Wednesday, July 28, 2010

What’s Next?

So I’ve got to admit something. Ever since the L.A. Marathon back in March, I have been running without any real goal or purpose. I thought I’d be able to just run. Run for fun. Get better. Drop a few pounds. But truth be told – I don’t like running enough to just run for the fun of it. To be successful at this running thing I *need* that goal race on the calendar.

For the last few weeks I’ve been struggling with this. I pulled together 3 40 mile weeks. I was ready to pull together a fourth. If I had, I most certainly would have crashed and burned on the Streets of San Francisco*. I realized last week that something is really out of whack. I’m paying for races like they are going out of style, but I’m not performing anywhere close to where I was a year ago. Then it occurred to me – an old saying from my early days in Management Consulting - “Plan the work, then work the plan.” What plan?

So here goes – I’m going to lay the foundation for the rest of the plan today. My goal race will be the Bishop High Sierra Ultramarathon. Fifty something (either kms or miles – I haven’t decided yet) in the beauty of the Sierra Nevada. May 21, 2011. 42 weeks away. Assuming that there will be a 20 week training cycle leading up to my attempt at 50 something, that leaves 22 weeks of training/racing. Which means enough time for 2 half marathons, or one marathon and a few weeks recovery. Time to search Raceplace for some viable options!

This does mean that the L.A. Marathon 2011 may be a bit suspect now – it depends how it works in. I’ll know more in a week once the whole plan is laid out.

* Special reference for us 50 somethings. Who remembers what actor got his big break alongside Karl Malden in that TV series?

15 comments:

  1. Wow, Glenn, this is huge.

    I am looking forward to following your training.

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  2. Kirk's little boy of course.

    Nice goal. I am shooting for an Ultra in 2011 as well. Just have not decided on the exact one. Maybe one in Washington, California or I might go back to Kansas where I lived for 4 years and do one.

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  3. Gordon Gecko!

    Great to have a plan and such an ambitious race!

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  4. That's a great plan, I looked at the race it looks amazing.

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  5. Love it!
    That's one my to-do list and it looks perfect for a first ultra.

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  6. Michael Douglas, duh!

    Thanks for posting the link, this looks like something I could walk and really enjoy. We'll be in tweet.

    Happy planning!

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  7. Wow Glenn Wow!! An ultra! Sounds so exciting! Can't wait to follow you train!

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  8. How exciting! Even though I've "run" one marathon, they still intimidate me. I'm excited to see you train and succeed in your ultra. How incredibly inspiring and impressive :)

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  9. That's a big race! Great goal, Glenn!

    YOU CAN DO IT! :)

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  10. Awesome! At some point, I will be ready to do 50k (NOT miles), but for now, I get to watch you do it!

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  11. Looks like a great race! Plans are the only reasons why I'm still running. I hope it also works out for you!

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  12. Best of luck to you -- I'm going for my first ultra in about 24 days, and I'm petty much freaking out & I'm doing the K, not the M. Not only finishing is the goal for me (but the main one), but finishing with a smile on my face : )

    It's good to have goals, and you picked a big one!

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  13. Glenn, I wish you well in your ultra quest! That is very cool. A friend of mine completed a 50 mile trail race recently, and that is very inspirational.

    All the best! I look forward to hearing more about your training.

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  14. we are really of similar hard-headedness... "so i've been struggling with my running/training lately and thought what the heck, let's sign up for an ultra" :)

    at least yours is far enough out to gun for, i'm starting to think mine isn't! haha.

    hope this plan sets everything back on track for good this time - to me it sounds ideal!

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