Project 4:20

I Fartlek'd today! (Ha! I just really wanted to say that!)

I can't beat you?!? Argghhhhh!!!!

So as most of you who follow me know, Oprah Winfrey is my running nemesis.  I have tried & tried, over the course of 3 marathons to beat her 4:29 marathon time to no avail.  That is not to say my running has completely sucked.  2013 saw me run my 2 fastest marathons: a PR of 4:37 on a very hilly Pocono Marathon course in the spring, & a 4:38 in crazy heat at Wineglass in the fall.  I can't be disappointed in those performances but I just know inside me there is a marathoner that is faster than Oprah! I don't know why I am so obsessed with this.  When I first tackled the marathon I used the standard Runner's World plan generator from their website.  There's nothing inherently wrong with it.  It got me to the finish the 1st time under my 5 hour goal.  It got me a 9 minute PR in my 2nd marathon.  And it helped me stay steady for marathon #3.  Then came marathon #4.  I took another approach.  I asked for help from Thing 1.  He took my RW plan and tweaked it into the Torture my Mum Plan.  Marathon #4 had me doing some speedwork and hills.  Actually trying to hit tempo paces instead of running to get the mileage in.  My fitness was increasing.  I ran my PR race at Poconos in May.  I was on pace but just couldn't put it in the bag.  Still, though, I was faster by 6 minutes.  Big PR.  Happy Days! I thought FOR SURE I'd break 4:30 at Wineglass.  Nope.  Felt the best I've ever felt during a marathon but just couldn't close the deal.

So here I stand 16 weeks out from the Goodlife Toronto Marathon.  I decided after finally hitting a sub-2 half that I really DO have what's in me to go under 4:30.  After hitting 1:56 @ the Red Baron Half a runner friend of mine jokingly said that I should consider 4:20.  It got me thinking.  Got me thinking that what I've been doing hasn't been working like I want it. Time to change things up.  I am not a coach. I don't have a background in running competitively at all.  I needed help. So here I go: I have a Coach! My runner friend just got her RRCA coaching certification and is a certified BadA$$ runner! She's run Boston & won the Vermont Shires Marathon last year! You can follow her on Twitter @fitmomstrongmom

I am SO EXCITED!!!!

Coach Heather asked me a TON of questions to figure out what works best for me so she could make a training plan for me! I received the first 2 weeks of it on Friday and it is amazing so far! Not only do I have a training schedule made into 2 week Sunday-Saturday blocks to accommodate my weird work schedule, but it also takes into account my desire to do considerable cross training so I have a good winter base built for triathlon season! Honestly, I am excited too that I don't have to THINK about my workouts! I just have to look at what it is and execute.  To get ready for this I have taken the last 2 months to not only take it easy...mostly very little cross training and really cutting back on mileage...but to try to make 10min miles feel 'easy'.  I am pretty much there.  I am mostly at a point where I can run by feel and lay down anywhere from a 10 flat to 10:35.  I did my last off season long run on Friday of 10 miles @ 10:07 pace.  I think I am ready to get serious.

I put a lot of thought into which race I wanted to target.  I decided on Toronto because:

• I've run it before and liked the course
• The course is a little downhill at the beginning but not quad busting. Mostly flat for the remainder,
• May 4th is early enough to not conflict too badly with my other goal, which is a summer 70.3 (more on that in another post!)
• Usually ok weather.
• I have family in town, therefore a place to stay and people to cheer me on! 

So while I will be ecstatic with anything under 4:30, I am going all in and going to train for the 4:20. Go big or go home, right???

And yes, I DID Fartlek today & I loved every minute of it!