Week 4 Day 3

At the end of the Sandy hurricane, today I ran hill for 2.3 miles. At the end of the run, it was pouring and I was totally soaked.

Week 4 Day 2

I just completed another easy run on treadmill, 4 miles in 30:00. I tried wider paces and also reducing feet ground contact.

From what I read, elite runners have very short feet ground contact and the moment they touch the ground, the legs are very stiff and jerk the power for the speed.

Week 4 Day 1

It is raining outside, so I just completed my run on treadmill for 3 miles in 22:15. Today is the recovery easy run after Saturday tempo and Sunday long run.

After the run, I did 40 minutes cross workout: 8 minutes abs, 8 minutes chest, a couple set of lunges, a couple set of runner's stretches, a couple squat to stands.

Feeling good now.

Week 3 Day 7

I just finished the long run, 7.5 miles in total in 55:52. At the beginning, it was hard. I felt the distance very long after just 1.5 miles. I reminded myself that I had to cover the mileage in order to reach my goal. Experienced runners including book authors say the mileage is important to lead to the successful marathon.

After a couple miles in, I felt better and better. It ended with feeling good.

Week 3 Day 6

Today I finished 19 min tempo run. Including easy run parts, it is 5.38 miles in total.

1.4m - 11 min easy run warm up
2.75m - 19 min tempo
1.30m - 11.40 min easy run cool down

Week 3 Day 5

Rest

Week 3 Day 4

After early dinner, I ran 3.2m on the treadmill in 24:40. After that, I completed 8min abs and 8 min chest workout, also did a couple lunge sets and some stretches.

Today I felt yesterday's hill workout's little soreness. After the easy run and stretches, legs turn to normal.

Week 3 Day 3

It is the first time I run in the early morning (apart from the vacation time) as today I have an evening class to go. So I won't have time to run after work.

Before the breakfast, I completed 4 x 200 hill. In total, finished 2m in 16:00.

Week 3 Day 2

Today I completed 7k (4.375m)in 33:18.

Week 3 Day 1

Today I ran 3.2 miles in 23:19. After that, I did 8 min abs and the lower chest workout. I am feeling a little sleepy after the dinner.

Week 2 Day 7

It is 12:16pm now. I just finished my 7 miles (actual 6.87 miles in 52:49). The fall colourful leaves is great on both side of the flat trail. At the end of the 200 meter hill, I felt a little side stitch again, but recovered in a minute after a few deep breath.

Week 2 Day 6

Two hours after the breakfast, I did a 22 minutes fartlek + 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down. In total, 5 miles in 47 minutes. During the run, I had right side stitch twice, walking 3 minutes each. It could be drinking too much water in the morning, one cup of 2% milk and one cup of orange juice and a cup of green tea for the breakfast.

Deep breathing didn't help as much as a couple days ago.

After the run, I did 8 minutes abs, 8 minutes chest workout, runner's stretch, squat-to-stand and lunge. Probably it was a bit too much.

I hope I will be fully recovered by tomorrow for the 7 miles easy pace runs. Otherwise, I will have just to slow down a bit.

Week 2 Day 5

Rest as schedule.

Week 2 Day 4

Today I completed 3.2 miles again in 22:55. After that, I finished 8 minutes abs, and 1st group of the chest workout.

I also learned the pain on my right side of abs is called side stitch.

I had a little side stitch at about last 800 meters. I tried deep breath and exhaled empty during the run. It seemed help and it only lasted for about 1 minutes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side_stitch

Week 2 Day 3

Today I completed 5 x 130m hill run with one mile warm up run and one mile cool down run. That covered about 3 miles in total. The total workout was 27:10. After that, I did 2 x 2 x 10 one leg squat for balance, 3 x 12 runner's stretch for flexibility and 3 x 20 seconds squat-to-stand for joint mobility.

Week 2 Day 2

I just finished 5.1km (3.18m) run in 23:13. I can feel my butt, abs and chest sore after yesterday's workout.

