What I have done already this summer: Prep work 1

Before deciding to sign up for the B.A.A. Half Marathon as part of the Dana Farber Cancer Research team I ran a race at the end of July. The race is called the Jay Challenge, it is held in Jay, Vermont and has become something of a tradition (although it is only 2 years running for me). http://www.ultimatexc.com/JAY.html is the website.

I run/ran the full marathon; however, the race is actually not a marathon as it is 33 miles long. The race is through some of the hilliest, muddiest, wettest and rockiest terrain that I have ever seen. The race is pretty brutal. To get ready for Jay and in part to get ready for the B.A.A. Half Marathon I try to run 4-6 days a week. However, I do believe that 3 days a week can suffice for a half marathon. Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. All should be distance days. Back when I ran cross country we would do 3 days a week in the off season and after a month or two of running most people on the team could cover 9 miles easy.

The short days where I am super busy will be a 4 mile run into Boston with my backpack on, with my work clothes hanging out in the ole back pack. The back pack actually adds like 10-15 pounds of weight on so it is good bonus training. I just strap it down real tight so it does not bounce around a whole lot and I put my shoes in the back so they are touching my back through the fabric to keep things dry as well as well tensioned and organized. (sound crazy, and it is but you gotta do what you gotta do to get the training in).

First point of order, distance, distance, distance. If you do not put the miles on and invest the time in getting the distance down the race will not be as fun and you will not do as well. If the distance is a challenge then speed does not matter. Get comfortable running the 13 miles. However, if you are going it on a whim and you have not ever run a race like this before, then I would say get at least to 6-8 miles preferably the 8. Second point of order, sneak in training, take the stairs, go for a 30 min walk on your lunch break while you eat a sandwich, walk home and think of other ways to creep some extra movement into life.

The longer training days (normally nice night after work or a Saturday or Sunday morning) are 14 -16 mile runs. I try to do three big distance days and two days of hill training and lifting or speed work outs and lifting. The speed work outs are not that useful for the 33 mile long race but are important for the shorter races that I run. I like to do 5ks and five milers as well. I did the Doyle's 12th Annual Emerald Necklace Road Race http://www.doylesroadrace.com/ which is a nice five miler. For speed days I’ll head over to the Harvard track and hammer out some 400’s.

Today the game plan is a 30 min lifting session followed by an hour of treadmill running. The treadmill is not a great place for some people, but, I think it is a good tool to use so a racer can feel the pace that they are trying to hit.

As always, take the first step, lace up those shoes, find a good cause and get moving. If you want a proxy runner here is my donation page. Thanks in advance.

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=276859&supId=227485633