Sunday, July 3, 2011

Finding the time...

This seems to be the constant daily battle.  I have created a training schedule that has me running 4-5 days a week, with two long runs on Sat and Sun. However, it has been more difficult to stick with the plan.  Getting in a 10 mile run is much more difficult than finding the time to run 3. 

I have to find the balance between the boys, the wife, work, and the run.  I can't run at night simply because I haven't seen the family all day.  I can no longer run at lunch from the office because as liberal of a lunch hour as I have, I can't take two and a half hour lunches three days a week so I can change, get to Oak Mountain, run a 7 mile trail run, eat lunch, and get back to the office.  I know I have to get up earlier and do the runs in the morning but I really prefer running the trails and quite frankly, I don't run as well at 5 AM as I do at 11 AM.

Last week, I was able to get in only two of the scheduled runs and I wasn't able to do any long run yesterday and if I can get out today, I will have to attempt to run 4 hours in 100 degree temp this afternoon.  I know that's not the smartest thing to do but tomorrow is the 4th and there's no way I'll be able to get up, get to Oak Mountain, run 4 hours and be worth anything the remainder of the day.

I'm not too terribly worried just yet with the lack of training.  David Tosch (http://yourfirstultra.blogspot.com/) says that he only trains a couple days a week so as long as I get in the long run on the weekend, then my week won't be a complete loss. 

Running into David at Oak Mountain is turning out to be a great twist of fate.  He's a ultra marathon runner and per his blog above, I've been able to gain quite a bit of knowledge on training for this 50 miles.  I'm sure I'll lean on him a bit more the closer I get to the race but he's training now for the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 which is in just a couple of weeks so he's out of pocket for a while.

Well, I guess I need to get up and start getting ready.  The more I prepare for a run, the less likely it is that I bail on it, 100 degree temp or not...