run a marathon

_Todays run: 10,5K semi-cross. First part trough th park up and down, offroad, second part asphalt.
Weather conditions: In between two thunderstorms. 22 degrees C. Time: 67min40sec._

I’m running for 8 years now, and I still haven’t run a marathon. I ran a total of 5630K, from Utrecht to Tehran. :)

_Today’s run: a calm 5K.
Weather conditions: harsh. Sticky, humid, Thunder in the background. 17 degrees C. Time: 30.07 min._

I think I’ve set my goals to high. I wanted to run a marathon, my first, but not only that, I wanted it to run in 4hours and a bit. So I ran 10k/h and that I can do for 20 kilometres. Once I managed 25. But not further. So now my goals is going to be to run a marathon.
As I have to work one day less, it is easier to maintain some sort of trainingschedule. I printed one and uploaded it into my blackberry.

The winter is till a time I run less, or, shorter distances. 10K’s much. This was a winter with much rain, much wind, a temp just above zero. Not the weather that makes you run, when looking out of the window making a decision what to do this day.
But now spring has arived and this week I ran 50K in total. 14K on sunday, 16 K on wednesday and 18K’s today.

Since the break-through of november 2006, I have run 25K’s a couple of times now, but never that smoothly as the first time.
This year wasn’t a running year, due to mental circumstances (AKA: I felt crap. :) ) I’ve run at best to keep some shape, mostly 10K’s.
But now I’ve promised to start again. Last month I’ve started to run 14 – 16K’s again, and last week I did a 16K that felt good, and was in tempo (10,2 K/h).

Yeah! I did a 25 K today, in a bit more then 2 1/2 hours.

The last eught months were a time of stagnation. I could not run more then between 16 en 20k. After 20k I felt horrible, nauseous.

I started this whole challenge not knowing what I could do, or where it would end. I settled with those 16K, finding it ok if that was the limit. But with the start of a marathon very close to my home, I started to think about it again. Last week I got the route of the marathon, and today I did a circle of it, those 25K.

I’m happy!

Is a time of stagnation. Running in the winter can be fun. If it is cold and the sun is shining it can feel marvellous. But this winter here in Holland was rainy, cloudy, foggy and coldy. Not the weather that incourages you to go out and run.

So now, winter ending, I’m trying to get back in my normal condition, meaning I can run like 16K with ease. I want to be in that condition again in March.

So yesterday I ran 4,5K, and today 9,6.

The intention is to run 30K this year. The last half year I thought it was okay to run no more then 20K. More then 20K hurts, and 15 or 16K is lovely.

But if I realy want to run a marathon I have to run more then 20K. It’s okay if I don’t succeed. 15K is a lot, not having done anything sporty in the 30 years before I started running, and I can be proud having achieved this. But I have to try to go on.

It snowed a bit this night, but today was bright and sunny. I ran 12,5 K’s partly off-road, on roads with a small layer of snow. Lovely, the knispering under my feet while running, the shape of my breath condensing in the cold air. The only downside was the droplets of water falling off the trees, in my eyes. :)

And no running actually. Well, not the way I wanted anyway. This summer was disastrous. No where near good running wheater, to hot, to clammy or rainy, and I didn’t realy feel like running anyway. I tried to maintain some rhythm, running at least twice a week. I managed that, but it didn’t feel very good.

Since one month I try to run again. I ran a 20K, which wasn’t very fast (9,8 k/h) but it was at least 20K again. Today I ran 16K. in a more or less normal running-rhythm (10,2 k/h). Let’s see if I can keep this up!

After a couple of weeks with no interest in running, I am planning on starting on my schedule again. Wich means 3 times 5K on the 4 days I work, 2 10K and a long run. this week the long run is a 15K, next week 16,5K and then 20K again.
After these three weeks I have six (!!) weeks vacation, so it’s easier then to run with a real marathon scheme again.