This post is about running and has nothing to do with the pictures below.

I ran 9 miles on Saturday. And I feel fine. This round of training is so different than the one in, uh,...2007. Probably because that was like, oh, FOUR years ago. The biggest difference is that I am training alone. No running buddy to run with, and get lost with, and walk down stairs backwards with (Bonez, I miss you....move to Maui?). It's also different because I'm not as hungry this time. I remember after the first time I ran 10 miles in 2007, Brant and I went to a diner for breakfast and I grabbed our waitress and demanded a piece of chocolate cake to eat as an appetizer. I was THAT hungry. That whole training cycle was one big attack of hungry. I remember running those early Saturday morning miles and fantasizing what my breakfast was going to be. I ate bags of chips and bowls of ice cream in addition to dinner every night. Woe be to you if you got between me and my food (Brant can attest).

This time? I'm not hungry. I mean yeah, I eat obviously, but no more than normal at this point. No bags of chips. I'm kind of attributing it to the fact that I am in better overall shape this time around. I have more muscle. Maybe that has something to do with it? Maybe the crazy hunger will kick in when the mileage increases even more?

Even with the differences, I am starting to really enjoy running again. The last month or so I've been doing my workouts because that's what you do when you commit to running a marathon. You run. Even when you don't feel like it. But in the last week, I've started looking forward to my runs - even missing them on rest days. I love this feeling and I'm going to soak it up as long as it lasts.

My body is doing okay with the increased mileage. One of the many reasons there has been a 4 year gap in marathon training for me, is the fact that I have been recovering from two different injuries over the past few years. The biggest is an alignment issue with my pelvis/hip that flares up now and then, and causes a whole mess of problems. When I first decided to do the Maui Marathon, I was dead set on training to run the whole thing. As the first day of training got closer, I reluctantly realized that because of a) my injury history, and b) the fact that my mileage base was not as high as it needed to be, I needed to train for this marathon using run/walk intervals.

Not gonna lie #1 - my ego hated to think of talking walk breaks.

Not gonna lie #2 - I am so glad I didn't listen to my ego.

I'm using a run/walk interval training program from John Bingham's book. I do all of my runs so far running for 3 minutes/walking 2 minutes and repeat. It will gradually increase the running and decrease the walking and by race day I should be running 5 minutes/walking 1 minute, repeating till my wheels fall off or I cross the finish line.

At first, this training method felt like a step backwards. I can go out and run 5 miles without stopping, so WHY should I make myself stop after only 3 minutes? What I've learned is that my body likes those 2 minutes of recovery time. Because of them, my pacing is more consistent when I am running, and consequently, my overall time isn't THAT much slower than it would be if I ran the whole time. So far, the muscles that trigger my old injury have been kept in check with this method, and for me, that's the biggest plus. My endurance is growing, my speed is consistent, and I feel great and still have energy after running 9 miles. What's not to like?

Maybe next year, or the year after, I will run without taking walk breaks. Maybe not. For now, it's doing my body good.

Oh, and last thing.....I finally got an Ironman watch last week. It keeps track of my intervals and I love it even though Brant calls it my 'boy' watch.