sticking to a plan

I have always been a planner,whether it is a three week holiday across states, a road trip to Disneyland or a day trip to the park I enjoy the preparation for the event just as much as the event itself. I have found with my running that I enjoy the planning too, although I seem to procrastinate in the choosing of minor details. Once I choose the main goals everything else seems to flow. I have chosen Victoria as
my goal marathon and with that October deadline ahead
 I can start hammering out the details. I like to look forward on my schedule and see
when the long runs will be coming in the summertime. I'm hoping to get
one long Oregon beach run in again this year if it works out.
I love the portability of my chosen sport. No added apparatus required. No special equipment needed. Every road is a treadmill with a view. This is one place
where I don't plan. I love the long run. I run for time and I run without a planned route. My feet take me where I need to go and for as long as I need to travel.....happy trails!

I spent some time debating which marathon I would tackle next.  In fact I spent so much time debating I stopped running long enough to put on a few extra pounds.I am back with a vengeance and having seen the garment that will be bestowed on all marathon finishers at the Royal Victoria Marathon this year I believe I will stick with my old friend Victoria and head over in October for my fourth marathon.

I started my actual marathon training this week and I am following the "Quest for Improvement" Marathon program on the marathon website.  I had success with this program in the past and last year I shaved 11 minutes off my personal best.  I have always been a slow and steady marathoner having a PR of 4:18.  I would love to break four hours but this year I am going to just see where my training takes me.  I plan on sticking to the program verbatim .  This means I will be hitting the track every Saturday to do that much loved speedwork.

A fun twist on speedwork is the new app for iphone "Zombie Run".  I have only used it for one run so far but it is quite hilarious as you basically are chased by zombies while running.  I am hearing impaired so had a hard time with the british accents narrating the story but it is a really neat idea to add some zing to your workouts.   I wonder what I looked like as I ran in and out of  people on sixth street, dodging every virtual zombie in my path.  Next time I will try it at Burnaby Lake where the shadows on the trails and the ripples in the lake will make my heart race just a little bit faster.

I have missed blogging so I am going to try to blog every Tuesday and see how that works for me.  I am juggling a few balls at the moment as I am volunteering, just signed up for a few online fitness courses and of course working and then there are those kids and their sports and my son is graduating this year, the garden is calling and I`m enjoying planting, and of course that work thing.....