After consulting the experienced marathon runners on runningahead, it seems my current training plan is not going to get me to the target I want. So I decided to switch my plan to http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51150/Marathon-Personal-Best-Training-Program. I am actually going to following the 12-week Intermediate Spring Training Program, follow by 18-week Intermediate 1 Marathon Training Program on the website. The first part to build my fitness base and the second to reach my target.

Week 2 Day 1

Today I have done the cross workout. I did 8 minutes abs, 8 minutes chest and 8 minutes butt.

Week 1 Day 7

No stopping. Today is the long run, 6m (10km). One hour after my breakfast (a couple of whole wheat toast and a glass of orange juice), I went out. After one mile on the concrete road, I reached the Rails on Trails nice easy soft sandy surface (no more than 1% incline). Since the 5K preparation, I haven't done a long run. As it was on the flat nice surface, I completed the run in 50 minutes. It wasn't hard, but certainly it was easy pace.

At about 7km, my right side of abdomen was aching for about 1km. I still kept going though. I am not sure why. That happens sometimes in the past.

I feel good after the run anyway.

Week 1 Day 6

I am still in Cape Breton, staying in Pleasant Bay. Again in the early morning before the breakfast, I ran 5 km. The road has some incline, but it was more a comfortable pace, so it wasn't too hard for me.

It is cold again but still beautiful.

Week 1 Day 5

Today I am in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. I followed the program and ran 2 x 800 hard pace. My actual run was 3km in total. It was before the breakfast. I didn't have enough energy supply. After the run, I was exhausted.

It was cold as well, 5C. I didn't realize it would be that cold in Cape Breton, so I didn't prepare the right running clothes. I wore my sleeveless running vest. My arms were freezing.

Having said that, the sunrise scenery was spectacular.

Week 1 Day 4

Rest

Week 1 Day 3

Today I finished 3 miles + 8  mins Abs workout and the first group of 8 mins Chest workout. The 3 mile run wasn't at easy pace, but it wasn't too difficult. I set zero incline and finished in 25 minutes including 3 minutes 4.5m/h warm-up. Then I spent another 3 minutes cool down and some static stretching.

After the exercise, I had 30g Whey powder drink. Tonight's meal is thin crust spinach pizza and 1/3 pineapple.

Week 1 Day 3

Yesterday evening I only had 20 minutes to run after work and before the dinner. So I didn't follow the program. Instead, I ran 1.5m at 7.5m/h and incline at 4 for 15 minutes on the treadmill. I was busy preparing dessert (Strawberry & raspberry with ice-cream) and forgot to take the whey powder drink after the run. We had risotoo (salmon, scallops and prawn) for dinner, so I guess that would be enough protein and carbohydrate. By the way, my lunch was from Superstore's a BBQ Chicken breast with sweet potato and an apple.

Week 1 Day 2

Today is my first day to start my marathon training.

Following my 5K training plan, http://www.runningplanet.com/training/5K-training-program-beginning.html, which I didn't follow exactly, but helped me to reach my goal 5K in 22 minutes (actual run in 21 minutes). I was concerned about the target as I never reached it during my training trials until 4 days before the CIBC Run for the Cure when I did a final trial.

My new training will follow this plan http://www.runningplanet.com/training/marathon-training-beginning-competitive-runner.html.

Why am I mad to do this?
My inspiration comes from:
1. Colleagues and friends running Marathon
2. Team Hoyt - Dick and Rick Hoyt http://www.teamhoyt.com/
3. 101 year-old guy ran marathon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCY0Xx92YvQ

Why do I choose the beginning competitive program for my first marathon?
The answer is to prevent injury and do full body workout. The competitive training requires speed which requires not only leg msucles, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves, but also full body strength, abdominal, back, shoulder, and also flexibility, balance, joint mobility, etc.

This is the program I am going to use for the Cross Training:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-266-13523-0,00.html

Plus the previous used programs:
8 Min Abs Workout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkKCVCZe474

Chest Workout Level 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIaqbrWBexY

8 Min Butt workout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-IbQoVZbVs