20-week training schedule for a full marathon

Here's a 20-week full-marathon schedule you can fill dates in on. This is based on a schedule I used last year, created by Prince Whatley. He suggests running 4-5 days a week so find your comfort zone, set your goals and run happy! I do have a PDF of this chart, holler and I'll email it to you.

San Diego Marathon thoughts

All around me this past, dark, early, cold Sunday morning in San Diego were bright purple TNT shirts. On every single shirt was at least one name like mom or Tia Rita or sister or Uncle Ray - name after name. Some shirts were covered in names, too many to read. In honor of. In memory of. We miss you. We love you. 2001-2008. 1953-1999. Dates and names and lives and deaths.

There were also shirts that said “survivor.” Runners who had fought the fight and were here to run and walk and represent what Team in Training is hoping to accomplish. To find a cure. To make living with cancer better. To make being a survivor more possible. 

   

I had  a good race. A tough race. I danced to a Latin band. I talked to Captain America and Elvis. I watched the mountains glow in the early morning light. I ran along the beach. Considered diving into the cool, sparkly Pacific. Ran up off ramps and under overpasses. Listened to an organ concert in Balboa Park. Made a wish on Venus when she was the only thing visible in the sky. I saw a giant, banana yellow pacman. A man dressed as a lime green something. Talked to Endorphin Dude. Ran beside a court jester. Was insanely happy when my dear friend Whitney jumped in to run the last three, long, hot, shade-free miles with me on Fiesta Island. Tried to sprint the last .2 miles only to discover that’s a really long way to sprint when you can hardly remember what your name is. And then I found the finish line. Then I found an ice bath for my feet. Finally, I found a peanut butter and jelly sandwich which gave me back my ability to talk and think at least enough to get on the bus back to the hotel. Medal in hand. Tired legs. Happy heart. 

What to remember for the next one:

1. Take more than one GU durning the race. Although I had a second GU to take at mile 20 my brain was already so fried that I couldn't remember to take it - it was in my hand and I couldn't remember...

2. Make my name more readable on my race shirt - hearing people say "You can do it, Hilary!" was an amazing burst of energy. 

3. Always, always run for a reason.

Welcome to warm mornings

The clouds were so gorgeous this morning - speeding across the sky. However, Addie suggested that it was us speeding along, not the clouds. It does make me feel like I'm flying sometimes when the sky is as impressive as it was this morning. Soon we will even be able to run in the early dawnlight without being lit up like a Christmas tree (but you can never be too safe).

So Mercedes is the weekend of February 11th this year. I'd like to start our training cycle 20 weeks out - that would put our first official training run on Saturday, September 24th. It will still be plenty hot. I plan to try and capture some of that late summer heat to warm our toes and fingers in during our lovely January runs.

We'll begin at least half of all our training runs from Brownell. We'll mix in a few from Children's and a few trail runs to keep life interesting. I'll get our Sole Saints calendar updated over the next few months as well as sending out a PDF training schedule for both the full and the half.

If you've done the half, seriously consider the full - it doesn't have to be insanely time consuming (except for your long runs on the weekend - make sure to add nap time into your post-long run schedule). We'll have five months to conquer the distances. You can do it.

Looking forward to it!
Happy trails till then -
peace,
Hilary

From here on out

Hey runners -
you may notice the calendar keeps going but most of the entries begin with TNT. TNT stands for Team in Training and is the next thing on my horizon. I'll be mentoring a Team in Training group for the Nashville marathon on April 30th and the San Diego marathon on June 6th. You are welcome to come and join us for a trial run and see what you think. There's a group that pretty much runs the whole time and a group that does a 7-minute run/1-minute walk version - they run every Saturday morning. There's also a walk group for both the full and half marathons. If you are interested in participating please call or email me or to learn more about TNT in general visit their website http://www.teamintraining.org/

In the late summer they'll train for the Mercedes (but we'll be doing that already) and for the Savannah marathon. Their deal is raising money to find a cure for blood cancers like leukemia. It's a national organization that has raised over a billion dollars for cancer research over the past 21 years. Once you meet your fundraising goal (for Nashville it's $1800 - San Diego is $2900) they pay your plane ticket, your hotel, pre-race dinner, and race entry fee - it's a great way to travel. It's a great way to help change lives. It changed mine :)

peace be with you -
Hilary

OFF WE GO!

WOW!!

I've learned that finishing a [half or full] marathon isn't just an athletic achievement. It's a state of mind; a state of mind that says anything is possible.

- John Hanc, running writer

WOW!
I'm not sure I could have wished for a more perfect day yesterday. Standing there with 7,000+ runners with that bright, clear early morning sun pouring over all of us. For a few minutes we were all all together - bouncing up and down to keep warm, laughing nervously, cheering randomly, smiling constantly - focused, excited, blessed - together.

Then we were running - laughing - waving at the cameras - listening to the crowds cheer us on. Feeling amazing. Only 30 seconds in. Only two minutes in. Four miles down, nine to go. Watching the brilliantly colored crowd spread ahead of us (and behind) in an endless, rhythmic  stream. And on and on we went.

So many runners running for others - those who couldn't run, those who were no longer with us, those too sick or too tiny - in memory of, in honor of, in place of. So many running beyond themselves. It is a gift from God that we can run. It is a gift to God when we run for a greater cause.

For a couple of hours we ran, together and "alone." And then suddenly I was heading down 20th street - the last leg - playing a ridiculous alphabet game with Felicia to keep my mind occupied. Then that last block of 20th before the turn - I couldn't even think of a word for the letter "U" let alone what order the letters came in. I just got quiet and willed my legs to run faster, to feel my lungs hurt, to know the end was just around the corner. Then I saw Susie Youngson, smiling, yelling, laughing and then it was over and I think my smile was bigger than my face. An amazing race. A perfect day.

I'm so proud you guys out there yesterday and I hope our runners who couldn't be with us due to sickness are all feeling much better.

Thank you Sole Saints! Can't wait until next year... anyone up for the full?

peace and love,
Hilary

We are blessed

What a lovely run was had this past Saturday :)
We had runners run distances from 5-10 miles and it was perfect weather. 

So next week is our longest run before we head to Mercedes. Be good to yourself this week - hydrate, rest, eat, get excited because it's going to be fun. I may even have to do a celebration dance at the end :) We'll start out from Felcia's house at 215 Clermont Dr, 35209. Very close to AllSaints and even closer to Trinity Presbyterian. 

While you're snowed in... take a minute to find a few non-perishable goods you can bring to donate on the 15th - there are lots of people in our community who could use a blessing or two right now and blessings come in all shapes and sizes, including cans of food. Now, go put them in your car before Saturday morning - go ahead. I'll wait. Go do it.

You, yes, I'm talking to YOU, are always welcome to run with us. Regardless of how far you'd like to run or how fast/slow you'd like to go. Just show up and we'll figure it out :)


Remember to order your shirts this week - bring your money this weekend or you can mail a check to Hilary Moreno, 1836 Old Creek Trail, Birmingham, AL 35216. I'll order the shirts on January 18th or 19th.

Some thoughts to make you think:

Jogging is very beneficial. It's good for your legs and your feet. It's also very good for the ground. It makes it feel needed.  ~Charles Schulz, Peanuts

I run because I can. When I get tired, I remember those who can't run, what they'd give to have this simple gift I take for granted, and I run harder for them. I know they would do the same for me. 

We are all so blessed -

peace be with you -

Hilary