Got goals?

    

     Been thinking about some goal ideas lately, and just on today's run they firmed up. You're the first to know.
Here they are:

Run a BQ.
50 miles/week for a month.
Learn some beginner yoga.
Drop 10 pounds.

     Run a Boston Qualifying time- This idea has bubbled around for a few years really, before I was even running marathons and just thinking about it. Running Boston would be a huge lifetime thrill for me, but the idea always seemed out of reach and I didn't seriously consider it. And, the BAA has tightened up the age bracket times even more since then. My BQ is 3:40. I did the Carmel marathon this Spring in 3:56 with a moderate training schedule and ran it with no real sense of urgency. On that day 3:56 is about what I had, but with a more focused training effort with a BQ in mind I have to believe I have a shot.  I feel the new system of getting in to Boston is pretty crazy in that those who qualify faster than their BQ have first shot at registration (so in effect they are qualifying the qualifiers), but I realize they have limits to the field they can handle and overwhelming numbers wanting to run. So a BQ is in no way a guarantee you can get in.
     But, all that aside- I'm going for it and we'll see what happens!

         
    50 miles a week for a month- This came to me awhile ago in a conversation with my buddy Cliff, so I blame him. Running-wise things have gelled fairly well lately and I feel reasonably durable and ready to try some consistent longer weeks. I'm averaging 42.1/week now for the year, with several 50's, a 60 and even a recent 70 mile week, so 50/week is definitely in range. A potential clash here is that I'm returning to the trails after a Spring of mostly road miles, and for me trail miles are tougher, so it might be a little tricky to work it out. Plus, with my always over-riding Prime Directive Main Goal Numero Uno- Stay Healthy, this would be the first goal to go. But I'm going for it with June.

     Learn some beginner yoga-  I was talking with a friend after a trail race recently about how my hips seem to limit my effective race pace range in that they tire and tighten and shorten my stride before I'm really otherwise physically tired, and I voiced that I'd like to figure out some way to keep them looser. "Try some yoga", was the suggestion. Now, I have tried yoga before, a little, and it went fairly poorly. In fact, it was pretty ugly. In fact, I completely and totally sucked. But I've heard from way too many good runners who swear by it as a wonderful cross training compliment to running to not give it a real try. I have dug up two easy-ish routines geared toward opening hips and have started learning them, one move at a time. It's still nasty to imagine how I must look, but I'm going to stick with it and see what happens because the worst case here is getting a little more limber.

     Drop 10 pounds- A realistic expectation. Right now, one of the best things I can do for my running is to lighten the load. Goal time frame here is the end of July, very doable. 'Nuff said.

     So, goals. Long, short and medium term. Stated right here in 'public'.
     Ready- Go!

"You've got to have heart, miles and miles and miles of heart"...

    

     One of my stated goals for the year is to run 2012 miles, after coming pretty close last year without really tracking it. 2012 divided by 12 = 167.6 , and times 5 = 838.3, so my current year total of 800 with two weeks left in May is slightly ahead of schedule. Hmmm....2,100 miles?  2,500? A million? We'll see.

     I took last week off of work for my annual Spring Staycation and, as always, really enjoyed that. I got caught up on house and yardwork, read a couple of books, enjoyed the first season of Game of Thrones, and had my first 70 mile week. Off Monday, 8 on Tue and Wed, both productive form-specific runs on the flat gravel of Moon road, 20 on Thurs with Cliff as he readied for his 5/20 marathon in Germany, easy 4.5 on Fri, Dances With Dirt trail half on Sat, and 15 on Sun. Counting the previous weekend of the Indy Mini and 12 the following day I recorded 95 miles in the last 9 days, certainly an all time high for me.

     And I'm happy to say that for the most part all is well, knock on wood. Other than the races it was all moderate pacing at best, and other than the usual complaints from my corporeal chorus, no real problems. Yes! I'm encouraged by all of this and excited for the rest of the year. In a fit of glee I signed up for two additional marathons in the Fall, the Air Force in Dayton, and the Monumental in Indy, so I now have a full in Sept, Oct and Nov to look forward to and plan for.   

     Still experimenting with the heart rate zone training and am watching the results, but don't really have enough yet to measure any effects. I do believe in the science behind it and expect to see continued improvement. One thing I have noticed is how little fuel I need, even on long runs. During the Carmel marathon I used one gel and only drank water. That gel was more preventative than need, and looking back I don't think it was really necessary.  During these last 9 days I also only used one gel at the end of the 20 miler to try a new brand, which I didn't like. Part of the reasoning behind heart rate training is that it 'trains' your body to use more fat than carbs for fuel, and that sure seems to be the case, though of course a slower pace also consumes less fuel. This is great news for me though, because I've never really liked using gels and so far have yet to find one that doesn't leave me feeling bloated and gross.

     Not sure how to summarize this rambling post. Take time, run long, listen to your heart.
     Up next- Run With the Foxes trail race!