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I’ve been a runner since my junior year in high school, competing mainly in the distance events throughout high school and college. After graduating college I decided to tackle the marathon. At this point I have competed in 4 marathons (spread over several years), but have consistently maintained a minimum 15-20 miles per week (for the most part). I would like to share with you my marathon experience and how I learned from my mistakes and improved with each race. I will update you on my current training over the next 9 weeks leading up to the 2007 Portland Marathon. I would also like to provide some training tips and share with you some of my favorite pre-marathon workouts.

So we are about 9 weeks from the Portland Marathon. By now, I would like to be averaging 35-40 miles per week with a long run of 14-16 miles. Unfortunately this summer has been a little hectic with finishing residency and starting a new job. My longest run so far has been 12 miles. I have been able to average ~35 miles per week with 6-8 mile runs 5-6 days per week. With things settling down in the next few weeks, I hope to get back on track. For me, the long run has been one of the most important aspects of marathon training. And it’s not just the mileage, but the time spent on the road to really get my body and mind conditioned. I’ve never been one to run with a partner or an i-pod, it’s just me and my thoughts. And while there are plenty of distractions on race day, a 3 hour run alone can test you mentally.

My first tip: While the actual running to train for 26.2 miles is very important, don’t overlook the other things such as mental conditioning, nutrition, rest, running gear, etc. It all affects your performance and how you feel on race day.

Up next…..I will give you a detailed account of my first marathon, how I prepared, how I ran, how I felt, and what I learned to make my 2 nd marathon a more pleasant and rewarding experience.

Well, I did it. I managed to increase my mileage to get on track for the marathon. My work schedule has become consistent enough to allow me to run on weekday mornings (base mileage) and do a long run on the weekend. I ran 15 miles this past Sunday. I followed a course, leaving from my house, and incorporating a loop with a long hill (1.5 miles) twice, all the while carrying my bottle of water/electrolyte drink. It was a challenge, but felt good. I now feel like I am where I should be in my training. <<More >>