Irv, we were never in Aisle 5

March 20th completed the final "long run" before the "Longest" run on April 18th.  This one was a 20 mile run from starting our house and down into Ipswich where the advance team (Matt, Maggie, Jimmy and Molly)picked Pam up.  The following weekend scaled back the long run and completed a 15 mile loop in Andover.  This past Sunday completed 11 mile run Andover to Reading.  This is now the midway point of  the planned 4 week taper period.  To Date have now completed 3 long runs of 20+ miles each.  This week looking at around 8-10 mile long run on the weekend with 3-5 miles daily during the week.  The week before the Marathon running will be geared to some fine tuning and getting the body such much needed rest. 

Took the whole family to REI to look for some new clothes to run in.  A nice enough gentleman, who was shopping with his family, approaches us and says, "I know I've seen these kids before I just can't place where."  Immediately, my thoughts turn to what type of ruckus this man was exposed to and if we owe him A.) an apology and/or B.) monetary compensation.  Could it have been Blockbuster with Jimmy and Maggie arguing over the cinematic merits of Strawberry Shortcake vs ToyStory while Molly tossed the new release movies in the air as if she were a pizza maker tossing up some freshly made dough?  Perhaps it was Stop N Shop where we have to shop with the cart with the plastic car attached and all 3 kids like to pretend they are in a fire engine and shout, "move out of the way there's a fire"  I tell the kids falsely reporting a fire is a crime but undeterred they keep on shouting, it's out of my hands now.  I begin thinking that please please wherever this man is about to say he remembers  the kids from that is wasnt on my duty.  Jackpot! He says he remembers seeing the kids at Jordan's Furniture and I never was at Jordan's recently.  Brazenly, I say "so what kind of disturbance did you witness at Jordan's?"  He tells me none at all that he just remembers how cute they were and how well they were playing.  I nod my head and agree that they are pretty good kids, occassionally there's some agita but overall they're pretty good.


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1 month to Go....

Ran and finished the Black Cat 20 mile race on March 6th the race took you through the hardscrabble streets of Salem and Marblehead and consisted of 2 10 mile loops.  The race stood as a pretty good indicator of how things will go on Marathon Monday and was also nice as the family was able to come out and watch/cheer on Pam/Mum as she ran.  This past weekend was a nice 10mile run at a slightly faster than marathon pace.  Still continuing to mix in smaller runs during the week(including some speed workouts) and will probably shoot for a 20-22 mile run this weekend and then begin the tapering phase. 

I'm pushing for an afternoon start time for the 22 mile run as that will coincide nicely with 3 kids, 1 Large Dog, Laundry, yard work etc all being neglected by me (matt) as I watch a Marathon of College Hoops games.  The 4hr window will be good for the afternoon games and then Pam will be too tired from the 22miles so I'll have the evening games covered as well.  As Colonel Hannibal Smith from the A Team liked to say, "I love it when a plan comes together."
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Wrapped up with a Bow

Completed the 2 longest runs of the training so far at 18 miles on Feb 5th and 19.5 miles on Feb 19th.  Continue to run 5-6 days a week and have now added some Hot Yoga in to the rotation.  Finished last week at 35.5 miles.  So far this week 3 miles on Monday and 3 on Tuesday and completed a speed workout and 5 overall miles on Wednesday. 

Enjoyed last week's foray into the warmer temps however short lived it was.  Don't enjoy the  meatheads who use the first slightly warm day to crack out the summer clothes and throw on their finest pair of cargo shorts.  It's 55 degrees and it is certainly a nice relief from the snow and the cold but it's not really shorts weather.   It's as if there is some race or prize to see who can be the first to wear the shorts.  I mean I get it but seriously it is only 50 degrees outside so I say save the white legs for June and bundle up Nanook.   How can these people even have a pair of shorts at the ready?  I assume everyone is like us and packs up the summer clothes in those plastic bins and then stores them away in the attic.  We then spend the next few months piling the Halloween Decorations, Christmas decorations etc on top until essentially the summer clothes are inaccessible.  The last item that usually goes on top are the "Great Bargains/Can't pass these up" after Christmas rolls of wrapping paper.  I know these are hugely discounted after Xmas but unless they were free, we, to the best of my knowledge, have never wrapped anything with them.   Why?  Well, because as mentioned earlier those items get placed last in the attic and when summer rolls around and the Prestons are sweltering in their corduroy pants and long sleeve shirts it's time to act quick.  That means throwing things around like a family of circus clowns juggling hula hoops and bowling pins.  The wrapping paper becomes either torn or buried alive and smooshed beneath all of the other stuff.  This year is going to be different because this year we bought a plastic container for the wrapping paper....Oh wait the one we bought doesnt fit a normal sized roll of wrapping paper....DAMN YOU WAL-MART!!!!!

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If I can change...and you can change...everybody can change!

