My Christmas Day unfolded as follows: I ran 10 miles this morning, came home and after a nice breakfast enjoyed gift-giving with my wife. We then visited with family on Zoom, after which we had an excellent Christmas meal she prepared (the menu: our Thanksgiving meal, back by popular demand!). After this, we both took a nap, after which we played cards while listening to a virtual radio broadcast of a play from a theater my wife shoots pictures for (in normal times where plays are being produced).
🙂
Today’s featured picture (above) is from this morning: me (looking goofy in my cozy) holding up a book I picked out during last weekend’s trip to the bookstore, “Marathon: the Ultimate Training Guide,” by Hal Higdon.
For all my years as a runner, this is actually the first time I’m reading a book about running. Then again, I am planning on running 26.2 miles all at once, and that is no small feat. I feel quite well prepared for it, having completed three 20 milers this year and having completed my best running year ever.
However, I take nothing for granted when it comes to feeling physically good. It seems to me that one should put some planning into the process of running a marathon if one is to enjoy it (which I intend to do).
In the opening sections of the book, the author points out that many marathon runners haven’t been running that long, maybe no more than a year. 2020 is my thirteenth year running. I didn’t start running in half marathons until I had been running for eight years, and I didn’t seriously consider doing a marathon until last year!
Overall, I have found that my slow and steady approach works really well for me, in running and in other things. Now it has brought me to the place where I’m ready to train for a marathon.
2021 here we come!
(btw Merry Christmas)