OMG It's Boston marathon training time!!!!

Since I finally got around to some semblance of a 2017 recap, we can now begin the yearly series that everyone reads my blog for!

BOSTON MARATHON TRAINING TIME!!!!!
(and now back track and read my recap post, just to start the year off right!)

Last year I went into training in the worst shape I had ever been in since my running career began. Gross.

That is not the case this year. I am in perfectly fine shape. Weird. There go all my excuses!

The fact of the matter is, I did not run a fall marathon (possibly blowing my chances at Boston 2019 in the process. I'm not a summer runner so without the fall marathon early qualification nailed down, my chances are looking bleak.)  However, since I did not run fall marathon I had no reason to lie about, all tragic and burnt out during the early winter.

I haven't exactly been "training" but I have been doing some shit here and there, like running to the pub.

We really love Bear Bones Beer (also, this was a month ago and it was clearly warm!!) 

Why I did not think of running to the pub about 5 years ago, I do not know. It kills many birds with one stone (that is an awful saying.) You get in your run. You finish at the pub. You have beer. The end. BRILLIANT. Oh, and you have your Dad come and pick you up. You buy him a beer or two for his troubles, and all is well. Thanks Lee!!

I have also spent quality time running up mountains in the snow which is wicked fun.

I have also spent time running in the coldest of cold. But the prettiest of the pretty.

I have also decided that brutal downhill repeats are going to be a thing this year, and since they are weirdly fun I don't mind! (my legs did yesterday though!)

Logically speaking, I believe I am officially in week one of training. I would hazard a guess that I have been doing some kind of structured work for about 6 weeks, so have a fairly reasonable base.

What are my goals for this training cycle?
I want to have fun adventures in horrible weather (because it is inevitable)
I want to crack down on the speed work, I lost a TON of speed last year.
I simply will not allow it to suck. The end.

And my goals for Boston?
4 out of the 5 years I have participated, temps on race day have been unseasonably warm (with 3 of those years requiring major changes in my race plan, or simply having horrible races.)
Perhaps it is not the ideal "big goal" race, if you happen to be doing the majority of your training in 15 degree weather.
(maybe that's just me, if you thrive in heat you'll be amazing!)
I am not putting all of my eggs into my Boston basket this year. (and I don't have any back up 2019 BQ plan either, I'm simply not worrying about it.)
But does this mean I'm already cashing in my chips? Hell no.
I want to have a fun race. I want to enjoy being there, because I have not run a BQ time since October of 2016, and who knows if I will again. If this is it, I'm going to make it the best day.

AND, I want to train better, and smarter, and more creatively, and funner and beer-ier, and with friends or people who shame me into being better than I would like to be!
Having fun for the 15 or so weeks that you train, is key. If it all comes together on race day, fantastic. I'm going to train like things could be perfect. I have already learned that perfect training might never equal a perfect marathon (hard lesson...) But! I'm going to be lining upon Hopkinton this year in better shape that last year. Take THAT, stupid Maine winter that is trying to slow me down! (it won't!)

My final week of "no training" came in at 38 or so miles. A 13 mile run in 4 degree weather, 1200 repeats faster than I have seen in December ever, and brutal, super fun, quad busting mile-plus downhill reps. All in the snow and ice and ridiculous chaos that comes with a Maine winter.

I'm ready, I'm excited, I'm going to go with the flow as usual, and I hope that all of you enjoy the process of getting me from here, to Boston, in just a few short months!