BACK IN THE SADDLE

When you're thrown from the horse, show 'em who's boss, jump right back in the saddle.

I'm working on a new training plan, incorporating strength training. I'm starting with just light weights, increasing the weights a little but dropping the reps in each set, as suggested in Body for Life. This program has a food plan that's not for endurance athletes, but I think the exercise plan will work for anyone, and it's very structured -- good for me, because I don't have to think about it, kind of like having someone else plan my food for me (which would be great.... I eat crazy and out of control in the evenings.)

Here's the plan:
Day 1: Upper-body.
Day 2: Run or bike training.
Day 3: Lower-body and abs.
Day 4: Run or bike training.
Day 5: Upper-body.
Day 6: Run or bike.
Day 7: Rest.

Uh-oh, I don't do well with every-day training. But I'm thinking maybe it will be OK if every other day is weights, if I don't make them too heavy.

I would really like to run a recent-incarnation PR at the Clarence DeMar Marathon on Sept. 30. I'm not going to BQ this year, I'm quite sure. But my best in 3 years would be great. Three years ago marked my return to marathoning after 3 years of doing only tri's, the longest of those 1/2-IM's. I ran a 5:30 at the Chicago Marathon that year; 5 weeks later a 4:50 at Huntinton, WV's Marshall University Marathon. Then I submerged into IM training and we know how IM marathons usually turn out. After my first IM, ChesapeakeMan, two months later I managed a nice 4:45 at RNR AZ. Since then, ~5:20 at Hatfield-McCoy (June 2006), I think 7 hours or so at IMFL, and recently 5:22 (watch time) at VCM. I struggled more on the slower ones than the faster ones.

Dropping my marathon time will require dropping weight as well. About 20 pounds. ~Sigh~

Where's that diet-meal delivery service?