Cruising along

I've got a few events lined up as I gently get back into the elevated mileage weeks I enjoyed over the past couple of years. I re-started the 18-week 70mpw Pfitzinger cycle two weeks ago to line up with the Newport Marathon on June 2nd. I'm also scheduled into the highly sought and totally sold out Big Sur Marathon on April 29th.

So far, I'm nailing these workouts. Week #1 was 100% perfect. Week #2 was near perfect. My only minor blip was this week was because I had to jockey the schedule due to extensive business travel/meetings, and ended up hitting 54 out of 56 miles.

OK, so I can't deny that I'm feeling a little hint of failure. I read most of the book Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald. As I read through it, I decided I would target a body fat % in the range of 11-12%, down from my 13-14%. My thinking was that I really wanted to push the envelope and set a new PR this year at age 36 or even 37.

Can I tell you how much I hate tracking food intake and obsessing over calories? So I won't. Screw it. I ran a 2:58 in Chicago at my current weight. I just need to use common sense.

Up next is the Bay Breeze Half Marathon this coming Saturday. It will be a good time trial for me. After my 3:22 in Maui last month, I need to see where I stand with my fitness.

Full steam ahead

I've taken some time to enjoy the fruits of my labor since my 21st marathon on Jan 22nd. We loved our trip to Maui.

I am considering the Maui Oceanfront Marathon a success. For the record, I ran a 3:22. This race was HOT. Running on Maui is a different ballgame. 3:22 is not even in my top ten of finish times. But, that's OK, it was paradise and I've got 13 states under my belt. I celebrated my finish by jumping into the Pacific Ocean. What a way to cap off a race.

It's full steam ahead on the Pfitzinger 70mpw plan toward the Newport, OR Marathon. Here's the kicker, however: I will run the Big Sur Marathon on April 29th. That's right, the most beautiful marathon in the world will serve

as a training run.

So far, so good... early on, that is, in week #1 of 18. Ultimately, I want to have a go at a PR on June 2nd in Newport, OR. That is, I need to break 2:58.

I'm 36, and some may ask if my fastest races are history. Maybe, but just tell that to Meb Keflezighi, who at age 36 (he's 3 months younger than me) won the Olympic Trials in Houston a few weeks back and set his PR while doing it.

Aloha... Maui or bust

Geeetings from SFO where Jennifer and I await the plane for our first leg to Maui. We are kid-free on this journey, thanks to Nana and Papa, and are ready to enjoy some running and more importantly some sunny paradise.

I will run the Maui Marathon on Sunday, which is slated for a 5:45am start out of Wailea. Jennifer will run the 5k, which starts at mile 23.1. If I run a 3:05, we could finish together! While that does sound romantic, sorry folks, not going to happen. I'm not trained up for that type of time this cycle and plus it will be temps in 70s to low 80s by the time we finish.

After the race, we will hopefully find a beach bar that has NFL Conference Championship football for the better part of a day.

This leg to LAX is delayed, so we are at risk of missing our connection. It's going to be really tight. I hope we don't have to spend the night at LAX. That would suck.

Resurgence in 2012

re·sur·gence - noun \ri-ˈsər-jən(t)s\ - a rising again into life, activity, or prominence

As I do at the dawn of every new year, I am taking stock and re-evaluating my values, goals, habits, aspirations and the overall sense of well being in my life.

2011 was a year of many different emotions. I have some great memories and moments with my family, especially those moments of wonder with my 3-year daughter and my 21 month-old son.

We bought a new house here in California last January after a big career move. In retrospect, career-wise, there was a period of uncertainty and some futility that wore on me in my daily work life in 2011. But I've risen above it, have grown as a result, and am now in a fantastic position to make a huge impact in 2012.

Specific to running, I have to admit that 2011 was one of my least productive of the last several years. I did just one single marathon, which was Boston and the subject of my last post here in May. I have done at least two or more marathons for five straight years from 2006-2010.

I also gave up my focused tracking of all of my mileage, for some reason. I think I encountered a period of burnout with all the change in my work life. I'm guessing I did somewhere over 2,000 total miles, but I can't be sure. Compare this to 2,600+ in 2009.

My fatigue was clearly evident in September after a flu bug hit during my training for the Morgan Hill (CA) Marathon. Days after recovery from the flu, I simply lost my drive and felt tired of running. I took some time off and backed down to the half marathon. I ran a respectable 1:31, which was far better than I expected after some major down time.

In summary, the year was not a total loss in the realm of running. I did run a pretty decent Boston Marathon. I put up some major mileage in and around the Napa Valley, which made for some great scenery. I did compete in my first two trail races, one of which was a 25k that I won. I've got some solid momentum going into 2012.

Despite the decline in number of marathons and total mileage, running was in 2011, and continues to be in 2012, a cornerstone of what defines me and my lifestyle.

Now, I am ready for a resurgence in 2012. Not just in running, but in several aspects of my life.

I just recently joined 50 States Marathon Club, with 12 states under my belt.

Right now, I am entering the taper period of what has been an abridged training cycle for the Maui Marathon. I'm also locked into the Big Sur Marathon, which I've read is the most beautiful, most enjoyable marathon on the planet.

Confirmed races:

• Maui Oceanfront Marathon - January 22 - Marathon #21 / US State # 13


• Big Sur Marathon - April 29 - Marathon #22

Races under consideration:

• Newport (OR) Marathon - June 2


• Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon (WA) - July 15


• Mesquite (NV) Marathon - October

I am reading the book Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald at the moment. It's clear that my nutritional habits is a weakness for me. I am going to make a commitment to really get to a new level of peak fitness this year.

When I started this blog over six years ago, I lived in Connecticut, hence the "eastcoastrunner" URL. I've since journeyed from CT on to the Chicago suburbs and now Napa, CA for the last year. I continue to grow as a runner with the experience and joy of tremendous geographic reach.

I'm now 36 years old. I believe that some of my best running is ahead of me.