Gearing Up

Here I go... next week is the beginning of my 18 week training plan for the 2011 San Francisco Marathon!!!

I have been anticipating my next marathon training cycle for some time and for many reasons:

• Fitness: I consider this the last step of getting back into shape post baby
• Redemption: I have made a lot of training mistakes in the past (low mileage, too much taper, poor nutrition (try running a marathon while anemic!)). This time, I hope to get all these key components right.
• Strength: Thanks to my focus on strength training the last few months, I feel like I have a solid fitness base to begin marathon training on.
• Transition: We're moving to San Francisco in a few months. What better way to get excited about my new home?!
• Gratitude: As always, I consider myself fortunate to be able to devote the extensive time, energy and money (all those extra calories aren't free!) required to marathon training. I love running and the stress release it gives me. Without my husband's support and patience (especially now, with baby girl) I would never be able to fit it in!

I have a rough (okay, very detailed) training plan laid out. However, I don't want to focus too much on the numbers. First, I don't have a good idea of what my target pace should be right now... so, I'll wait until a tune-up race (to be determined) in a few months to narrow that down. Second, I think, with baby girl and working full time again, I'll have to be a little more flexible then normal. Instead, here are the guidelines I'd like to follow:

• Run at least five days a week - frequency, more then anything else, seems to affect my running the most.
• At least one hard 'speed' session a week - either an interval workout or good tempo run
• One medium 'pace' run a week - pace is still to be determined, but I'll start targeting around 8:30s
• Long Runs - never miss them (one per week)
• Two strength training sessions a week - these will be maintenance workouts
• At least one BOB run a week - can't have too much time away from baby girl!

The details of my schedule, now that I'm back to work, are still being ironed out. It looks like I'll be doing most of my running after the baby goes to sleep at night, since I already get up around 5:30am, not including running time. It will be a busy training cycle, juggling work, baby and the move (oh, and squeezing in some time for the husband!). I'm looking forward to the challenge!