Rarin' to Go

With much-improved weather today, I managed a solid six miles with a Magic Minute thrown in for good measure.  I borrowed the Magic Minute concept from Jeff Galloway.  It's a mile run at close to 5k tempo.  I try to run them at c. 85/90% of 5K effort.  I ran today's MM in 7:38.  Not bad for me since I've done no speed work since mid-November. 

The big news today, of course, is the results of yesterday's Olympic Trials Marathons.  In a bit of an upset Meb Keflezighi defeated favorite Ryan Hall, who finished second.  The third male qualifier for the Olympic Marathon was Abdi Abdirahman.  On the women's side, favorite Sharlane Flanagan took the top spot.  Desiree Davila and Kara Goucher round out the women's team.  Congratulations to them all.  I'm counting the days until the London Games!

Yesterday's Olympic Marathon Trials have me itching to toe the starting line at the Colorado Marathon this spring.  Of course, the marathon is almost four months away and there's lots of training left to be done.  If I'm correct, I finished the 10th week of my 26-week train-up today.  So far, so good.  I've done all the scheduled workouts with no problems or ill effects.  There will inevitably be challenges ahead, including bouts of awful weather, but the memory of the Marathon Trials should help to keep spirits up.  If that memory begins to fade, there's always the video of the Colorado Marathon posted on the Marathon's website: http://www.ftcollinsmarathon.com/

That video is the reason I signed up for the race.  Last fall, I was surfing the web checking out marathons to run in 2012, and I clicked on the Colorado Marathon site.  Then, I clicked on the video icon.  That was it.  I love Colorado anyway and here was this incredibly scenic course.  The 1000' of elevation loss from start to finish didn't hurt.  And, here I am with 16 weeks to go.  Safely registered.  Room reserved in Ft. Collins.  Training going well.  Life is good.

I'm still looking for a fall event: marathon or ultra.  I'm considering returning to the North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, Wisc. to reprise last fall's 50K or perhaps try the 50-Miles.  I want to do the Marine Corps Marathon some day.  Maybe this year.  Last year, my wife and I joined our Army officer son for the Army 10-Miler in D.C. and had a blast.  I've even thought about staying close to home and doing our local marathon: the Quad-Cities Marathon.   I'm open to suggestions.