Running to stand still

It turns out the hardest part about the whole running a marathon/writing a book thing isn’t going to be finding the time to run – it’s finding the time to write! Work and the kids’ activities have been especially hectic in the past few weeks, and I find I don’t have the time to write about my training and updating my blog.

Training-wise, things are going well. I’ve managed to fit in most of my scheduled workouts and runs for the past two weeks. I skipped a spinning class one week and my Saturday run this week, but otherwise I am progressing. I’ve had two weeks of running for 25 minutes, doing “5-and-1s” (running for 5 minutes, walking for one.) I’m averaging about 3.6 km per run.

This week, I have to up the length of my running periods. I am still to run for 25 minutes, but now doing “7-and-1s.” I don’t anticipate it will be too hard – if nothing else, spinning has increased my cardiovascular strength. The key, of course, is finding time to run outdoors. Having the kids here means I have to run in the evenings, and this week is a busy one, with Mike out a few evenings for hockey. It looks like I may have to do one of my three runs at the gym on the treadmill, so the kids can stay at the daycare there.

I ended up spinning this morning, so it looks like I will run Wednesday (in the evening), Friday (at the gym on the treadmill), and Saturday. I’ll spin again on Thursday, and do my usual Tuesday morning muscle/strength training class tomorrow. I do find I’m working out five to six times a week. It’s a lot (I never seem to have enough clean workout gear!), but manageable. If only the rest of life were manageable as well!

It’s amazing the amount of support you get from people when you talk about your fitness goals. I find that, particularly at my gym, the minute I mention my training, everyone is eager to talk about it, share their own stories and swap tips. This morning, a woman in my spinning class told me all about a trail run she did on the weekend and it sounded like a fantastic place to run. The instructors, too, are incredibly supportive. Of course, it’s a group of people who take their own health and fitness seriously, so it’s no wonder they are supportive!

I know there’s much more I want to research and write about these days. How do I run in the extreme heat? How do I stay on track with proper nutrition? (We eat very well, but not all the time, and when I fall off the nutrition wagon, I fall HARD.) How can I properly increase my strength training? (Because one muscle class a week is not going to cut it…) Do I need a trainer? Do I have money for a trainer? (Probably not!)

So what I’ve decided to do is spend some time researching each one of these questions at a time, and write about what I learn. I guess that means I should start with the first question: running in the heat. I do know hydration is critical, but are there any other tips? I’m off to find the answer.

Happy trails!