Tomorrow is the beginning of my 16-week training schedule for the Ocean Drive Marathon, scheduled for March 28, 2010. I plan on following this schedule for the next 16 weeks. The schedule includes only weight training and runs, but I may switch a weight training session for a bike ride or add in a yoga session--depending on the weather or my mood. My marathon schedule is a mash-up of the Hal Higdon novice schedule and the Runner's World "Less-is-more" marathon plan. Essentially I took the 3-day running idea from Runner's world and modified Mr. Higdon's novice schedule--dropping rest and run days and adding weight training. It isn't much different than what I have been doing for months, so it won't be much of a challenge--except increased mileage of course. :-) I will update this page, striking completed workouts, as I move forward. I have no idea how many distance runs I have completed since 2002, but this is pretty much the schedule I have followed for all of them--except in 2004. In 2004, I only weight trained once a week and ran in excess of 100 miles a week for almost 7 weeks straight. My 2004 schedule (for the St. Louis Marathon) was about 35 weeks long and not an abbreviated 16. This will be my first full marathon since 2006. Wish me luck.

Update (2/17/2010): Registered for the marathon. I know it's before my first 18-miler and I am breaking my own rule of not registering before I complete first long training run, but I am feeling pretty confident. I might even set my sights on breaking my previous PR of 3:31, set in 2004 at the St. Louis Marathon.

Update (3/28/2010): Finished marathon. Time: 4 hours exact. No record breaker, but I'm happy.