Chicago Marathon Training: Kickoff

With Peachtree over and done with, it's time for MARATHONNNNNNNNNN training to begin. None of the #10KTuesday marathoners had the race they were hoping for at Peachtree, and we're all just barely keeping injuries of some kind in check. It's times like these where I'm most grateful that the four of us are all going through this together. We can pick each other up, encourage one another along, and, when called for, commiserate. 

I looked at my training plan today for the first time since Brandi and I met to get a gameplan together last month. Saturday's run is "9-11 miles". 

"Omigosh? ALREADY? I thought I'd ease into this, with 6 or 7 mile long runs. I haven't been training enough for this!!! I'M ALREADY BEHIND!!!!"

...but wait. My last four weekends have gone like this: Peachtree Road Race, 9.84mi, 7.22mi, 6.04mi

I'm already at 9 miles. I've had four separate 7+ mile runs in the past three weeks, and I've built up slowly and safely. It's only scary because I haven't been intentionally doing these miles as a "long run". It doesn't matter what you call them, though, they still count. I'm still at the mileage I should be at this far out: 9-11. 

All I have to do now is take it one day, and one mile at a time. We're following an 18 a 20 week plan, which means we've already got 6 weeks down... and 12 14 to go.

Only 14 more #10KTuesdays,
only 14 more track mornings at the HS,
and only 14 more long run Saturdays until we pound the streets of Chicago
... and I get my redemption from Flying Pig.

Let's do this.