Agonotheta

My New Goal

January 30, 2004

In my last post, I gave a hint that I have a new goal, but decided it would be better suited as a whole post instead of just a mention.

So here you go: My new goal is to a run a marathon. Specifically, this marathon.

While, this may not be a big deal for some of you, it is a HUGE deal for me. Just to get a grip on the lifestyle changes I'm making, let me explain them to you.

First, I wake up everyday and take a health drink called Super Greens that restores the Ph Balance to my blood system. For the competitive runner, and actually all humans, the level is integral for peak performance. I take my multi-vitamins formulated specifically for extremely active males. I take my flax seed pill, fish oil pill and my borax oil pill to help keep my immune system strong and thriving while I push my body to its limit. I've ditched all forms of caffeine; man made sugars i.e. candy, soda, ice cream; highly starchy carbohydrates such as pasta (my favorite food), almost all breads and baked goods; anything coming from the cow, including milk, beef, almost all kinds of cheese (except mozzarella), but excluding yogurt. My new regime maintains that the best fuel source for a body is fat rather than sugar. Thus, my goal is to not take in any sugar. I eat a lot of salads, which will provide my body with the essential vitamins and nutrients required to keep my body healthy while I push my body to its extremity. Lacing the salads are a variety of cold-water fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackeral, halibut and the like. Again these are the best kinds of meats that all men benefit from. I snack throughout the day on dried fruit, sliced fresh veggies, and nuts, typically almonds.

My training regimen goes this way: four days a week I run easy, comfortable pace runs increasing a mile in distance every week until the week before the marathon. Right now, for example, I run four miles. Next week, will be five. One day on the weekend, I do a longer run at an increased pace than on the weekdays. This weekend it will be six miles. The following weekend, eight miles. Every week, I increase my mileage and endurance and in time, my speed. This leads up to the week before the marathon, where I run about 20 miles on the Saturday before the event.

This is a normal training leading up to a marathon. What is not normal, however, is the amount of time I have to prepare. Most runners train for 25 to 30 weeks for a marathon. I will have had about 14 weeks. This is rather dangerous for a couple of reasons. First, the timeline leaves no room for error. Get off pace or miss a training or two and it might not happen, at least in April. Second, pushing my body with this schedule can cause injuries. I hope to avoid that because it could set me back indefinitely. Puff Daddy had nine weeks to prepare, I have 14. The way I see it, if P. Diddy can do it, so can I.

Now that you know everything I'm doing, try to imagine putting these changes into place for yourself. Sure some of you may be on a diet, so the food thing isn't that big of a deal. Some of you may jog or ride a stationary bicycle a couple of times a week while at the gym. But to change your food intake as drastically as I am and adding a bone-jarring, joint-burning injury such as running several times a week requires a huge committment and dedication. For me, at least.

Since I've never run one before and its already January 30th, I'm a little tentative mentally in saying I want to run a marathon April 24th. But I know I can do it if my training goes well and unfettered. If it doesn't work out in April, I'll always have July 24th.

Expect to see lots of posts here about my daily running totals and what not. By the way, any words of encouragement are thoroughly appreciated.