Running outside...will I ever be able to do it again?

Forget the track, I would love to just hit the pavement!  But after the dump of snow last night, it looks like it is going to be a very long time until spring (or we see pavement again)! I have a feeling the Hangover Run will will be cancelled on Sunday...

We are NEVER getting out of the driveway!

The view from my front door

Nicko plowing the sidewalk

Find a penny, pick it up....

And your long runs won't suck....

See a penny, let it lay...
you'll be broke come race day...

The Book...and what I have done to it

A little bit about what we are doing...what plan we are following and where we got the information from...

Our Jedi Master suggested following the 3plus2 plan in Run Less Run Faster (Amazon Link) to prepare for not only the ING Marathon in November, but also our full race calendar for the months leading up to the BIG day, which include a few half-marathons.  Our first half on the plan is on Sunday, April 3rd in Central Park...The MORE (NYRR's MORE page).  Even though it feels like winter will never end, the snow will never stop falling and the pavement will never be ice free, April will be here before we know it and we are already on Week 10 of our 16 week training schedule!  So yesterday I took advantage of having a sick, crying and feverish baby on my lap all day and bookmarked my book, adding tabs to all the important pages, highlighting tons of important pages and photocopying the training schedule.  I left room for notes on my photocopy and wrote out exactly what I need to run for Key Run Workout #1, which seems to be the most complicated.  I was able to figure out exactly what I need to set my TM to get to the correct pace and have it all written out so there is less thinking to do on those days!  So I thank you, sick little one, for giving me the opportunity to take a break from my usual running around and figure this all out...

Running 1 to 9 miles- (to be sung to the tune of "working 9-5" by Dolly Parton

This morning, as I attempted to thaw out from this morning's CHILLING run, I became a songwriter:

Tumble outta bed
And stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
Yawnin' and stretchin' and try to come to life

Jump in my runnin gear
And the blood starts pumpin'
Out on the streets
The traffic starts jumpin'
With folks like us on a run from 1 to 9

Running 1 to 9
What a way to get endurance 
Barely breathin right
It's all huffin
And a puffin
You go, out your mind
And they never give you credit
It's enough to drive you
Crazy if you let it

 1 to 9, for running and devotion
You would think that I
Wouldn't be going in slow motion 
Want to move ahead
But the legs won't seem to let me
I swear sometimes that they are out to get me
Mmmmm...
Thank you for your inspriration and support.  Al, could not have done it this morning without you!!!!!

The schedule

Week of:

Week #Key Run Workout #1Key Run Workout #2Key Run Workout #31/10

	12	10-20 min warmup 2 x 1200 or ¾ qtr mile (2:00 min RI) 4 x 800 (2:00 min RI) 10 min cooldown	1 mile easy, 2 miles @ mid-tempo pace 1 mile easy, 2 miles @ mid-tempo pace, 1 mile easy	10 miles at HMP(half marathon pace) + 20 secs/mile
1/17	11	10-20 min warmup 6 x 800 (1:30 RI)	5 miles @ mid-tempo pace	12 miles at HMP + 30 secs/mile
1/24	10	10-20 min warmup 2 x (6 x 400) (1:30 RI) (2:30 RI between sets) 10 min cooldown	1 mile easy, 2 miles @ mid-tempo pace 1 mile easy, 2 miles @ mid-tempo pace 1 mile easy	8 miles at HMP + 20 secs/mile
1/31	9	10-20 min warmup 1 mile (400 RI) 2 miles (400 RI) 2 x 800 (400 RI) 10 min cooldown	5 miles @ mid-tempo pace	13 miles at HMP + 30 secs/mile
2/7	8	10-20 min warmup 3 x (2 x 1200) (2:00 RI) (4:00 RI between sets) 10 cooldown	6 miles @ mid-tempo pace	10 miles @ HMP + 20 secs/mile
2/14	7	10-20 min warmup 1k, 2k, 1k, 1k or (.62 mile, 1.25 mile, .62 mile, .62 mile) (400 RI) 10 min cooldown	5 miles @ mid-tempo pace	14 miles @ HMP + 30 secs/mile
2/21	6	10-20 min warmup 3 x 1600 (400 RI) 10 cooldown	6 miles easy & relaxed effort	10 miles @ HMP + 20 secs/mile
2/28	5	10-20 min warmup 10 X 400 (400 RI) 10 min cooldown	5 miles @ mid-temp pace	15 miles @ HMP + 30 sec/mile
3/7	4	10-20 min warmup 3 x 2000 or 1.25 mile (400 RI) 10 min cooldown	1 mile easy, 2 miles @ mid-tempo pace 1 mile easy, 2 miles @ mid-tempo pace 1 mile easy	10 miles @ HMP + 20 secs
3/14	3	10-20 min warmup 2 x 3200m or 2 miles (400 RI) 10 min cooldown	5 miles @ mid-tempo pace	12 miles @ HMP + 20 secs
3/21	2	10-20 min warmup 5 x 1k or .62 miles (400 RI) 10 min cooldown	2 miles easy 3 miles @ short tempo pace 1 mile easy	8 miles @ HMP + 20 secs/miles
3/28	1	10-20 min warmup 6 x 400 (400 RI) 10 cooldown	3 miles, easy and relaxed effort	HALF MARATHON RACE DAY 13.1 miles @ Race Pace 

FIRST:  HALF MARATHON TRAINING PROGRAM

Distraction?

Is running a distraction?  Does it distract from important day-to-day activities?  Does it take time away from our families....from more important things?  Yes...but without it, we would be different people.  Without an outlet, some constructive way to release the funk, we would be different people...and not in a good way.  Running distracts us from stress and difficult family problems...issues from within our lives that would be so difficult to deal with, without a physical outlet, in addition to our spiritual release.  So I say thank you for supporting my distraction...for helping me release the funk...to get a natural high of endorphins which makes me a nicer mother, wife, sister and friend.  Thanks for supporting the distraction!  Love ya!

In the Beginning...

In the beginning there were three girls with big dreams to run the 2011 ING NYC Marathon.  Here we go!!