How is Your Bubble?

Remember when I wrote this. All eager with “I’m getting back into shape” joy. Then, weeks later, somehow, I start my marathon training with this (see paragraphs 3 & 4). Wow, what an epic ‘build a base’ fail. Complete house made on sand moment. Instead, I was left with a compressed 14 week marathon training schedule with my first ever 2 week taper (as oppose to 3). Yesterday’s 18M constituted the first half of my training. As of yet, I’ve done zero 20M; but that changes this weekend. Because of my love for March Madness, and my fear that my own training is teetering on the ‘training’ bubble, I’m giving myself a mid-training report card.

Running Goals: Key runs missed (speed, tempo, long) = 0. Weekly maintenance runs missed = 2. Runs I finished and thought…nailed it = 1. Runs I hated with every ounce of my being = 3.

Diet/Fueling Goals: On track for desired/healthy weight loss. Total oz of pop consumed = 40. Days I was wayward from my healthy runner diet = 5 (two bad weekends).

Injury Update: No serious injuries thus far, just some general soreness and a slightly persistent ankle tweak.

Weather Update: Number of runs significantly hampered by poor weather = 2. Same only considering key runs = 1. And that folks, for this region of the world and time of the year, is amazing.

So, my effort has been an A-. My results are closer to C+. My ‘grades’ are improving and, like every college student, I’m thinking that with continued hard work I can have a great final exam. Which, for marathons and classes with only a final exam, is all that counts.