Advice

How to Run a Marathon
by Barney Stinson

"Yon don't train for a marathon.  You just run it.
Here's how you run a marathon.
Step 1: You start running.  There is no step 2."

A new plan

After studying many marathon training plans, my sisters and I found one that seemed to be the newbie classic, so that was the plan of choice.  The plan was 2-3 days a week of running 3 miles, with an additional day of a long run.  The long runs generally increase to 20 miles in the 24 weeks leading up to the Marathon.  Over the last eight weeks, I have been sticking to this plan, but the weekend long runs are just increasingly scary.

Over the weekend, I was speaking with a friend who ran a marathon a few months ago for the first time.  She used Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon Training Guide.

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novice2.htm

The difference is a gradual increase in the baseline, or week running.  It makes the long runs much less intimidating and hopefully makes the whole experience better.
Here's to a new plan!

Shin Splints

The pain and burning!

Why do I do this to myself.

I have shin splints and yet I'm still running.  But I must admit it looks really funny when I do so. : )

I have been keeping to my training plan, running 9 miles early last week (the longest to date).  This week it's the normal 3 days of 3 miles and 2 days of cross training.  My favorite cross training is a combo of yoga and yard work.  The big scary item coming up is 11 miles this weekend.  I was dying after mile 8 before and now I have 3 more to add to it.  And with the shin splints I'm just not sure how I'm going to do it.  My goal is to travel 11 miles.  I hope the majority of that is running, but only time will tell.