Marathon Training Update

So running is still the bane of my existence, encompassing 95% percent of my training volume throughout the week. When I first shifted my efforts from triathlon training to marathon, the running was monotonous at best and I did not feel myself getting any faster or fitter. Unlike cycling where I could at least hang with the strongest cyclists on my team, running was another story. I continually developed stomach issues and got dropped when attempting to keep pace with the Greyhound Pack, but my fitness is beginning to improve. While I eventually get dropped on the intense speed/tempo work, I'm hanging with the Pack 85% of the the time. In two more weeks, they may have a new member, all be it at the back of the Pack.

So the last three weeks have been slowly increasing in volume from 35 miles to now nearly 50. Each week I put in at least two to three solid 7 mile interval sessions at Fairmount Loop that have boosted my overall speed significantly. As a matter of fact, I have set 5k PR's each week.

Sundays are reserved for my long run, and I have worked my way up to 16 miles, which is mindboggling to me. If you told me a year ago that I would be running 16 miles under any circumstances I would have slapped you. You know you live a strange existence when you speak casually about the sort of training distances that I am becoming comfortable with...it is truly humbling. Today's run wound up to be 7 minute 35 second pace on trails, so I would imagine that my road pace without the elevation change would be a bit faster.

This whole process of becoming a more competitive endurance athlete is the most humbling journey of my life. At points I find myself a spectator...almost in awe of what the human body can do when you remove the fear of pain from the equation. One thing that I have to come understand is that our bodies will tell us what our limitations are, and generally they are far beyond what our mind's perceive as acceptable. Pardon my etherial ramblings, but I am sure there are some of you out there you can identify.