Maine-Bound

Ran this morning. About 3.75 miles, mostly uphill to work. It felt pretty good, although my right calf muscle is somehow still sore. According to my phone, I finished at a 9:50 pace, but I was standing still for about a minute after I started it trying to get it into my backpack (I need a Garmin), and I got held up at quite a few stoplights. I'd say it was probably more like 9:30. Not bad! This whole minimalist thing has made me pretty slow, normally my runs are more like 10:30. Once I got to work I did a bit of strength training, although by "bit" I mean hardly anything. The weights at my work's gym are decades old and I have no idea how to use any of them. Give me a machine with everything set up and a picture of what I'm doing and I'll lift. Otherwise, I'll just sit there.

I'm going to spend the next couple of months before I start my official marathon training (January 22-mark it!) trying to build up a bit of speed. Again, "bit" does not mean much. I might try to go from a 10:30 average speed to more like a 9:45, for example. Fast stuff. I'm going to be using this plan from Hal Higdon to tide me over until the actual marathon training, although I'm only going to run 5 days a week and make my long runs slightly longer. I think. Then I'm going to use his "novice 2" 18-week marathon plan. I've already set all my google calendar reminders until the marathon! Nerd.

Heading off to Maine tonight. At 12:15 am. Somehow it's going to take us 6 hours to get to Boston, and then after an hour layover we'll leave for Lewiston and get there around 9:00 am. I still don't get the 6 hours to Boston thing. Whatever. Was debating whether I should try to stay up the whole time or pop a couple of sleeping pills and dream sweet dreams. It'll probably end up being a combination of both. I will be pissed if this weather messes anything up. It seems like it's fine, but I keep seeing all these headlines about another snowpocalypse. East coasters are wimps (yeah, I said it). Stay tuned! Actually, don't, I won't be blogging this weekend, I can tell you that much right now. Happy Thanksgiving!

I didn't end up wearing my new spandex. More practical, fewer stares.