Well...my adult onset ADD has kicked in. I've decided that the marathon plan I printed off the internet was just not complicated enough so I bought myself a little book, Marathoning for Mortals. I LOVE THIS BOOK and recommend it to anyone thinking about running a marathon! I am actually reading it from cover to cover, which is a rarity for me and any book! It has alot of really great information but not in the "you have to have a PhD to understand anything" language. And, it features 8 different running plans....a walk, walk/run, run/walk, and run program for the half-marathon distance and the marathon distance. I've picked out the marathon plan for me and am starting fresh! BUT, this new plan is quite a bit more complicated and required me to go to Academy (Darn!) and purchase a new running accessory (Double Darn!). I now own a heart rate monitor (HRM). Notice how I put the initials in parenthesis like I'm big stuff and this is official. Anywho, Marathoning for Mortals had a whole chapter about heart rate, target heart rate, max, yada yada yada. There are different levels of heart rate that you should work out at based on what you are trying to achieve. If you are trying to run a marathon without keeling over dead, you should run at 65-75% of your max heart rate. They call this "endurance pace". So, the first time I set out with my HRM I ran a few laps around the gym at my normal pace, checked my heart rate and was a little shocked to see that I was at 88%. For those of you who know me and have seen me run, you know that I am NOT a fast runner. So, now, I'm realizing that I have to slow way down to get to my target of 65-75%. I'm still working on this. It doesn't get much slower then I'm already going so it's a little harder then it sounds. The good news is, the longer you train at this level, the more weight you lose and the stronger your endurance level will be so you can eventually increase your pace and still stay within the range (I know..it doesn't make sense when I say it which is why you have to get the book!). I will not have to speedwalk through my marathon just to stay in my range and I'm not looking at an 8 hour finish time. And, my family will appreciate not having to stand at the finish line all day.
If marathoning is not in your line of vision right now, the authors also have a book called Running for Mortals. I haven't read it but it got great reviews on Amazon and that's what matters. So, go out and get it!
