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139 Days of Cleveland Weather

Sunday, December 7, 2008

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Brrrrrr!

Temperature today didn’t even hit freezing. Snow was about two or three inches deep. The wind was gusting, making everything even more extreme.

Unsurprisingly, today is the “long run” day in my workout routine.

Being outside today was slightly uncomfortable, even when armored against the cold with an outfit of high-tech clothing. My breath instantly condensed on my glasses if the wind was blowing in the right (or wrong) direction. I had icicles in my beard.

I still made it six miles, as planned.

The entire time, step by step, I kept one thing in mind - this is the mental preparation I need.

I have several friends who run marathons. I asked for advice on how to prepare. They shared suggestions for my training, but all of them also said that running a marathon is a test of mental endurance as much as physical endurance.

If that’s true, then I suppose this weather works in my favor in some crazy way…

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140 Days is 20 Weeks

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Twenty weeks until I run a marathon.

Twenty weeks sounds like a long time, but it’s not.

Part of this effort is to keep me aware of time passing.

Each day feels a little more important, now, because it’s a day I am preparing for the marathon.

It’s a silly thing, really, because a marathon has no real positive or negative effect on the world. It’s just going to be a mob of people trying to run twenty-six miles (or so).

Still…it’s a focal point more than another because it requires work. Without the work, each day, I won’t be able to run the course, much less the half course. Each day in the next twenty weeks has a specific goal, each of them slowly building up to the final result: making it 26 miles in fewer than seven hours.

Therefore, today, I thought about time.

It’s a precious thing and the twenty weeks are going to go past like a blur.

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141 Days of Garbage In, Garbage Out

Friday, December 5, 2008

Ah, yes. There’s a risk I forgot, yesterday: food and beverages.

One more thing I need to do is fix my diet. For a few years, I was doing well with what I ate and drank. I found a sweet spot where I was moderate yet still enjoyed the things I love. Of course, moderation is difficult to sustain and I slipped slowly into bad habits involving greasy food, and tasty beverages.

This is going to be my biggest challenge. First, it’s December so the holidays mean tons of food in the office and at parties. Second, it’s very easy to eat the wrong things even when I shop and cook for myself.

I’m not sure how I’m going to manage because it takes time and energy to cook the right things when microwavable meals, fast food and junk food (chips &c.) are all cheap and plentiful and tempting.

I’ll have to do something, but I’m not sure what….yet.

I’ll take suggestions for resources or planners, both online or on paper.

Leave a comment if you have any suggestions, please.

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Stone Mad Pub

Friday, December 5, 2008

Last night, I had dinner at Stone Mad Pub.

Stone Mad is on W.65th in the “happening” Gordon Park neighborhood. “Happening” thanks to Luxe, Latitude 41N, and a few other restaurants are clustered around the intersection of W.65th and Detroit.

Stone Mad has been open for a few months, but I never got around to visiting until now.

I went with a group, which let us sample a bunch of things from the menu. Appetizers were a stuffed pepper and the “hot and sour” chicken soup. Entries were a steak, a hamburger, tilapia served over rice pilaf and penne served with a garlic-spiked meatball.

Everything was good although nothing leapt off the plate. Servings were generous with one strange exception - the steak and hamburger came with no side dishes. For the price, I would have expected something to be provided. Side dishes could be ordered individually and were large enough for two. So this wasn’t a real problem…just unusual and made the price seem inflated for those two items.

So the food is good, but I recommend you visit the place for one specific reason - the inside of the place is perfect.

- The front room is a neighborhood store-front bar. It’s just right if you want to grab a stool and have a pint. (They serve all the Guinness products.)
- The middle room is dimly lit, dark wood, leather seats and a fireplace. It’s extremely comfortable and comforting. We ate in this room and it made the evening really nice for conversation.
- The back room is brightly lit and has a bocce court. It’s more of a “sports bar” atmosphere but it’s still a nice space. In summer, I imagine I’ll stop in with friends to play bocce and have a drink before hopping someplace else.

If you’re looking for something different or new, I’d recommend Stone Mad Pub. Hey, it’s Friday; check it out this weekend. I’m doing just that, trying to wrangle my way back there before next week begins…

Edit: Apparently, the Cleveland Plain Dealer did a review of Stone Mad today. Check it out.

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142 Days Working Out The Odds

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Today I plotted out my training program and thought about my odds and risks…

Odds Against Me
The odds are against me pulling this one off.

1) I’m 38 years old and haven’t been running regularly.
2) I don’t have a history of running long distances.
3) A marathon is a really, really long distance.
4) I’m going to start training in winter.
5) In Cleveland.

Odds With Me
I have a few things in my favor.

1) I’ve been in good shape and know how much work it took to get there the last time.
2) I have a history of doing things that aren’t “easy” but aren’t impossible.
3) I will have seven hours to finish the marathon.

I have a reasonable chance, even if I’d say that things are tilted against me when everything is considered. The key is going to be managing the risks.

Risk Management
Injuring myself while training is probably the major risk. With only 20 weeks until the marathon, if I lose even one week to an injury, it’s going to be a serious setback.

Losing motivation is a secondary risk. Posting here reduces that. If I stop, now, then you will all know that I quit.

Being unable to train up to the marathon distance is a tertiary risk, but a minor one. The 11th mile is the point where the full and half-marathon courses split. I can peel off the full marathon to finish the half marathon if I’m not doing well. So this one is almost completely mitigated by the rules of the race.

Now I start training…

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