Pre-Marathon #4 Post

So apparently this has been Diabetes Blog Week, though you couldn't have told it from this site, since I haven't updated in, uh, a while.

I could tell you that I'm not blogging at all, anymore, but that would be a lie. In fact, I'm a professional blogger of sorts, and that particular blog continues to see 3-5 posts per week. So maybe that's my excuse - posting over here is kind of like asking the mailman to take a walk.

Truth is, I have been busier than I'd like of late, but that's a crap excuse, too. We all get 24 hours in a day. Chances are, you're just as busy as me.

But regardless, I didn't want to let the week go by without posting about my 4th marathon this Sunday. Well that, plus the fact that I'm sliding into race-obsession mode, so focus is a tad hard to come by at present.

So then, background:

My fastest marathon: 3:18:56
My slowest marathon: 3:32...ish
What I need to qualify for Boston: 3:20:59

Training in a nutshell:
For several months, I've been under the tutelage of Missy Foy, the only diabetic to ever qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials. This would be akin to having Jeff Gordon teach your kid driver's ed., and I've learned a ton.

Basically, I've been working out six days per week, including 1 speed session and 1 long run including 6-10 hard miles. We've even done some core work.

Pluses:
The volume of the work. Total training time has never been greater.

Intensity of the work. This is the first I've been back to speed work since 2007 and it's gone mostly well.

The long runs. We've done a lot of workouts like last weekend, where I did 18 miles, with 8 in the middle at slightly under goal marathon pace. They weren't all successes, mind you, but the body of work was fairly impressive for me.

Minuses:
It wasn't a flawless build, and I missed time running due to shin problems, though I spent those days on the bike or elliptical. We are going into marathon weekend with my shin about 98%.

Despite the volume of work, I haven't lost any weight and though I look good for a non-marathoner, I'm a solid 5-7 pounds heavier than when I ran 3:18. If you don't think 5 pounds is a lot, I suggest you take a brick for a 3 hour walk.

In summation, I don't know if I'll go sub 3:20 on Sunday at the Bob Potts Marathon. I hope so. The weather forecast is perfect and the course couldn't be any flatter. I do know that I'm fit enough to do it. But I've always said a BQ for me would take a great day, where the weather, course, fitness and blood sugars all line up and stay that way, at least for three hours and nineteen minutes. Hopefully, they will.

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