A Duck in a Shooting Gallery

"You're going to rock this marathon :) I hope you're shooting for sub-4!"

That’s a note I got in an email from my coach, Jason, after I gave him the scoop on my 5K. I have to say that it made me smile. If you saw this post back in May, you’d know that my A+ goal, my dream goal, was 4hrs for the Seattle Rock & Roll Marathon. My more realistic goal for it was 4:10 and that's what I was shooting for. Of course, the marathon didn't happen so it’s a moo point (Sorry, threw in a little Joey/Friends reference there).

When I plugged in the 5K time to the McMillan calculator, it came up with 4:02 and change. And I know I didn't run that 5K all out so I feel like I'm on target to hit that 4 hr goal. Not easily, of course. But I feel like I'm capable of it now and I plan on only getting stronger and faster in the next few weeks. I know Jason has some very, very interesting workouts planned for me. I hope I don't regret telling him I live in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains!

The Santa Rosa Marathon is just a little over 6 weeks away and I am already getting excited about it. I'm just heading in to my favorite part of marathon training: the long runs. Anything 17 and over makes me a happy runner girl. 15/16 are good runs, pleasant runs but longer ones make me feel like Wonder Woman. :)

I am going to say right now that my A goal for the Santa Rosa Marathon is 4 hrs. That’s what I’m doing my training runs based on (as far as pace/time per the McMillan calc for around a 3:55/4 hr finish).

My A+ goal? I'm going to leave that up in the air for now and throw that out there as I get closer. Right now, my A+ goal is like a duck in a shooting gallery and it's just waiting for me to shoot it down. And that, my friends, is a total kick. Seeing that A+ goal time lowering is a wonderful validation of the work you've been doing. That ability to see your progress is one of the things I love most about running.

One more quote…

"It is the illusion that we can go no faster that holds us back." ~Kenny Moore, American athlete and journalist