rewarding words I may ever hear "Katie Weber, you are an Ironman!", those words will keep me going.

However to hear those sweet words I need to finish the race before the clock runs out. In order to do that I need to train not just hard, but also smart. For these first few weeks of January my training has been unorganized to say the least. So I have decided to fix it. I am planning to run the Minneapolis Marathon on June 6 and have what I feel is one of the best marathon training programs available without having a coach or a team to run with. It is a plan developed by a great runner named Jeff Galloway from his book simply titled Marathon! I would and do highly recommend it to anyone who either wants to just start running or is planning to do either a half or a full marathon. The plan is structured that I run four days a week, tuesday, wednesday, friday and sundays. Sundays are the fun days that change from week to week. I will be doing either mile repeats (running a mile at my goal race pace taking a short recovery break and doing it again), long runs or 5k runs to gauge what my pace is on an open run to predict how I may do in the marathon. I used this program last year with a lot of success, so I have no doubts it will work again. With a more structured running schedule I will now have a better time plotting my swimming and biking, which should lead me to a more successful Ironman experience.

So far this week I am having some great workouts, hit 6 hours on the bike today (didn't do all 6 today, but since monday) and boy, my bony butt was feeling it! I also finally was able to get a real answer on the length of the pool at the Saint Louis Park LA Fitness (the one I most often go to) it is 25 yards and so therefore 35.2 laps for a mile, but I when I am only doing a mile, I will put a little more effort in and go for 36 ;) Tonight I did that in 45 minutes, which while it isn't bad needs to be improved somehow. I have basically been swimming at the same pace since my first tri. Guess it's time to get some one to record me and help me evaluate my form and keep building up my upper body. I think that would help, I hope so! I only get 2 hours 20 minutes to be out of the water and across the timing mat to be able to continue the rest of the race! I guess it is a bit early to be worried about that, but I can't ignore it either.

On a side note: I am starting to realize that people really seem to like to question other peoples dreams, no matter what it is. I don't think they mean to be dream takers and they can't really unless you let them, but all the same it makes me kind of sad. Let people have their dreams and goals, cheer for them. Maybe to you what another person wants is not something you find to be worthwhile use of time or effort, but they may think the same of your dreams. Perhaps Metallica said it best when they sang the words "judge not least ye be judged yourself....holier than thou...you are not". Some dreams and goals are a one time thing that a person needs to get out of their system and others create a new way of life for them. If it brings them no harm and brings no harm to others around them and they are happy in their pursuit, what is the big deal? Ok I just had to get that out... :)

Well another vital key to successful training is adequate rest, so goodnight!

Katie