Yoga in the Park & Marathon Training

Yesterday one of Austin’s friends (who has studied yoga in India) kindly instructed a yoga session for us as well as several other friends at a beautiful park. I didn’t take any pictures because I was too busy bending, stretching, breathing, Omm-ing all over the place, but it was pretty awesome. We heard families calling their dogs, the dogs splashing in the marsh, birds cawing (a lot), babies goo-goo-ing and all kinds of wildlife you would never appreciate quite as much if you weren’t trying to stand on your head and pretzel formation your legs in it. It was relaxing, and, as my muscles will attest to, it was challenging. My shoulders, back and abs are feeling it today.

So while we’re on the topic of fitness, I have decided that as long as my knee continues to cooperate, I am starting to train for a marathon. This has been a life goal of mine for quite some time, and considering it’s 2012 and there isn’t going to be a 2013 (insert scoff here) I figure this is the year to do it. I fully plan to halt this process the moment my knee starts to be a little bitch bother me again, but ever since I’ve been running in my Vibram Five Fingers, I kid you not, it has been so much better. I don’t want to jinx it, but I’m really, really excited to be running again — even if I look like an out-of-shape-heffalump when I do it now.

Thanks to good ol’ Hal Higdon, I’ve got a plan worked out (from here). Here goes:

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest	3 m run	3 m run	3 m run	Rest	6	cross
2	Rest	3 m run	3 m run	3 m run	Rest	7	cross
3	Rest	3 m run	4 m run	3 m run	Rest	5	cross
4	Rest	3 m run	4 m run	3 m run	Rest	9	cross
5	Rest	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	Rest	10	cross
6	Rest	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	Rest	7	cross
7	Rest	3 m run	6 m run	3 m run	Rest	12	cross
8	Rest	3 m run	6 m run	3 m run	Rest	Rest	Half Marathon
9	Rest	3 m run	7 m run	4 m run	Rest	10	cross
10	Rest	3 m run	7 m run	4 m run	Rest	15	cross
11	Rest	4 m run	8 m run	4 m run	Rest	16	cross
12	Rest	4 m run	8 m run	5 m run	Rest	12	cross
13	Rest	4 m run	9 m run	5 m run	Rest	18	cross
14	Rest	5 m run	9 m run	5 m run	Rest	14	cross
15	Rest	5 m run	10 m run	5 m run	Rest	20	cross
16	Rest	5 m run	8 m run	4 m run	Rest	12	cross
17	Rest	4 m run	6 m run	3 m run	Rest	8	cross
18	Rest	3 m run	4 m run	2 m run	Rest	Rest	Marathon

Cross training entails doing some type of exercise other than running. Biking, walking, yoga, swimming, it’s all good, just as long as different muscle groups are being used.

If all goes according to plan, I will be ready to do a half marathon by the end of February and the whole shebang by June. Just in time for the Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Marathon (which I realize is really far away from Florida and I’m broke, but c’mon.. it’s a ROCK ‘N ROLL marathon in one of the coolest states I’ve ever been to. I’ve got 6 months to save up. It’s go time.) The Healthy Everythingtarian (who’s a badass blogger, you should probably check her out) opened my eyes to the Nashville Rock ‘n Roll Marathon as well. Who knew there were so many rock-loving runners? (I knew. Because runners are awesome. And so is music. Correlation.)

I’ve mentioned in passing the ‘training’ I’ve done in the past week. It has mainly consisted of two-mile runs and one four-mile walk/run. This week, however, I plan to run according to the schedule (stopping, of course, if the knee starts to hurt).

Yay for marathon training!!!


Are any of you guys runners/marathoners? How is your training going?


PS: Go check me out over at Bye Bye Beehive (a super fun hair-growing-adventure blog by a super cute lady name Annelise!!)