New Training And More

This week I got an email saying I have been accepted to be part of Team Animal League for the NYC Marathon, very good news.  Also I should have my link to my fundraising page later this week, then I can get that going.  It will give me 3 1/2 months to raise some money for them, again a very good organization, the largest no kill rescue in the world.  I only have to reach $500, but I'm really hoping for a few thousand.

Trying to change things up with my training for the Marathon as well, trying to up my mileage some and throw different workouts in there.  Yesterday I did my first ever Yasso 800s, I went to the local high school track to do it.  I can not complain at all, I averaged a 3:20 800, and then did a slower 400 in between 800s.  If you are not familiar with the workout you do 10 reps 800m or .5 mi then do a slower 400 m/.25 mi before taking off again.  I did a 400 m cool down, victory lap if you will.  Then walked back to the car stretching a little.  Also rewarding myself with a Starbucks iced coffee.  I want to keep doing these and get my 800m time down around 2:50 by November, if I can, and in the next year get it down to 2:20-2:30.  I also really need to start doing some hill repeats, maybe like a .25 mi stretch on a good hill, and build it up to a .5 mi repeat.  I'll be increasing the long run mileage as well, I need to get back up to 20 milers in the next 2 months.  Anyone else have any good running workouts let me know.

This past Saturday was the Dekalb Decatur 4 Miler at the YMCA and done by the ATC.  It was good weather for July, about 67 degrees at 7:30 and not much humidity at all, cloud cover, a slight breeze at times as well, which made it great.  The course was pretty hilly the first 1.5 miles, then it was downhill until about 2.75 into the race, then mile 3-4 was mostly on an incline, not to mention took us through a McD's parking lot, which was really too funny, and something I will never forget.  My Garmin had it at 4.05 mi total and I was able to really sprint it out at the end, which was downhill.    The one good thing about most ATC races they end on a downhill or mostly flat, and not uphill.  Overall time of 27:26, which is a 6:46 mile 9th of 57 in the 35-39 age group, and a shame I'm not in the 30-34 age group, would have had 3rd oh well, my age group seems to be very large and the most competitive of all of them at most races.I got to meet Kristy from Kristyruns.com, her husband Mark, and their friend Casey as well, which was cool.  They are getting ready for the ATL Marathon in late Oct.  I informed them that Cardiac Hill is mile 24 of the marathon, which is very cruel of someone, oh and there are some nasty hills on Lindbergh as well, before the turn onto Peachtree.

Here are my splits for the Dekalb Decatur 4 miler:

mi 1 6:43
mi 2 6:42
mi 3 6:43
mi 4 7:01
.05 0:17  which was at 5:26 mi pace