Marathon Training Week #1

January 3
 
1st day of marathon training! Step number 1 get signed-up for the race. For weeks now I’d been slowly letting more and more people know that I’d decided to take the plunge and train for the Lincoln Marathon. My beautiful bride Chelsea and I had also committed to joining a group of friends at Terry Peak Ski area to ring in the New Year. That is where my brain apparently stopped thinking.
 
Everyone that I talked to about this race told me that you better get up early to register because it sells out so fast.
 
Things needed to register: Internet access, Internet functioning device, and the correct time zone.
 
So here I was in the wee hours of the morning, in the middle of the woods outside of Deadwood with my cell phone and credit card patiently waiting for a browser to open. No I wasn’t up at 3am, but I did manage to get in! Once all other humans woke up, at a regular human time, Chelsea and I made the long drive across the state.
 
The next step for me on this day was a 10-mile bike ride following our long car ride. Not one day into training and I was already telling myself I could skip this workout. After all I’d spent the entire weekend downhill skiing. Chelsea thankfully was much more motivated to go to the gym and reminded me that I also spent the weekend eating pizza, cheeseburgers, and drinking beer.
 
Workout #1 on Day #1 SUCCESS!
 
January 4
 
Monday’s will be my rest day during this adventure. After our bike ride and a weekend of skiing I was happy to have day #2 be a rest day. I still managed 30 push-ups and a few planks for good measure though.
 
January 5
 
Tuesday is my day off from work for the month of January. I did manage to spend some quality time with @SamThomaswx of KSFY NEWS and @lizziekuckukRD from 5am – 7am. We’ve scheduled a new group run at noon so I figured what better place to tackle 6 miles! Unfortunately, I was the only one willing to venture out on this brisk day. I ran from the store and took the bike trail toward Great Bear until the trail ends. Just over 6 miles - workout complete!
 
January 6
 
Another beautiful day and another great group run! 6 more miles with a large turnout of folks for the Wednesday night group run – thanks everyone for make this workout a breeze. We ran through the falls and up pen hill. Everyone turned around at the top, but for me I needed to add a long boring mile north toward the airport. Thankfully Wayne had a great foam rolling class at the store following our run – after 12 miles in two days my body needed that!
 
January 7
 
Two days in one week on the KSFY morning show! My Thursday sessions will a little different than other training plans. In the mornings I will be doing a timed swim. No set distance goal, just getting in the pool to swim laps and mix it up a bit. I’ve always enjoyed the pool and was even a lifeguard at one point in my life. Plus they have a hot tub! Starting next week I will spend the evenings at the Sanford Fieldhouse, the store has co-sponsored a spring race-training group and I’m very excited to be working with professionals on strength training, dynamic movement, and my diet.
 
January 8
 
No group run to save my butt today! 4 fresh inches of snow made the bike trial more like a giant pillow to run on than a concrete jungle. Even though I prefer the challenge of running in a group I must say that this 6-mile adventure was truly enjoyable.
 
My motto for days like today, “When it is too snowy and cold for everyone else, it is just right for me!”
 
January 9
 
Saturday is my long run day. Nothing builds your mental game than the first long run in single digits and wind-chill! Thankfully I had Brian Rains and Sheila Stanley to join me on the cold weather venture. Certainly putting that new motto to the test!
 
January 10     
 
Right back where the week began; riding 10-miles on the stationary bike while watching ESPN with my best friend at my side. We had a great week at the store including an amazing cRaZy DaYs weekend, multiple visits with the KSFY News team, a feature in the Argus Leader Business Journal, and many miles with friends. Thanks everyone for following me on my journey to the Lincoln Marathon!
 
Cheers,

Greg "PEPSI" Koch