Daylight is Coming

Workout: rest

It was a pretty morning here in Anchorage.

I took this at 9:00 a.m., which means that Alaska is on its way back to normal daylight hours! Even better, it was even still kind of light outside when I left work at 5:00! I couldn't believe it. I'm lucky that my new job allows me to work pretty much whenever I want and from wherever I want (although I end up going into the office every day anyway. Such a square), which means I'm always able to get in a mid-day run no matter how long it is. "Normal" and "responsible" people, however, have to run before or after work, which dooms them to months of dark and scary runs during the winter. My point is, this is good news for us all.

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Sine I started reading Hansons, I've been so over Higdon's plan I've been following to slowly ramp up my mileage. Fortunately I just looked at the plan and realized I'm on the last week! Don't get me wrong, it's been a huge help, but I am so sick and tired of the same "5 miles, 3 miles, 5 miles, then one more mile than last weekend for your long run" pattern. I could definitely use some variety, which Hansons totally provides. So with that, I announce my official drinking of the Hanson Kool-Aid. I'm totally following their plan.

I am so not the kind of person who spends time making charts and whatever but since the Kindle version of Hansons displays training charts in an almost unusable way, I spent multiple hours last night putting together my very own plan (complete with paces, and color coded!). I present you with "stage 1" of the plan.

The first five weeks are all about getting accustomed to running most days of the week. The miles are all easy (they suggest alternating between "easy easy" pace and just "easy" pace) and the weekly mileage tops out at 24 miles. Actually, if  you're already running more than the weekly mileage listed in the plan, you're supposed to keep running that mileage until the plan "catches up," but I am a weirdo and want to follow the plan from the very beginning. Plus, I'm just so sick of Higdon.

Starting with week six, you run six days and add speed work and tempo runs. It's a terrifyingly large leap in weekly mileage and I'm already nervous about it. Nervous in a great way, though. February 17 needs to get here already!

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Today's random music note (look at me being all open about music) is about that Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj song that was the worst thing ever until I listened to it a few times and suddenly loved it. Well, one of the first lyrics goes something like "What you got, a billion coulda never bought." No matter how many times I listen to that song, my version always involves "a million" dollars because to me, a million dollars is still an enormous sum of money. It reminds me of that moment in Austin Powers when Dr. Evil's outrageous demand from the government is "ONE MILLION DOLLARS" and everyone laughs at him. Seems a million dollars is no longer impressive.

Look at me, babbling like a fool. I really just wanted to post a pretty picture and leave it at that.

Now it's your turn!

• I want to do a scientific poll. When is it getting light/dark where YOU live these days? Are you gaining a lot of light or staying pretty much the same?
• Million dollars: a lot of money or pocket change? If the latter, throw those pennies on over here!
• What do you think about Hal Higdon's plans? Have you followed any of his before? I'm actually a pretty big fan, despite my less-than-glowing words; I'm just ready for a change.