100 miles logged!!

This one goes out to all my runners, no matter who you are and where you are.
100 Miles is the distance from Midtown Manhattan to Scranton, PA. 100 Miles is the distance between Pittsburgh and Erie, PA. 100 Miles is the distance between Los Angeles and San Diego, CA. 100 Miles is also coincidentally the amount of mileage that I have logged in my training as of today! I can't believe in just 2 short months I am already here! Whoa!

100 is a pretty significant number in the world. It is the percentage that everyone is always striving to be at. It is also the measuring stick for how a new President is doing in office. As some of you may remember, the news media was all over the 100th day that President Obama took office and they used it to evaluate his performance and speculate on how they thought he would perform in the future. It is in this spirit that I have decided to do a self evaluation of my 100 miles of running. Hope you enjoy!

Training: A-

Positives: I would say overall my training is going extremely well. With Sly Stallone as my trainer, how can I complain? ;p. Overall, I am happy with the mileage I am doing and I love my running partner Leanne! I also have no significant injuries as of yet (knock on wood). I am also right on track to where I should be at this point.

Challenges: Working fulltime and training for the marathon is a bit more challenging than I had expected. My short runs during the week work out very well. However, the long runs on the weekend take out a major portion of my day. We end up driving to Santa Monica, which is 30 minutes away, then we run 2-3 hrs and then drive back. By the time I get home, I am not only wiped, but the soreness in my body causes me to not want to do much for the rest of the day.

Motivation: A-

Positives: The GOTB kids are a huge motivation for me. Whenever my runs get tough, I think of them and I am able to pull through. Having a running partner is also a big motivation as we hold each other accountable for running. I also have to admit getting my PR in the half last weekend was also a huge motivator. Lastly, this blog is also a huge motivator for me because I don't want to let you all down so you push me too!

Challenges: Since I have to get up pretty early in order to do my runs and this is the busiest month of the year for me at work, I am always tempted to press snooze. I have to admit because Leanne was sick this past week, a couple of times I did ;p.

Diet Self Control: D+

Positives: Running as much as I do, I don't really need to worry too much about how much and what I am consuming. I also need more calories to physically keep going.

Challenges: I am Italian, nuf said? I like food and the more I run, the hungrier I get. I also make commendations for myself justifying that it is okay for me to eat unhealthy because I am running to equalize it. It also doesn't help that I am so busy with work that sometimes I grab the quickest option which is not necessarily the healthiest. I am going to try to work more on this especially because Leanne is so disciplined in this field. (She has been doing the Paleo diet, otherwise known as the Caveman diet for the past month).

Speed: A-

Positives: Surprisingly, the Galloway Method (5 min run, 1 min walk combo) is improving my time significantly. My body also is able to recover much quicker. My time last weekend at the half was also incredible and if I keep at that pace I will finish a full in 4:18, which is significantly under my goal of 4:30.

Challenges: I am no Speedy Gonzalez. For some speed comes naturally, for me, not so much. In gym class as a young child, I was always slow and I continue to struggle with this. I also need to start doing some speed workouts. I think I subconsciously avoid them!

Cross-Training: B-

Positives: We have a great hiking trail about 1 mile away and one my running off days, I take Maya. It is a great hill work out.

Challenges: Since I don't have a lot of extra time and the extra time I do have is spent running, it doesn't leave any time for cross-training. I also don't belong to a gym, which would give me access to weights and other classes. I am going to make a conscious effort to try to improve here.

Everyone can track my progress and my workouts at http://www.mapmyrun.com/user/396126015322033003/primariri or you can click on the Map My Run Link on the right side of this page.

Thanks everyone for all of your continued support.  Many of you have asked me if it is too late to donate and it isn't.  D-2 can accept donations until June. I especially want to send a special thank you to Joe's grandma, Rebecca Kraus and my friend and our wedding DJ Chuck Clump for your donations.