The ever increasing snow piles in the street and sidewalks have made the training a bit tougher.  There has been more time spent in the gym on the treadmill and Pam has also  increased the number of cross training workouts (Kickboxing, Snow shoveling, cleaning up after husband who due to the snow is working from home etc)  Included in the midst of all this snow were a pair of long treadmill runs.  The first was an 11 Miler and that was followed up with a 17 miler.  Used this elongated time on the treadmill to focus on the race day nutrtion tactics.  Alternating between Gatorade and Water along with eating a handful of Energy Jelly Beans seems to be the way to go for now.  Prior to the last week, week and a half the weekly mileage was up around 30 with the high week coming in right around 40 miles.  The upcoming plan calls for an 18mile or more run on Saturday again starting at Copley and running the course in reverse and then back to Copley.   Forecast calls for snow so Pam might be morphing into Rocky from Rocky IV... 

Random snowy day question-  Have watched more Sprout network tv than I ever care to (Caillou gets my vote for the Worst) but why is there a Montel Williams commercial for Money Mutual on this network?  It's basically a company that will legally loan you a $1000 and I'm sure charge you astronomical amounts of interest (legal loan sharking?)  Montel tells you right on it that you have to be 18 or older.  Who are the ad wizards who decided to spend their advertising budget on the Sprout network where the average must be 6 or below.   Jerry Springer, Judge Judy all seem like better avenues for the Montel ad...

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...Good Like Sunkist

January 8th ran with the Charity teams out on the Marathon course.  Did a 16 mile out and back starting near the Copley Marriott running down to the base of the famous  Heartbreak Hills and back.   (Question?  Who or what determines that a roast beef restaurant can claim to be famous?  Is there a guy or committee?  Is it a public post?  How does one get elected to such? Are there any roast beef joints that aren't famous?  And if there are why would you eat there? Would Arbys be considered the Most Famous?  And isn't Arbys terrible?)   Completed a Speed workout consisting of 5 one half mile repeats on Thursday the 13th.

People always say, in various situations, that it's a Marathon and not a Sprint and we are starting to really see what that means.   We're seeing the early weekend mornings up before the sun and off to run some ridiculous amount and we're seeing the late nights at the gym hitting the treadmill when bed should be the only thing worth hitting.  Throw in the full time job (yes it's a well paid gig as after all she is married to Matt) of raising three young active kids and the Marathon training really is not a sprint.  Hopefully when the kiddies are older they will be able to look back and see what their Mother has accomplished and be able to take that life lesson and apply it forward.   We're also seeing it in how well Molly is doing.  She's adding to her vocabulary daily and her pretend play with the Panda family and Doll house is pretty amazing to watch.  She puts the pandas upstairs to bed and then puts her finger to her mouth to SSHHH everyone.  She'll knock on the dollhouse front door and say "Open"   It may take a little longer but it's OK because we're going in the right direction and we're going to get there.

New Ipod download for the week:  Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch's "Good Vibrations.  Heard it on the radio and thought it a must for the ipod running collection.  Bonus is I dont think it'll cost us the 99 cents on Itunes to download as I think we own the CD somewhere.  Saw The Fighter a liitle while ago and can't believe that Marky Mark the Funky Bunch front man and Mark Wahlberg the Actor are one and the same.  Do you think he still believes that "Making you feel the rhythm is my occupation"  COME ON COME ON FEEL IT FEEL IT.....


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Dashing through the Snow...

The day after Christmas went out for a 14 mile trek from Andover to Wakefield.  The falling snow and slushy roads made it a little more tricky than anticipated.  Ran 15 miles Sunday Jan 2 consisting of 3 loops around the 5mile Spot Pond route.    Again conditions were less than ideal as there was a lot of Fog, unshoveled paths, and a freshly poured concrete walkway (which Pam proceeded to run right in.)  Being Italian and having your shoes covered in concrete usually ends with someone "sleeping with the fishes" but luckily, this ended with only some dirty shoes.  Interspersed among the long runs were some shorty distances as well as some speed workouts.  The longer distances are taking some toll as we've resorted to dueling ice bags on the knees as a precautionary post workout ritual. 

Enjoyed the Holiday break greatly as this year we, literally, put "Christ" back into Christmas or more aptly Jimmy did.  Jimmy has now developed a habit of when mad at somebody (usually Maggie but includes Nana and Papa who like to tease Jimmy) of inserting "Christ" after their name.  So if mad at Maggie, Jimmy would say "NO stop it Maggie CHRIST"  Not quite sure where that came from or how to stop it.  Too bad he doesnt know anyone named Jesus.

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Big Chief- THE BEST

Completed the long 10 Mile run last weekend with other Charity team runners.  Sunday was off Monday and Tuesday ran 3 miles each followed with some more speed work on Wednesday.  Moved the long run for this week up to this Saturday and completed 12 miles.  Nostradamus would be proud as Sunday was a complete washout as the Preston household was overtaken by the stomach virus.  Apparently someone slipped some "Big Chief" into Maggie's Birthday cake and completely wiped us out starting with Maggie and Molly on Thursday/Friday and culminating with a Back to Back to Back throwup-athon of Matt, Jimmy and Pam.  Here is a pic of the girls and how they spent Friday (note the Strategically placed bucket)

Video replay of the weekend's events brought to you by The Sandlot (Matt's Favorite.) Sandlot sidenote: Jimmy has now taking a liking to the phrase "You're Killing me Smalls" after I said it to Molly when after she was freshly bathed, changed and ready for bed she decided to have some massive diaarhea.   The Preston household where the fun never stops.