Omaha

It's been almost a month and a half since my big PR in Oklahoma.  I finally feel like my legs are recovered and ready to run again.  Perfect timing, because training has officially started for the Omaha Marathon!

Omaha is in September and will be marathon #6!  After OKC I said I wanted to try for Boston at my next race.  To qualify for Boston I'd have to run a 3:35 marathon.  And since I ran 3:53 last time, I've obviously got some work to do. 

At one point in the past I made the goal of qualifying for Boston before my 30th birthday.  After dealing with injuries and bum knees for several years, I kind of lost hope of reaching this goal.  But this has been an amazing year as far as running is concerned, and even if it is a crack-pot goal, I think I've got to at least try. 

So Omaha it is.  Because friends, 30 is right around the corner.  I mean, don't tell anyone, but it may be happening this year.  And if you ever bring that up, I will 100% deny it.  And then I will wish horrible things will happen to you... like turning 30.  So let's just drop it.

Back to running...

I've stepped up my training program this time around.  Instead of doing Hal's novice training plan, I'm using his Intermediate plan.  I think having 5 marathons under my belt qualifies me to step up from being a novice.  I get a little nervous though because the last time I attempted this plan, I got injured.  I don't really blame the training plan though.  I blame myself for being a runner who only runs... which typically leads to injury.  So this time around I'm doing lots and lots of cross-training.  Yea cross-training!

But my super-secret weapon for knocking 20 minutes off my time* is something I started today.  I got a coach.  Yes, there are people who coach mediocre-almost-30-wannabe-fast runners.  Don't act so surprised. 

I headed up to the track at 5:30 this morning to meet my coach and a training group of 5 to do my first speed session.  We used lots of terms like "lactate threshold", "VO2 Max", "time trial", "hill repeats", and "intervals" that didn't really register with me.  But I did what he said and had a kick-butt workout.  And by kick-butt workout I mean I wanted to puke and die at the end.  But I didn't.

So there you go.  I'll be spending the next few months working my butt off, trying for what seems like a crazy-unattainable goal.  But I figure if I keep telling ya'll about it, maybe I'll be more afraid of failing, so I'll work harder.  Whatever works, right?

*Hopefully