Just another 3 miles...

This morning, as I was getting in my car, there was an amazing electric show above my head. Thunderstorms were sweeping through Siouxland which meant just one thing--ANXIETY!! While I used to enjoy the awesome powers of nature, everytime I now hear a roar of thunder or crack of lightning it is usually followed by me running to a RADAR to see if and when the storm will become severe. Part of my job is to know this, to be ready for this, so I can warn the public. This morning however, I was well aware of what was going on and just tried to enjoy the show above me.

On an average morning when clear skies are sleeping silently above my head, I sit down in front of the computer at work--usually around 3:10AM. I have a very set routine and the first thing I do is check my email. I try to be professional first and check my work mail inbox before I wander over to gmail. Since I've started this quest, there is always one email I can count on to be waiting for me bright and early. It's my training schedule. It lets me know exactly how far I'm going to run that afternoon, why I'm going to run that distance, and how it's going to prepare me for October 11 (which I totally just realized was a Sunday!) When I decided to run this marathon, the first thing I did was search for training programs that would help me somehow help me past the finish line after 26.2 miles. I knew people didn't do this on their own so there had to be professionaly made schedules that I could have access to.

Lets rewind just a second. Before I decided to run this marathon, I was putting away anywhere between 16-25 miles a week. Not a huge amount but more than most people can say they've ran during the average Monday through Sunday. Guess how many miles I've ran so far this week? 7.5! Crazy right?

I've decided to let Hal Higdon and his Novice Marathon Program teach me how to run a marathon. So why should I trust someone who on the third day of the third week of training has only had me run 7.5 miles so far this week. Well Hal has ran 8 times in the U.S. Olympic trials and was the founder of the Road Runners of America Club. Post college, Hal was able to run a 4.13.6 mile time. In his life time, Hal has ran 111 marathons and won 4 overall titles.

So Hal says this week I'll only run 15 miles... will do Hal, will do.