11.15.2008

Looking ahead

I may have put in a 60 hour work week, but it's over. Woo hoo! And hopefully the worst is behind me. (Rather, I have to say that to myself because otherwise I won't go back on Monday!)

It has been almost a month since the Breakers Marathon and I am so out of it. Without a training schedule or a goal in mind I really just lose focus. When I go to the gym I wander around a bit before I decide on weights (which I ought to do since I avoid them during training) or the treadmill (which I should do to avoid losing any more conditioning).

In an effort to get myself back on track, I started researching my next race: The Little Rock Marathon.

Now you may be wondering why I'm heading to middle-of-nowhere Little Rock for a race. Well, first and foremost there's the whole 50 state goal, so at one point I will have to travel to Arkansas. Then, my good friend is in grad school in Little Rock, which means there's a futon with wifey and I's names on it (even though I doubt Little Rock hotels are expensive by NYC standards).

However, I am facing a bit of a dilemma: do I race the half or the full? I've been thinking about this for a while now and here are the pros and cons of each:

Full Marathon:
  • Pros:
  • The Marathon has the largest medal in road racing--hell yeah I want that!
  • Start off the 09 racing season with a fun, big crowd Marathon (about 12,000 runners)
  • Cons:
  • I have to train through the winter, which not only means cold-ass temps, but also no water fountains throughout the city, ice patches, and less daylight (who wants to run in those conditions?)
  • Then, when I get to Little Rock, it will be about 80 degree and humid--so all that Marathon training will be decimated by the weather
  • Not sure how easy it would be to keep on racing in April and May after a Marathon

Half-Marathon:

  • Pros:
  • Shorter training schedule
  • Shorter training runs (so I wouldn't have to worry about the weather as much)
  • With the shorter distance I could better deal with the change in climate
  • I could start of the 09 racing season with a Half-Marathon and ease into a second half-Marathon in April and then a Full Marathon
  • Cons:
  • No big medal for the Half-Marathon (only the Full Marathoners get the famous one pound medal)

Actually, now that I've written these all down I realize that the only reason I'd do the Full over the Half is completely for pride purposes. Since pride and showing off has gotten me no where in running so far, so I'll be going with the Half and settle for a picture of the biggest medal in racing.

Now to start building the training calendar.

11 comments:

Marcy said...

I could NOT even imagine training to train for a full in the cold of NY winters. I did train for a half and that was enough LMAO! I don't blame you, homie! I'd go for the half too!

Jess said...

Sometimes all you have to do is put those pros and cons down in writing to realize wheich way you've been leaning all along. Best of luck with trianing for the half!

Viv said...

That is such a cool goal! Awesome on making the decision to go with the pro:-)

FLYERS26 said...

I gotta agree, training in the winter, for a marathon, would be tough.
You'll be fine for the 1/2, although, I would love that medal!

thebets said...

HA! I loved your thought process! The half distance is so fun...go for it!

J said...

It's interesting that the most coveted medal in Marathoning, Boston (depending on who you ask, of course), is one of the smallest. A personal observation is that after about 6 or 7 marathon medals, it's sort of like, "umm... meh..." And it doesn't matter if it's a marathon medal or a half marathon medal... I'd rather have a really good technical shirt! Of course, you have to run enough of these to get jaded. :o) Good luck! Running through the cold sucks.

nwgdc said...

Marathon. Definitely the marathon. I mean, if you're gonna go Arkansas, you might as well run the whole thing!

RunToTheFinish said...

Oohh I've been trying to decide what to run as winter finishes... this gives me a possible plan. though I'll only be doing the 1/2 at that point unless I'm just going to finish and not worried about time.

Unknown said...

I know its hard to train during the winter months but there are plenty of indoor cross training to do when the cold ass temperature is out there. I do know that fall and spring are the best time to race and hot sumer and cold winter are hard.

GO FOR IT !!!

Nitmos said...

My buddy lives in Little Rock and he's always trying to get me down for the LR mary and their huge medal. one day...one day...You go first and tell me how it is. Do the full. You are going all that way, make it worth it.

Laura said...

I just picked up a flyer for Little Rock at the Tulsa expo... maybe I'll come join the fun :)