THE PLAN

It sounds so ominous when I put it in all caps like that, doesn't it?  HA!


So, clearly, this taking a few months off for baby production has given me a bit of cabin fever. 

I have combated the cabin fever by pulling out my typical Type A planner persona and my mad excel spreadsheet skills to work on a training plan for post-birth.


At this point - I think I have a solid plan that takes me up through the Knoxville and Cap City Half Marathons.  I will add to THE PLAN once RMI has the 2012 Rainier climb dates set and my family has selected one.  THE PLAN includes plenty of strength training, stair climbing (for the mountain training) and cross training as well as some runs.  I have planned the long runs to coincide with the MIT long run distances from this past Cap City training, for the most part.  That way I can (hopefully) run the long runs with my friends training for that race.


I have planned for this to start 6 weeks post birth...and for the first couple of weeks to be light duty (Strength training similar to the training I'm currently doing and 1 mile runs/jogs).  I have also planned it to allow me to run the Flying Feather 4 miler on Thanksgiving day - because I thoroughly enjoyed that race last year.  In addition, I penciled in a Chi Running Workshop for 12/3/2011.


I have decided, for liability reasons, NOT to post the full training plan here on my public blog....


To summarize THE PLAN though, once I get into the full training mode, the plan will mostly include: 3 days of runs, 2 days of both strength training and mountain climbing training (i.e. stair climber with weighted vest/pack), 1 additional day of cross-training (except on weeks with truly long runs) and a minimum of 1 day of rest.  My cross-training days will be non-impact cardio work.  My day of rest will mean no activity other than walking the dog.  A few weeks have variations - such as the weeks where I actually have a half marathon on the schedule.  And, of course, the whole plan is subject to change depending on Bug's arrival date, the difficulty of birth and my necessary recovery time.


To aide in this plan I have just ordered and received my jogging stroller (THANK YOU to my awesome Lucky 13's for making this possible), a foam roller (because who doesn't need a foam roller?) and a book on Chi Running (because it intrigues me).  I also need to get a weight vest.  In addition, I'd love to convince Mark that I need the Nathan Intensity Women's hydration vest.  It is cheaper on Amazon - think that'll work?  :)

All assembled and ready for when we are!  Thank you MIT Lucky 13's!

I have been asked to write more about what got me into the idea of climbing mountains - and I'm sure as the training goes that'll come up more and more. I did climb my first mountain when I was 13 with my family.  Mt. St. Helens.  I was the youngest one at the crater-top and that made me feel super cool.  But, the main reason for doing it NOW???  Several members of my family did it....and their experiences and photos are AWESOME.  And....as we all know, they can't have a check mark that I don't.  HA!