Rocky training in the Siberian Desert in Rocky IV
14 miles, 1:38min
Tuesday Dec 28
AM 10 miles, 68min
PM 5 miles, 36min, drills, strides
Wednesday Dec 29
AM 5 miles, 35min
PM 12 miles+, 1:23min, drills, strides
Thursday Dec 30
AM 12 miles, 1:16min (with gps)
PM 5 miles, 35min, drills, strides
Friday Dec 31
AM 15 miles+, 1:43min on Comm Ave.
PM 5 miles, 40min
Saturday Jan 1
12 miles, 1:22min, drills, strides
Sunday Jan 2
18 miles, 1:54min (with gps)
113 miles
The beginning of this week was a very tough one - cold, snowy, windy etc. Here in Boston we got hit with nearly 20 inches of snow. It's funny having to tell people that training must still go on. Many will say "you're not running today right?" but my response always is, "people in Texas are still training because they have good weather and when I race they will beat me if I don't train". Few people will understand that distance runners are sometimes very GREEDY. I am no different. I like to take advantage of very opportunity I can to train. This is not like football where a team wins 24-3 and the rest is history. If you run a certain time, it will be your PR that you can measure across the board with people in Australia or in Kenya. This is also not like basketball, where you can take 3 days off and still make the same jump shot. In running, you take a week off, it will take months to get back the lost fitness. For inspiration, as my build up for the marathon, I am going to be visualize myself as being Rocky in Rocky IV. In the movie, Rocky's opponent Ivan Drago trains in some special Russian labs with all the right equipment to help him get stronger. On the other hand, poor Rocky trains in the Siberia under very cold and nearly unbearable conditions. Rocky does what I'd like to refer to as "dirty work". Nothing special. Just him working his tail off to gain some sort of psychological edge over his opponent. As the marathon approaches, I'd like to think of the next few weeks as my own "dirty work" period. Hills, tempos, long runs, fartleks and everything mostly done solo. The marathon is an event in which you cannot just "slide" by and get a good performance. It will take a lot of hard work, mental tests and HEART. There is really no way of faking 26.2 miles. Luckily, I have great motivation on my side. I am running not just for myself but also for my country. Every time I lace up my trainers for the next run, I feel as if I am carrying the entire Cape Verde on my back. If that's not enough motivation, then I don't know what else is.
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