Some of our faithful followers may have been curious why no post from Frank for a week.  When last I wrote, I was coming home from a nice cruise in the Southern Caribbean.  Then, as soon as I got home, BAM!, I was on call.  This past week was very busy and demanding, but not so demanding I couldn’t eke out a bit over thirty miles on the road.  Monday a week ago, I did my BF Bridge run, making it a 6 mile round trip.  Tuesday and Wednesday I started too early at work and ended way to late to consider running.  I thought I might fall asleep at the running shoe, or whatever the equivalent of falling asleep at the wheel would be.  Thursday evening, starting around 7:15, a nice 10 miler including the “hills o’ Haddonfield” as I like to call them, for the first half, then the Grove Street to Park Blvd. loop.  Friday was another late day at work.  Saturday and Sunday I had to make rounds, but Saturday evening, I did the same 10 mile loop again, and Sunday, a 5 miler in the afternoon.  Voilà, 31 miles.

Now I am putting together my training plan for October 7.  Due to my sometimes, uh, difficult schedule at work, I am designing my own plan rather than going with the packaged variety available on Runner’s World or a variety of other sources.  My goal in terms of success will be first, to finish without my legs cramping up.  That has been my bugaboo each of my previous marathons.  I think I can accomplish this by including long runs and hills mixed in each month for the next three months.  Long means in the 18-20 mile category, to get the leg muscles used to keeping on for that long a time.  So, this Sunday will be my first 18 miler.  I already got the hill workout in this month, in La Romana, Dominican Republic, slogging up  2.5 miles of rather steep climb in the midday heat and humidity.  Monday, the standard run will be the BF Bridge, although yesterday I did an equivalent up in Highland Park, NJ.  My Wednesday runs will be a 10 miler.  Thursday, 800’s at the track, assuming I get off from work at a reasonable time.  Saturday morning will be variable, but the plan is to do a 7 plus run.  Tuesday will be a rest day, and Friday depends on the work schedule.

My second goal is to make a PR, under 3:44:14.  My third goal is to qualify for Boston, meaning under 3:40.  I’m just putting my plan together, but have a good idea of the structure.  I will refine it in the next week or so.

Happy running!  Frank