Winter Marathon Focus and 2008 Race Season

I decided to do my first open marathon this winter in Feb at Myrtle Beach. I have never run a full marathon, just an Ironman, and from what I understand, they are very different. I felt it would be good to use the Fall and Winter to focus on my running. So far things are going pretty well, my long runs are up to about 17 miles to date and I am running some good paces and low heart rates that I hope will help me reach my goal of a 3:20 or better marathon, that would qualify me for Boston and would be a good way to start off 2008. I am running 5 days a week and cycling on the weekends, the cycling provides a nice break to the running but also helps me maintain my cycling gains I made last year. Swimming is mixed in 2-3 times a week but consist of very easy drills and bilateral breathing sessions. I found a good way to do this was to start with the bouy and paddles. This allows me to forget about my legs and focus on exactly what is going on with my arms, my head placement, the catch and the pull and how all this relates to breathing on my weak side. So far I keep getting better on my weak side but still need a lot of improvement to ingrain this into my neuromuscular system. My plan is to continue to do this for the next 8-10 weeks and slowly start transitioning the bilateral breathing into regular swimming without bouy and paddles. I am hoping this will just improve my stroke a little more and make me even more efficient in the water. In Early 2008, I plan on joining a masters swim class that I will do 1-2 times per week. Again, this would be new for me and I hope to learn from other more experienced swimmers and to get pushed in the masters swim sessions for fitness. Back to running, I have been watching some videos sent to me from some Tri friends and I have found some minor things that are also making me a more efficient runner by giving me better overall form. Things like arm swing and a flatter foot landing. It is amazing how each year you can get more and more detailed about form and keep making little gains here and there. The average person would have no idea you are doing anything different, but for anyone serious about getting better or who has run for a while they know exactly what I am talking about. Those little gains add up to BIG gains over time.

My race schedule for 2008 is also almost complete, it will go something like this and I will post it shortly.

Myrtle Beach Marathon in Feb

(I currently have 5 NCTS races selected but will add a 6th one shortly)

1. White Lake Sprint - 5/4 (B)

2. Over The Mountain (International) - 5/31 (B)

3. Triangle Sprint - 7/13 (A)

4. Timberman 1/2 IM - 8/17 (AA)

5. Wilmington Sprint - 9/20 (B)

6. Pinehurst International - 10/4 (B)

7. IM Florida - 11/1 (AAA)

That should setup a good race season for 2008, I will post back on how things are shaping up closer to marathon day. Until then enjoy "Turkey Day"! And make sure to get in a short run so you do not feel so bad about all the desert you are going to eat! :)