Wouldn't It Be Lovely?

Hey, wouldn't it be lovely if you could train for a marathon without the long runs? Just keep plugging along at your comfy little 4-5 miles and then show up on race day and BAM, blow that race out of the water?!

You wouldn't have to lay all your clothes out the night before and set 3 alarms to make sure you got up before the sun! You wouldn't have to pretend you actually really looooove the orange-vanilla energy gels (those things are just so wrong on so many levels!). You wouldn't have to get your hands all sticky as you try to pour Gatorade into each tiny little fuel belt bottle to just the right level so they won't explode in the freezer overnight.

Most importantly, you wouldn't have to haul your lazy ass out to the running path and pretend that a 16 miler is really "no big deal."

I am truly very excited about the Portland Marathon. I am motivated again and ready to get out there and run. I am so thrilled that I have a friend joining me and my expectations for this race are all about having fun, rather than the worry of what my time will be. I will never be fast. But I don't really care anymore either so it is great!

But. And there is that BUT. The idea of the long run makes me queasy. I am not a morning person to begin with. I have tried. But, 33 years into this life, I'm accepting that I just don't need that worm. Let those real early birds get it. Because? I have COFFEE! Screw the worm.

My running partner and I have been talking about this whole long run shenanigan and we both agree that it is overrated. The unfortunate thing is that it looks like my running partner and I are not going to be training together this summer (she is moving!). And since she won't be here to wake up at the buttcrack of dawn, the long run seems even more daunting. So, we have a new plan!

There are ideas out there (I don't have any real references to link to) that you can break your long run into smaller runs throughout the day. I have heard that Pam Reed does this and that there are other super goddesses out there who do it too. So, take that 16 miler and turn it into an 8 in the morning and an 8 in the evening. It doesn't matter so much that you do it all in one chunk of time...just that you do it!

I like this idea. A lot. As a working mommy, the long run can be a burden. I can't squeeze in a long run very easily in the mornings. And I certainly can't ask my daughter to tolerate a few hours in a jogging stroller but I can take her out for a shorter run in the morning and then leave her behind with the Hubs when I go out for a second time later in the day.

The truth is, I blew off a lot of my long runs with the first marathon. I cut them short or I just didn't even go. I know that I did my best on marathon day but I also know that I could've probably prepped better and put in more miles.

SO, all that mumbo jumbo just to say that I'm still gonna train for Portland. Bring it on! But, my philosophy and my training is going to be a bit different this year and I am excited to see how it goes. Now, your turn! Has anyone out there in blogland tried this and how did it work for you????