Back to Running; Time to Train.

I've sort of being running aimlessly without a real or a well thought out plan. Part of the problem has been that I had not settled on my racing schedule for this year. Originally, I had the goal of doing the 50 States by 50, but, realistically, I cannot do that. I could run 50 marathons by 50, but not 50 States. There is more time and money involved in achieving that than I have at this time. I'm still going for the 50 States, but without the goal date of my 50th birthday.

So, my first, most important goal for 2011 is to run a half-marathon at or under 2:00:00. I'm also going to run two marathons and I'd like to PR both of the, but that shouldn't be a huge challenge since I've not been fast yet. Also, I will be adding in core, strength, and flexibility since I've done exactly nothing in that regard in about two years. I started with some yoga today.

My racing schedule for your viewing pleasure:

1. Rock the Parkway, Kansas City, MO, Saturday, April 2. This will largely be a training run and I will line up with the 2:05 pace group.

2. Olathe Half-Marathon, Olathe, KS, Saturday, April 16. Also, a training run. My goal will be to PR, but not push for 2:00.

3. Five Trails Half-Marathon, Lawrence, KS, Sunday, May 15. This is a hilly race that should be a challenge. My goal will be to do it in 2:05 given the hills.

4. Hospital Hill Half-Marathon, Kansas City, MO, Saturday, June 4. Though this is also a hilly race, it replicates much of my HM PR route (Kansas City Half-Marathon is a similar route) and will be my goal marathon. I will hit it in 2:00:00.

5. Deseret News Marathon, Salt Lake City, UT, Saturday, July 23. I'm not sure about this one. July 24 is Pioneer Day in Utah and the race generally coincides with Pioneer Day, but this year, the 24th is on a Sunday and a Pioneer Day race will not be held on Sunday. They have not yet posted this year's race details, so I'm assuming that it will be on Saturday the 23rd. This race is nearly all downhill which, for non runners to understand, is actually much harder than it sounds. My marathon PR is around 4:35, but I'm not looking it up and it wasn't impressive enough for me to remember. I honestly have no idea how fast I could do this race. When I look up past times, it is much slower than you'd think. And, it is hard to train for a race that drops nearly a mile over the course of 26.2 miles. But, it is part of why I picked the two hilliest half-marathons I could find in Kansas. So, the goal for this one is to just do it. I could finish in 4:00:00 and have the advantage of speed in the downhills or I could finish in 5:00:00 because of the hard work involved in breaking in the downhills. I just have no idea. I do know that my legs will be exceedingly sore when I am done.

Then, I will return to some half-marathons for the fall, especially if I have not yet hit 2:00:00.

6. I will run the Patriot's Run on 9/11 because I have a passion for this run. I do not know how much I will run. There is a marathon, a time run of 9:11:00, and a "run whatever you want" run. Don't know what I will do, but I will certainly be there to support this race.

7. Kansas City Half-Marathon, October 15, 2011. Sub 2:00:00 even if it is 1:59:59 (actually, that would be so hilarious that it would be better than a 1:59:52).

8. Route 66 Marathon, Tulsa, OK, Sunday, November 20, 2011. I would have a time goal for this one. Probably 4:20:00. Realistically.

I would say that would be the end of my season, but, it won't. There is a wee little fun race in a super-happy place in early January that I will be racing. Shhh. . . . don't tell the kids. That is going to be a surprise.