Training, Smaller Races, Full Marathon

Spring is now here, and the lack of snow covering the ground has been a blessing.  It is much easier to get out and train for future races.  In fact, it is so nice, I did a small 5k a couple weeks ago with Chewy.  Together we shaved 2 minutes off of my pace per mile, but then again, I wasn't reserving energy for long miles later in a race.  I also felt good about this because I was not feeling 100%.  Less than 24 hours later, I was knocked down, ran over, and then backed right over again by that evil winter time nemesis: The Flu.  I would say that this was a good, get back on the horse 5k as it was just a week after Phoenix. 

Next race is also not the CDA Half.  In May, my hometown puts on a 12K with more than 50,000 participants.  Chewy has decided that she would like to do this one with me as well.  She is even training for it with her school's program.  We did this one many years ago; she was 3 years old.  We took forever, had a broken stroller, and I was in significantly worse shape than I am today.  We are hoping to do this one in 2-2.5 hours.  Totally doable!  Plus it will be a good training race for me as this one is just a couple weeks before the half at the end of the month. 

The question is coming up more and more:  "When are you going to do a full marathon?"  Truth be told, I see this in my future.  I see this in what I consider my near future.  I do have a training program for full marathon training that I am looking at how to fit into my daily life.  I feel that I am in a place where I could do it with some training, and that it could be reality in the next year or two.  I need to worry about my endurance and speed. I also need to figure out how to keep training in the winter if the weather thinks I should stay bundled up on the sofa.  Many marathons have a 6 hour limit.  If I were running, this would be one thing, but I am not.  If I kept my current pace, I would need 8 hours.  My plan is that I will complete a full marathon in my 30s.  I can see this happening within two years.  I feel that Seattle might be the race I do as my full marathon (the race from last December and this November) which will allow anyone to finish the race, but the roads reopen after 7 hours.  This also happens to be the city that I love and consider my other home, so it is fitting to make it the place of my full.

65 days til Half #4...