Laying the groundwork for the Atlanta Marathon and Random Thoughts

I ran an easy 5 miler today. It was definitely easy compared to Saturday's Ten Hill Repeats. This week, I will be increasing my weekday mileage and incorporating some serious Cross Training and Weight Lifting into my routine. The weekend run will be an easy 4 miler.

My recent runs seem so easy after having completed the Nashville Country Music Marathon, but I keep reminding myself that I am building a base, so I can improve my fitness for the Atlanta Marathon on October 30.

Laying all of this groundwork reminds me that I will need to spend time laying groundwork with my new students at Fairview. They will most certainly need to adjust to my ways of teaching, and I will need to remember that they are not the students I have been teaching for years. Once the groundwork has been laid, we will all succeed in making music together, because that is the most pleasurable way to learn about music.

I'm looking forward to many pleasurable experiences in music and running this fall.

Great Day for a Twenty Mile Run

My training for the Nashville Marathon has been ongoing since January. It has finally cone down to this twenty mile run,

The weather was perfect and I felt great. I filled my camel back with 32 ounces of water and packed five 100 calorie cliff bars into my pockets.

I decided to go with my heart rate monitor because I had chosen a very hill out and back course. My marathon goal is 5:15-5:30. The pace for this run was appropriate for this goal. I want to travel at a 12:00 pace. I did this long slow distance at a 13:26 pace.

Last year at this time, I was preparing for the Oklahoma City Marathon. I felt pretty good, but I was having some minor ankle problems. This year I have no such issues as I begin my Taper phase. I actually felt like running today, but I knew that my legs would benefit from rest.

I think my goal is reachable. I feel very good. Now, if only I can shake this lingering cough before the marathon!