Saturday, May 29, 2010

Official Training Begins Monday!

It's been about six weeks since RandBall and I signed up for the Twin Cities Marathon. Let's focus on the positives first: my muffin-top is decreasing, I'm fitting into one clothing size smaller, and we both have a great tan! My number one accomplishment thus far is the development of defined calf muscles (as evidenced by the photo at the right.) It's been 13 years since I've been on a soccer team. Ever since I stopped playing soccer, my calf muscles slowly disintegrated into a foamy, pliable mass. My legs didn't get bigger, per se, just mushier. I'm most proud of my new calves, and I plan to show them off with my new (one size smaller!!) capri pants.

Now, the downside: it's getting hotter outside, and as the temperature increases, and the humidity gets higher, the harder it is to breathe out there! We're doing our best to train outdoors, but once (so far) I opted to go to the gym to run on the treadmill. Also, we took a trip to Arizona for a friend's wedding. In an attempt to avoid getting behind with our pre-training, we hit the trails near our hotel. Not only is it tough to train on the road, but it's also a reminder that even when we're on vacation, we're not on vacation vacation. What I mean is, when on vacation, most of our dining rules do not apply. For instance, RandBall and I try to limit our french fry intake to only one serving each week, and generally like to eat healthy, balanced meals. We also do our best to limit our alcohol intake to weekends and special events. On vacation, all those rules go out the window--or at least they did. Now I notice how the indulgences slow me down on the next morning's run. I'm starting to think that our indulgences here an there will have to be measured and limited in the eighteen weeks of our official training program. Realize, I'm writing this post during Memorial weekend, the unofficial start of summer, where people celebrate by eating large amounts of barbecued food accompanied by several beers. I'm not making any promises, but I can say we'll do our best.

Important upcoming dates:
- Dew Drop 5K, Saint Paul, MN, June 20th
- Urban Wildland Half-Marathon, Richfield, MN, August 7th
- Bear Water Run, 20 Mile Race, September 11th