My "easy" runs

Because I do not have access to Alberto Salazar, I Googled "marathon training programs" in an attempt to find one that would possibly suit my tastes. Really, I just wanted something to follow as I have absolutely ZERO idea what I am doing. Tell me to run and jump over a bar and land on a mat? Yep, I can do that. Tell me to run as fast as I can, jump far-ish, and land in sand? Sure, I can do that too.

"Brian, take this baton, chase that guy around the track, pass him, hand off to Johnny here, and collapse."

OK, I am game. But the whole start in one part of the state and run for 3+ hours having never run distance before? Yeah, that is going to take some expertise. Isn't that what Google is all about anyway?

The ING New York City website has a great section for novice distance runners such as myself. They even have tiered marathon programs, of all types; Work too much and need a condensed running plan? They have it. Want to run but do not want to put in all the miles? They have that too. Want to run relative fast but do not know where to start? Yep, they can hook you up. Head on over to:

http://www.nycmarathon.org/training/index.php

I chose the "Basic Marathoner" as my option. Yeah, I know, I have never run one before. But, I think I can handle this program and I want to run more than 3 miles at a time. I will let you know how this choice pans out right around the 20-mile mark on marathon day. I hope to still be upright at that point and in some form of locomotive state.

To be honest, I thought about just following in my father's footsteps and building a program myself, from scratch. But there are some subtle differences between my father and I when it comes to discipline. My father - as a kid he worked all through the summer to raise enough money to put himself through private school. Me - as a kid I spent the summers in Springfield firing around my neighborhood all day long in a state of reckless abandonment, eventually making it home for dinner before passing out in my spaghetti, face first. My father - as a high school student, my father took a bunch of trains from Metuchen, NJ to Newark to get to school every morning. Me - I would wake up every morning to the beeping of my ride sitting in the driveway, put on what ever was on the floor, throw on some shoes, grab the wrong books, stick my head under the faucet, forget the essentials, and be out the door in time to be late. My father - would read text books over and over again until he understood everything and would be asked repeatedly for his class notes because they were so thorough. Me- I would throw my text book out of the top floor window just so I could run down 4 flights of stairs, grab it, and run back up the stairs in an attempt to burn off enough energy to sit through the final period of the day. My father - did well enough to earn an academic scholarship. Me - "Brian, you ready for the SAT's?" "Wait, those are today?" Yep, true story (I actually did pretty well and ended up a top student in college, although this story is told better with a lot more drama. Just go with it).

So, me putting my own marathon plan together - nope, not going to happen. Besides, my father could hammer out 6 minute miles, one after the other, like it was no body's bidness. Me, yeah, nope, not going to be running six minute miles for a while. He also cranked a 2:34 marathon time, which is crazy fast. And that was back in the day before all the dope running gear was out. Homeboy rocked a fishnet singlet and some serious poom poom shorts. Electrolyte infused sports drinks? What? Psssssssssh! Doc. Hetz is a machine, no water needed. Me? You bet your booty I will be rocking the fuel belt, have the newest sweat resistant socks that keep the circulation going in the right places for a meager $80 a pair, running shoes that may not feel great but they make me look fast, some serious Nike drifit everything because if I can't run like a pro I might as well try and look like one, etc. You get the point. Me and Dr. Hetzel, not the same runner.

Right, so I don't really remember what I wanted to accomplish with this post. Anywho, good news is I have a real plan, actually printed out, and I am on my way to building a "base." Nice, I have never had one of those before. That requires AT LEAST a new pair of running-specific sun glasses....