Not the Last FIRST

This summer I will be using the FIRST Marathon training for the seventh time. I also used it for the Palos Half Marathon in May. The FIRST program advocates less running volume, but higher intensity in each of your three running workouts: Speed; Tempo; Distance. By running 3 days a week, with non-weight-bearing cross-training between running days, you can run these harder workouts with the active recovery for your legs. You can read more about it on one of my earlier blogs:


I had not initially planned to run a marathon this fall. I had already run 11 marathons at the rate of 2 a year, and I had given myself this year when I turned 50 to take stock and see if I would continue to run marathons. My son is entering college in the fall, and I did not want my running to interfere with getting him to college, or being able to go see his football games. But a friend that I was training with for a half-marathon wants to qualify for Boston, and he picked the Fox Valley Marathon in suburban St. Charles. So, I decided to support him, and train this summer, and try to qualify for Boston alongside him. So, I am signed up for the 2nd Annual Fox Valley Marathon on September 18, 2011. That is 16 weeks away from the last Sunday in May, so this week is the start of my 16 week training program.

Even though I only need a 3:35 to qualify for Boston because I am 50 years old, I am using the 3:30 training program I have used in my previous marathons. They just changed the qualifying standards for Boston, and within your age group, the faster times get first in line for entrance spots, at least for the first week or two of registration.

The other thing about my training progam is that it will be interrupted at the end of July by a week-long bike ride across Iowa – the famous RAGBRA (Register Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). A good friend of mine has done it for about 10 years, and has invited me to join him repeatedly, so I finally decided to join him. So in addition to training for a marathon that includes five 20 mile long runs, I am also trying to build up “time in the saddle” by biking 3-4 times a week, with a rides from 30-75 miles.

So this summer’s blog will be a mix of stories about my running training and my biking – true to the cross-training spirit of FIRST.