First Day of Marathon Training!

Daily Quote: "Try to take your mind off fatigue --thinking about beauty costs less energy, you'll get more out of yourself than you think you have. Roger Bannister said 'Don't think about the wretchedness of racing poorly, think about the beauty of competing well.' That's pretty good advice." --Dr. David Martin

Today is my first day of marathon training and I have 13 weeks until the "New Las Vegas Marathon!" I'll be loosely following the book "Advanced Marathoning," by Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas' More than 70 Miles per Week, 12-Week Schedule (pp. 191-194)

I did "Doubles" today, which is running twice during the day.

I awoke very early this morning, 5:00 a.m. as to train my first run on the ROADS!! This week most of my easy, shorter runs will be on the roads as I slowly ween myself off the treadmill and acclimate to the uneven and harder road surfaces.

AM: Recovery Run. 6 miles. Time, 55 minutes. Pace, 9:10 minute miles. Out and back on Torrey Pines (partly traverses the New Las Vegas Marathon route.) Partly Cloudy, 88 degrees and no wind. Left ankle was complaining a little during the uphill portion crossing bridge over HWY 95...otherwise the run went very smoothly. My Garmin worked perfectly. Somehow with the drowsy excitement of getting outside, managed to forget to wear my heart rate monitor, but still kept myself at an easy conversational pace.

PM: Recovery Run. 5 miles. Time, 47:35. Pace, 9:31 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill on the cardio training mode setting where the elevation automatically changes to keep my heart rate at a constant 144 bpm (75% of maximum heart rate). Treadmill speed set at 6.3 mph. Elevation changes: 2.1 - 2.4 grades. Music companion was my wife's Kenny Chesney's "The road and the Radio" CD. 4:30 p.m. the temperature outside was 107 degrees, therefore still prudent to run on the treadmill during the afternoon hours. I'm feeling no aches nor pain from this morning's workout and left ankle feels fine.