route 66 marathon

Oh yes! I am about to put my body through hell just so I can run another marathon! Maybe not hell, but my days are now measured by how many miles I've run and my weekend plans will revolve around long 10+ mile runs.  Love me some marathon training!

I am planning on signing up for the Williams Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Why this race? Well, because the San Antonio Rock 'N Roll marathon is the same weekend as a work training that I can't miss. {I was planning on running the one in Texas so I could spend a week visiting Ike.} Also, Tulsa is only a short 8 hours away, so I can make it in to a fun road trip! And who doesn't want to visit Oklahoma in November?? Speaking of Ike, he is going to run it too! Or so he says...

I also chose this race because Oklahoma is a flat state, right?! From the course map, it appears that the route is relatively flat, but I could be wrong. It looks like there are a few bigger hills during the first half, but after mile 14 it's all downhill or relatively flat.  Anyone know anything about Tulsa?

I am really looking forward to the training, I love having a plan in place when it comes to workouts. Knowing what I am supposed to be doing helps to motivate me to get my butt out the door!  For this marathon, I will be following Hal's advanced plan 1 (for the most part) with some added weight training.

Here is the plan.

To help me stay motivated, and just for fun, Nic and I have come up with a few incentives for working out. (Nic is included in these incentives as he has been a lazy bum lately and hasn't been getting to the Y nearly enough).

Incentives:

• $1 for every hard workout
• Run
• Bike (high intensity - does not include biking to work)
• Core/hYped classes
• Weight training (30-45 minute session)
• Cannot earn more than $2 a day.

At the end of this training session (to end the day of the marathon), we will each qualify for the following bonuses:

Nic:

• $25 - toned/defined upper body
• $50 - biking to work on days when able (under discussion...)
• $100 - 6 pack (abs)

Kier:

• $25 - 6 pack and no more love handles!
• $50 - Sub 4 hour marathon
• $150 - Qualify for Boston!
• (If I qualify for Boston, I only get the $150 bonus, not the $50 for running sub 4-hours)

Oh yes - you just read that! According to my Fargo Half Marathon time (using the McMillan running calculator), I should be able to run a 3:42 marathon - which is just two minutes shy of a Boston qualifying time.  Two minutes...I can do that! Don't get me wrong, if I run a sub 4-hour marathon, I will be ecstatic!  Remember, I ran the TC marathon in 4:46:26...shaving off over an hour is not going to be easy. But then again, I am in much better shape that I was a year ago. It's all about having goals (and stretch goals)!

So there you have it...I am running a marathon, and hoping to qualify for Boston. :)