Sub 4 hours or Bust! It could go either way!

With a little over 10 weeks to go no truer has the name of my latest training plan felt:  "BREAK 4:00 OR BUST!"  Up to this point after restarting my training 6 weeks ago after a couple of failed long runs I've felt strong,  confident (if not cocky!), and more importantly faster than ever at least for a guy that used to weigh 236 pounds.  But lately my mileage has really seemed to catch up to me.  For the past few days I've had a knot in my calf that I can't seem to lose though it doesn't seem to affect my running, in the first mile my one knee threatens to give out, and my easy miles doesn't exactly seem as easy as they used to be. 

Starting today though I'm turning a new leaf.  I've started watching inspirational running movies on Netflix, reading about slump busting training tips, and I'm trying to get that feeling back that I CAN DO IT!  If 6 months ago someone would have asked me if I'd have ever thought I'd be this close to running a sub 4 hour marathon I'd have told them NO WAY AIN'T NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.  But with my loss of 70 pounds and my new found stamina and speed its clear that I really can.  I've coasted through a 10 mile long run and a little more challenging 13 mile both on a treadmill, and ran the best 12 miles of my life with my dad in Texas conquering hill after hill with ease.  Now tomorrow its time to graduate to the big mileage: 15 miles the same distance that got me the 7 weeks ago.  Not this time though, this time its mine and by this time tomorrow yes I'll be hurting, but I'll be one more successful long run closer to breaking a goal I never imagined possible for myself; the Sub 4-hour marathon.  Sure it won't be easy, but if its was easy then everybody would do it and guess what sports fans?  "I AIN'T EVERYBODY!"


PS:  I'm not yelling that's just my new running mantra...

Trading in the wheels for feet...

Last week marked a pretty big anniversary for myself.  Exactly 1 year ago I had my hopes and dreams totally swept out from underneath me in a crushing personally defeat of epic magnitude.  I'm referring to one of the darkest moments in my past:  The Philadelphia Marathon of course.

After training with my new running partner Dean for months I was faster then ever.  I had scored a personal best at the Niagara Falls Half Marathon with a smoking 1:57.  Now that may not seem fast to many (or maybe most), but for a man 5'10'' well over 200 pounds who had a long history of deep loathing for running that was pretty quick!  A little less then a year before that I had also achieved a commendable full marathon time in Rochester at 4:37 so I thought I had the experience and the speed this time to blow the doors off Philadelphia.  But fate is a fickle fiend and that didn't happen.  I finished all 26.2 miles but it was a painful retched experience that I've had nightmares about ever since.  In fact I've probably run less then a total of 10 miles in the last year because of it, so I know getting back into it won't be pretty...

Getting back into it?  Yep thats exactly what I'm going to try and do.  I love the sport, love the endurance and mental toughness it takes, and love how personal running is.  It's truly a practice in escapism and I have a new running goal.  One more marathon.  New shiny medal: Get ready cause here I come!