Days 3 and 4

On Wednesday, I did 1.5 miles on of speedwork on the treadmill, including my new favorite 'mill routine:
 - Walk for one minute at 3.6 mph
 - For the two minutes, increase the speed every 20 seconds
 - For the next three minutes, increase the speed every 10 seconds; if you're naturally not quick, like me, your ending pace will be a sprint
 - Walk for one minute

I did that rountine first, followed by a half mile at 1 mile race pace (6.4 for me), followed by the first routine again. DH then wanted me to join him for a run/walk so we did another 2.5 miles.

Last night, I did 2.3 miles at "goal marathon pace": 4:1 run/walk with the run at an 11:30 mile pace. I followed that  some ab work, lifted arms and then did something I haven't done in forever - swam laps. I am not at all a strong swimmer, but the Y has recently added flotation belts to their pool equipment, so I put one on and was able to do six laps (no idea what the distance is - help, swimmers!)  in a slow twenty minutes. By the last lap, I was beat.

I've been working tweleve hour days all week, but get to take some much needed comp time off this afternoon to do some shopping. I'm also working this weekend, but have the morning off to do a work-sponsor Habitat for Humanity build.

What are you weekend plans?

Day 1 of Marathon Training

Happy memorial day, everyone! To those of your serving our country, or who have served -THANK YOU!

My first run of training for Chicago began today! I'm working second shift for the long weekend, so after getting up at 9:00 and eating breakkie with DH, I headed out at 10:30 for the easy 2-miler that's on my schedule (I'll share the whole plan with you later). It was already a humid 84 in Indiana, after begin in the fifties  ans sixties all last week. It was like I couldn't breathe- miserably hot. Those two miles felt anything but easy, but I managed to finish in 23:14.

About one big life change I mentioned early: DH and I know own 125 DVC points at Bay Lake Tower! Our first trip on points will be for marathon weekend in Janurary (and no, I still don't know what race I'm running) in a lakeview studio. I researched DVC for almost a year before we bought in, and would be happy to do a longer post - or a reader question post - about DVC if you'd like.

How did you spend memorial day?

Chicago 2011

Registration opened today . . . and is calling my name. Maybe 2011 should be the year of the marathon . .
Have you run Chicago? Help me decide what to do - the entrance fee is crazy(!) but it seems so awesome!

Spring Race Plan

Sunday is a full-body strength session for me. There is a serious snow storm starting in my neck of the woods today, so I went to the Y early and spent about 45 minutes lifting weights before heading to the grocery. After yesterday's 4.6 miler (at a nice 11:44 pace!), my shin was very sore, but after ice and stretching, it's just a little achy.
I've been struggling, both with running with orthotics and with choosing races for 2011. I have three trains of thought:

 - Run Mercedes Half Marathon in Feb, run the half at Flying Pig in May, maybe run another local half in late May; Run 5ks all summer; run a fall full marathon, either Savannah RnR or Chickamauga Battlefield
 - Run Mercedes Half Marathon in Feb, run the full at Flying Pig or Cleveland in May and enjoy it; Run 5ks all summer; run another full in the fall, either Savannah RnR or Chickamauga Battlefield
 - Run Mercedes Half Marathon in Feb, run the full at Flying Pig or Cleveland in May and hate it; Run 5ks all summer; run two halfs in the fall, Savannah RnR and Monumental in Indianapolis

I'm scared of spring full. I'm scared of a fall full. Part of me doesn't want to reinjure myself, and doen't want to have to rush training to feel like I get everything in by May. Would more halves and better base building help me be more confident in a full? I don't know. All I know is a full (or two) is on the calendar for 2011. Just not sure where.

How do you choose races?