Week 5 of 16 marathon training report

This is my first weekly report. I knew already that I was behind in training, so as I counted up the weeks to see where I should be and I noticed that my training schedule is only 15 weeks, not 16. I neglected to include week 11. Dumbass.

Oct 31 - ran 3 mi.

Nov. 1 - Ran my All Saints behind 4 mi.

Nov. 2-5 - bupkiss. My wife had minor surgery but major recovery. Even with her parents in town, we all had to pitch in all week. Bringing kids to and from school, kids activities, work, errands, dinner, etc.

Nov 6 - 3 miles in prep for a long run

Nov 7 - ran 8+ miles and could have easily gone 11+ were I not gonna be late for work already.

Such is the challenge to effectively train for a marathon. It is hard to find the time while balancing other equally important activities in your life.

You might actually have to sit down, stare at a calendar and really figure out when you're going to run. I actually have to do this periodically. Despite my best efforts to stick to a routine, a major project at work will interfere, or one of the kids' sports practices conflicts with previously planned runs. Sometimes a training plan has to adapt.

I'm in the process of adaptation now. Since I'm behind I'll have to figure out how to manage long runs while maintaining base miles. There is no such thing as miles in the bank -- that is to say, running extra miles one day for the sake of logging more.

Remember, you are conditioning your body to run the big one, not just cramming down miles to say you've run them.

If this means anything to you, please email me and explain. Thanks. One day I hope to quit the Dumbass and be the man I know I can be...