Now I am planning a training schedule for running my first marathon.  Below is a schedule which I modified from a running magazine.   As you can see most of the miles will be done on Saturdays.   In order to protect my Saturdays from interfering with family or house work time – I’m going to have to do the running early or late in the day.   It should be an interested three months of training.   I can’t imagine running 26.3 miles!  

As I do each day  – I will revisit this chart and indicate (red text) that I have completed my daily goal.  

Week	S	M	T	W	T	F	S
1 (6/14-)	REST	Easy 3-4 (3m in 24:30)	XT –45 min (stairmaster)	Easy 2-3 (2m in 17:00)	Temp 4-5m (4m)	Easy 2-3 (2m)	Easy 6-7 rained-out
2 (6/21-)	REST	Easy 4-5	XT –45 min	Easy 2-3	Temp 4-5m	Easy 2-3	Easy 7-8 (7m)
3 (6/28-)	REST	Quality 5-6	XT –45 min	Easy 2-3	Temp 4-5m	Easy 2-3	Easy 8-9 (8m)
4 (7/5-)	REST	Quality 5-6(2m)	XT –45 min	Easy 2-3 (3.1m in 28:00)	Temp 5-6m (3.5m)	Easy 2-3 (1.5)	Easy 10-11 (10m 1:48)
5 (7/12-)	REST	Quality 6-7 (2.5m)	XT –60 min	Easy 3-4 (3.1m in 28:30)	Temp 5-6m (4m)	Easy 3-4 (3m)	Easy 11-12 (11m)
6 (7/19-)	REST	Quality 7-8 (3.1m)	XT –60 min	3.1m race in Westfield	Temp 6-7m (3m)	Easy 3-4 (3m)	Easy 13-14 (13.1 m)
7 (7/26-)	REST	Quality 7-8 rest	XT –60 min (30 min)	Easy 3-4 rest	Temp 6-7m (3m)	Easy 3-4	Easy 10-11 (9m)
8 (8/2-)	REST	Quality 7-8	XT –90 min	Easy 2-3	Temp 7-8m	Easy 2-3	Easy 15-16
9 (8/9-)	REST	Quality 6-7	XT –90 min	Easy 3-4	Temp 7-8m	Easy 3-4	Easy 17-18
10 (8/16-)	REST	Quality 7-8	XT –90 min	Easy 3-4	Temp 7-8m	Easy 3-4	Easy 14-15
11 (8/23-)	REST	Quality 7-8	XT –90 min	Easy 2-3	Temp 7-8m	Easy 2-3	Easy 20
12 (8/30-)	REST	Quality 6-7	XT –60 min	Easy 3-4	Temp 5-6m	Easy 3-4	Easy 14-15
13 (9/6-)	REST	Quality 5-6	XT –45 min	REST	Temp 4-5m	REST	Easy 10-11
14 (9/13-)	REST	Easy 4-5	XT –30 min	REST	Easy 2m	REST	Marathon 9/19/2009

Easy (EZ): This is a comfortable, conversational pace that’s best for short, easy runs; long, slow runs; and warmup and cooldown jogging–almost all of the running you’ll do while marathon training. During weekend long runs, beginners can take walk breaks.
Quality: This is harder running, performed over short distances with rest intervals of jogging or walking between. If you aren’t breathing hard and leaving your comfort zone, you’re not running hard enough.
Tempo: On these even-paced, moderately hard runs, the effort should be hard enough that conversation is somewhat difficult. Run hard, but in full control.  Note: The distances shown on tempo-run days include a 1.5-mile warmup jog and 1-mile cooldown jog, so subtract 2.5 miles to determine the tempo-pace segment of that run.
Warmup and Cooldown: Every tempo run and quality workout should begin with a warmup jog of about 1.5 miles (or 15 minutes) and end with a cooldown jog of about one mile (or 10 minutes)–longer if you need it. The warmup jog should begin at a very easy pace or a walk and the cooldown jog should end that way.

Last Thursday evening I participated in the Corporate Challenge, NYC.   The race was 3.5 miles through Central Park.   The weather was quite cool with a light misty rain.    When I signed up for this race they asked what time I expected to run and I remember saying 29 minutes – which was up and beyond any time I ever ran 3.5 miles.   My time was for Thursday’s race was 28:17 (8:05 per mile) which is a personal record for this distance.  Within my company I believe I was in about 11th place (out of 100 runners).  The point of this run is to be in the top three – so that you can run in the Championship Corporate Challenge, later in the year.   Looks like I have to do quite a bit better next year.