The Road to Boston: Part 1

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2009 Boston Marathon, here I come!  Yep, I'm approximately one month in to training for this prestigious race, though I hardly feel like I'm getting in the shape I need to go.  Marathon training typically involves 4 months of escalating mileage, so right about now I should be doing my first 20-miler.  Unfortunately, because of the foot/knee debacle, the farthest I have run in 2 weeks is the ill-adviser half marathon last Sunday.  Therefore, my "road" to Boston is currently a stationary bike at Planet Granite (btw, how DO those tiny, Asian girls scale 5.10c's so easily?  I've had a chance to study many ascents, and I just can't figure out how they can do it and I can...but I digress), and/or the old Army pool at the Presidio YMCA.  The old pool is pretty cool with it's mural (see left) and everything...but it's also fairly shallow, meaning I can only job half a lap before my feet hit the bottom and I have to turn around, which really confuses my lane-mates.  Additionally, it's a YMCA pool, so there are lots of water aerobics classes that I must schedule my workouts around.

Pool jogging is a surprisingly good workout, and according to Kate O'Neill (a running superstar who kicked everyone's fanny in the 1/2 on Sunday with a 1:15), it's a great way to cross-train and/or stay in shape if injured.  She says that if you run without a flotation device, it forces you to maintain perfect form...that is, if you don't drown.  Perfect form + non-impact running = my road to recovery.  See you at the next race...Kate.

So there's a little insight on my current journey to Boston.  Hopefully it will get more interesting once I can run again.  You don't often see fiberglass farm animals at the pool...but wow, if you did...!?!