Yesterday was smooth, and I ran nearly the entire distance. It was rainy, but it was a strong run. The results were acceptable and my heart rate governed the pace ensuring I wouldn't go too fast. Overall, an adequate run. I felt energized. My feet were a little sore, and my calves were a bit tight. All normal and to be expected.

Today was a different story. Beautiful and sunny outside, it was a little cool. Perfect weather for running. Since my wife and daughter arrived home from their spring break trip late, this morning started late. The workout began with strength training. Not much, but a bit. It jacked up my heart rate, then I hit the road. I couldn't get 200 yards before the heart rate monitor was beeping, announcing I'm over my threshold. I used the same strategy as yesterday - slowing down to slow my heart rate, and shifting to a walk if the thing beeped three times. I couldn't stabilize under my target while running. No matter how slow I ran, I'd hit the high end of the range. So I walked, focusing on form. It was a fast walk, but still. A walk. The focus right now is building the base, and knowing it'll improve. This is the beginning. Day 2. But to think this morning when I woke up I was thinking about Boston.

As I woke up, I was excited to get going. I looked up a training program online to see when I'd hit 13 miles, and see if there's a half marathon to run in the area around that time. Then thoughts wandered to Boston and "wouldn't it be great if . . . " thinking. The reality is I am SO far away from a BQ time that to even THINK about entertaining it in 2016 is a monumental stretch. Impossible. Regardless, the Marine Corps Marathon is after qualifying times would be taken for the 2017 Boston Marathon anyway. With all that said, the "Boston 2017 or Bust" is shifting from RUNNING Boston in 2017 to QUALIFYING for Boston in 2017. Starting with MCM on October 30th, we'll see how close I can get. Who knows? Perhaps I can break 4:00:00.

Which brings me to the book I'm listening to on Audible. I downloaded "Presence" after hearing Amy Cuddy's TED Talk. So far, so good. During most of my run, she addressed the concept of Imposter Syndrome, which is when people don't feel like they deserve what they've earned, and feel like others will "find them out" and deem them an "imposter." It resonated with me, and it would with everyone based on the research done for the book. In particular, I remember thinking that way about the Chicago Marathon - before, during and after. And I remember thinking that way last year as I threw out the lofty goal of wanting to qualify for Boston, and finishing third in my age group in the BattleFrog obstacle course race and the Lone Sailor / Wounded Warrior 5K. I remember making excuses for why I finished as well as I did, and that somehow "I wasn't that good." The reality is I WAS that good. Am I as good as I COULD be? No, and I wasn't as good as I could've been at either of those two events - but I can't change that. And even if I could, I still finished THIRD IN MY AGE GROUP. And that's a good place to start - if I didn't take the last several months off.

So for now, I've run a Chicago Marathon (however unimpressive the time), and a few other races between here and there. I've learned a lot along the way, in particular that consistency is key. No surprise here, but if you want to run a long distance, you need to be strong. Put in the work, get the results. 

It's Saturday and the alarm went off at 5:30am. I turned it off and went back to sleep. It was a seemingly inauspicious start to my attempt at consistency and discipline as I prepare to run the 2016 Marine Corps Marathon. But when my week is spent burning days in a stress-induced and sleep deprived environment, the thought of a little more sleep seemed like a good idea. I figured I'd be back up around 7am, perhaps 7:30. My eyes opened at 8:00am. Late.

Then my head started filling with all that needed to be done and I wandered around doing this and doing that while thoughts flowed about what I should be doing and what needed to be done. Meanwhile, nothing of significance was getting done. The first priority was picking up the dogs before the kennel closed, then there was a bunch of other stuff, so I settled at the kitchen table and wrote it all down. Then I put a time to it. And then the mind cleared and the day opened up in front of me.

The barrier in the past has been consistency, especially during travel. Compared to Chicago, I know so much more about what to do, and how to do it. This time will be significantly different, but only if I practice what I know. The strength isn't in the working out, it's in the discipline to get out there and work out. Simple. Nike said it over and over. Just do it.

It was raining when I arrived home with the dogs. I took them around the block, and the puppy was particularly spastic. I dressed in my workout gear, put on my Garmin and hit the road with the pup. In the past, he fought the leash for the first mile. Today he did much better, and stayed with me the entire time. Today's focus was to log 45 minutes keeping my heart rate around 135 bpm with a focus on form. The Garmin would beep when I hit 136 bpm, and I'd dial back my pace. Once I hit a third beep (consider it a third strike), I'd slow to a walk until my heart rate dropped to 125 bpm, then back to running. I didn't set any land speed records, but it was about wearing out the pup and getting a good base.

April will include a focus on consistency and strength. I'll be on the trail every day if all goes well, and make sure the heart rate doesn't go above 135 bpm. Strength will play a role 3x a week, and let's see how well the month goes. 

Today's run I went out for 45 minutes and covered 3.3 miles. No land speed records were set, nor any PRs, but that wasn't the point. The point is to avoid injury and enjoy the journey.

The goal - to be measured 5/1 - will be to run 4.5 miles in 45 minutes by the end of April while building a strong base. For strength, the goals is 20 pull ups, 75 push ups and 100 body weight squats.

Bring it!

I learned this evening my number was picked. I'll be running the Marine Corps Marathon on October 30th of this year, training permitting. My brothers Chris and Ron entered also, but neither had their names selected, so I'll be running solo.

It's also the beginning of a new quarter. Looking back on the first three months of the year, the goals set were not achieved because they were not made a priority. I tell the kids that life is nothing but a series of habits and experiences, so make your habits intentional and your experiences amazing. The habit of health didn't stick in the first quarter, but now there's a new mission. There's a new motive. And there's a new energy around maintaining consistency. EVERYTHING BEGINS physically. I've always believed fitness and nutrition are foundation elements for anything successful. Now it's time for me to practice what I preach.

Strength and aerobic work will start tomorrow, building the foundation that will carry me through a summer of long runs in the heat of the Florida summer. As I compare now to where I was when I ran Chicago, I've learned SO MUCH about how my body works and what I need to do. Now it's time to do it.

Ready or not, here I come!