Monday, February 4, 2019

Welcome to the Party: January 2019

Around the middle of the month I decided to input the Hanson advanced half marathon plan into my sport tracks. It felt good to be back on some semblance of a schedule with running- I guess I just like having some sort of goal, even if the goal doesn’t exist. The plan will end around the middle of May,  but there are no half’s that I’d consider running around that time (due to multiple reasons). 

I’m happy with how January went- it really feels weird to not be training for a spring marathon though. The past 3 years I trained for Carmel (2016),  and 2x Boston (17’ 18’) It’s nice to have a break- and look forward to the bigger goal which is to PR in Chicago in October. I firmly believe you cannot reach true time potential in the marathon if you continually run marathons year round- if that’s the goal you have. You have to choose a lane- either short and speed, or long and endurance. 

Spring for me will focus on speed over shorter distances which will prepare me to slay my goal in October.  I’ve had a lot of fun nailing some crazy speed work intervals the past few weeks- my 400’s-800’s have been at 6:07/mile pace. This is fast for me, and then I think of people like Shalane and Desi who drop low 5’s... for 26.2 miles! Perspective.

I’ve been loving the sunrises this month. Some have been exceptional.

There was a sun dog on one of the coldest days we’ve ever had.

We went to a fancy work dinner thing too.

Ze closed out January with 32 miles of running over 5 runs. We haven’t run in over 2 weeks now due to the cold. I’m hoping we will be able to log some miles again soon.

He’s currently 1 year 9.5 months old and 42.6lbs. I think he had a growth spurt recently because he seems more solid and less bony.

CB turned 14. Our old man is doing really well for his age and still goes after Ze.

He decided the 10 year challenge was too basic so he upped it to the 14 year challenge.

I finished all my recaps of our trip to São Paulo. It made me happy to write down these memories so I can look back at them later on.

We experienced super stupid cold - negative 20 and feels like -55. I went to work that day and wasn’t outside more than a few minutes. It was just so painful for any exposed skin.

I finally hung up my Boston poster and medals. This is the only display I have hung up in our house. I don’t need a shrine to my mediocre athletic accomplishments. However, Boston was a huge achievement for me- I PR’d in the shittiest conditions, and knew my training was spot on for the 3:15 I had trained for. I gave it my everything that day in April, and walked away content with how things went for one of the few times in my life.


Looking forward: 

•Hustle up the 875 stair climb
•celebrate MRC Chicago 4th Birthday
•take mortadella out for a ride, probs Zwift
•continue to make new recipes 

*Welcome to the party! (Basically the same phrase, motto, mantra whatever I think of every year- which I got from some random postcard I picked up in Sweden years ago). I’ll never understand the selecting of a word “intention” for the year. Like how do you measure “perfection” if that’s your word? I’d rather live my life as if it’s a party and accept the good and learn from the less desirable if it should come up.