Marathon Training!
As you may know*, we’re currently in the crutch part of
training for two endurance events. Chris
will be completing his first full Ironman NEXT SUNDAY (11/17)**, and I’m signed
up to run the Tucson Marathon on December 8th. What this means is that while Chris is
currently tapering his efforts down, to ensure he’s rested on race day, I’m in
the heaviest part of my training; I’m running 6 days a week (with strength
training on the 7th day), and while 3 are easy runs (or shorter
races with friends), the other 3 are multiple mile speed/interval workouts
(done faster than my race pace, so for me, around 8:50 minutes per mile), long
tempo runs (10 miles or so done closer to race pace – 9:15 minutes per mile),
and long runs to build up my distance (I have a 20 miler tomorrow, for
example).
Mainly, I’m tired and hungry all the time, while Chris is a giant spaz, trying not to incur
“excessive weight gain” as our friend and trainer Luis puts it (not that Chris
needs to lose weight, but he just needs to make sure he doesn’t gain a ton
while he’s not working out quite as much).
I’m surprised the dogs haven’t phoned the SPCA yet, to escape the
psychosis that is pervading our house.
Maybe they’re staying put due to the smell of bacon that seems to occur
with quite the alarming regularity. I
did mention I’m hungry all the time, right?
Hopefully, this year’s Tucson Marathon will go better than
last year, when I had to drop out around mile 12 due to GI issues from a
food-borne bacterial infection I incurred from – I think – eating bad kabob
meat a few weeks prior.*** Although I didn’t get a chance to finish the race, I
did see Chris complete it, PLUS I got to ride to the finish line with the guys
who ran the race timing equipment and run the computer in the back seat of the
truck for 20 minutes or so. Bonus!
At least in the midst of all this training, we’ve had some
time to fit in some fun events, too.
Earlier today, I did the Color Me Rad run with my buddy Kristen.
I’ve done a “color run” before, but not this particular series. Overall, we had a blast and ended up filthy from head to toe. A wonderful
time was had by all!
Before picture...
...and after. Obviously, professional photographic skills were involved.
Later!
Amy
* Or may not know. That’s fine, too. I don’t judge.
** Yeah, he’s a little
freaked out. He’s getting super crazy
paranoid about eating things he hasn’t eaten before, getting sick, hurting
himself, and anything else that might jeopardize his race. I understand – he’s put a ton of time,
effort, and money into this endeavor - but it still makes me laugh that my
normally “calmer than the Gulf on a flat day” husband is being such a
spaz. That’s my role in this
relationship!
Also, if you want to
track him on the Ironman website, use this website – www.ironman.com – and
click on the Race Coverage box. He’s one
of three Olsen’s running the Arizona race.
*** See, Chris doesn’t seem so insane now, right? Well, he is still paying a decent chunk of change to swim 2 miles, bike 112 miles, then run a full marathon. Never mind. He’s totally out of his damn mind.
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