This year is my first time training for a spring marathon. I’m used to getting up early to avoid the hot days of late summer and early fall. Training for a spring marathon in Wisconsin is a totally different adventure because weather conditions vary greatly during this time of year. So far I have encountered cold, wind, snow and this morning, I woke up to a steady rain for my Wednesday morning 10-mile run.
Winter in Wisconsin forced me to start my training indoors at the Downtown Milwaukee YMCA on their 1/6th mile indoor track. My early runs were very strong because I didn’t have any weather issues to slow my pace. As March rolled around, the conditions improved and I was able to run outdoors and increase my mileage. Even though the weather is not always ideal, each week I can see my fitness level improving. During one of my recent runs, I was reminded that my competitive nature was not the only reason I got into marathon running; it is a great way to relieve stress and enjoy the outdoors.
Today is April 6th and there are only 25 days until the Eau Claire Marathon. I can’t believe how fast time has gone; it seems like I just started training. Saturday is my last long run (22miles) and then 2 weeks of tapering (decreasing my mileage) before the big day. I have been very lucky so far in my training. The only real issue I’ve had was two weeks ago after a 20 mile run; my knees were more sore than usual. I resolved that issue quickly with a trip to my favorite running store, Performance Running Outfitters, to pick up a new pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 12. Now that the knee pain is resolved, I look forward to finishing out my training strong.
Next week I’ll provide an update on my final long training run and share some of my favorite restaurants in Eau Claire, WI. Hopefully readers will help me decide were to eat while spending the weekend in the big EC.
Until next week, keep running.
It is hard to believe that the marathon is this close. How is it almost May?
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