Running again

I'm about 7 or 8 weeks into a marathon training plan. The idea is to train hard 3 days a week with intervals, tempo runs, and long runs, and cross-train hard 2 days a week. I like the plan because I can fit it into my schedule. The cross-training isn't going so hot. The plan assumes that I had a base of running miles before starting the plan which isn't true. So I'm limping along. I ran 16 miles yesterday. I'm rather sore.

I'm battling weight. I was up to 193 in Dec and Jan. I was at 182 in September when I did the Triathlon in 2010, and I was 169 when I did my first half-ironman triathlon. No wonder running was easier!

I am down to 188 or so, which feels better, but I have a ways to go. I'm eating less meat and less dairy and more fruits and vegetables...it seems to be helping.

I'll be joining some friends for some long runs in the next month or two. I did St Paddy's Day Dash, 3.7 miles at just over 7 minute pace last Sunday. I'll be doing a 13.1 mile run/race in another month, hopefully at about 8 minute pace or faster. Then I hope to do the Capital City Marathon in May, but am holding it lightly. I may hold off and focus on a triathlon in September (1/2 Ironman again), and then try to do the Seattle marathon in November. It is quite fun to train towards a goal, and I feel like there is some traction in the training plan.

I did the Greenlake Gobble 5k in November with very little training and ran 22.38, about 7:20 pace.

I'll get there. I'm glad to be on the move again after a fairly sedentary fall. If I can drop down to the 170's I'll be pretty happy and a bit more fleet, I think.