Monday, November 5

Phoenix (abridged)

I love my new house. It dawned on me this evening as I was standing in the kitchen; I’d just finished making cheese sandwiches on our new butcher’s block, and after putting tomorrows lunch in the fridge, I decided to grab a bottle of Jura down from the cupboard for a nightcap. The lights were dim, a soft jazz tune floating up from CBC Radio 2 and some scotch in my hand. As I said, I love my new house.

A comment Mike made has been eating me up inside for about a week now. He called me a veteran marathoner, which completely caught me by surprise and then suggested that with only 10 weeks to prepare for Phoenix, I still might be able to pull myself together. With Ally due in April, and a severely truncated spring marathon window, I’m wrestling with the idea of setting aside my ego and racing regardless. How fit can you get in ten weeks? Somebody once told me, or at least I seem to remember, that you can’t over-train in twelve weeks. With these thoughts in mind I’ve decided to recommit to the race (although I still haven’t registered) and have made myself a ten week marathon race program.

With no time to lose, and hot on the heals of yesterdays run, I decided to go with the flow (or in this case my enthusiasm) and head out this evening to stretch the legs. I’m sure the run achieved little or nothing at building any aerobic capacity, but I’d made a conscious mental shift as I left the house. No longer was I allowing myself to wallow disappointment, no, I was focused, I had purpose and I was going to run.

Training: easy 20:19

[photo: Mount Doug]

3 comments:

Mike said...

If you do go, the registration fee increases on November 16, and if you enter "GOLDPDR" where the entry mentions "coupon code" you'll save $15.

Honestly I consider last week my first week of training for Rock and Roll Phoenix, so when I made my comment I was talking as much to myself as I was to you. If you're not hurt, I think you can do it.

Michael said...

Thanks Mike. There is nothing like registering to make it real. I'll have to get round to doing just that this weekend ~ cheers!

Mike said...

If you're really worried, how about Austin, Texas in February? I hear it's fast.