Project Management for Runners

Phase I - Week One
05/28/07 - 06/03/07
Week Total: 3 miles

As a professional Project Manager I thought that PM tools could help me to get out of my ZERO-week lazy mood. I received some sort of empowerment during Memorial Day Weekend, and got really serious. First thing I did was to prepare my integrated plan (Oh My God, Alejandra must be saying" "Mom, you are pathetically sick if putting project management tools for this" but that's ok, I am a PM geek.

I divided my training plan in two phases. Phase One consisting on walking/running (w/r) several sets for 10-week to increase gradually resistance and running miles. This phase needs to be shorten to 9 weeks, due to Zero week. Phase Two, is a 16-week marathon plan, for tempo, speed and distance. My integrated plan includes, of course, the diet. I also built a schedule, as I already ate one week spiced with laziness. I have to be very efficient with 25 weeks left. The schedule shows me on a daily basis if the "deliverables" (read, if I was not lazy that day and did not eat as a pig) have been achieved....

Mon in Long Beach, CA. Awesome. Running on the beach was some sort of heaven. I felt like the women of Pablo Picasso. Tue, Thu & Sat also on the beach, running against the wind, literally, like Bob Seger!!!!!!. It is delicious to feel the wind and the sun on my face. Wed, Fri & Sun rest (very different that I don't want to...)















Week 1 - 4 days: 1w x 1r (12sets) - Over

Lessons Learned:
Planning is the key.

Training Starts - Zero Week - I don't want to

I should say that all running/training programs must have a zero week dedicated to psychological work, and "I don't want to" sort of comments. This week was supposed to be the first, but I sent it back to Zero. Of course, I did not follow my plan as I should. The consequence of running faster than planned (the only day I ran), was shin splints: too much, too soon.

Meanwhile Alejandra found power on her pink ceiling (weird for having a pink blog), I did not find power at all. I traveled to California and got lost with Randy visiting nice places, enjoying the beach, eating in nice restaurants, and drinking the best lemon (lime) drop martinis prepared by my adorable husband.

This is how the Zero week went:

We registered in our respective marathons. Ale through http://www.thailandmarathon.org and myself through http://www.seattlemarathon.org

Training started, alone, but also together. As we are first-time marathon participants, our goal is not a time goal, but to finish the marathon. We have 26 weeks. We have checked many plans, and the one I particularly like the best is Jeff Galloway's plan (http://www.jeffgalloway.com).

I promised to myself to take it easy. I cannot stress myself. I want to enjoy this path.

Saturday May 19, 2007

Our home in Washington State is located in front of a nice small lake of 42 acres. There is an asphalt trail that surrounds the lake of 1.6 miles (2.56 km). I walked the trail today in 26 minutes. Now I know that if I'd have to walk the marathon, I could finish it in about 7 hours. The Seattle Marathon starts at 8:15 am and has a top time of 6 hours as it is necessary to officially re-open all event routes to regular vehicular traffic at 2:15 p.m.

I can finish. I will finish.

Sunday May 20, 2007

My body was destroyed today because the gardening work I did during the weekend. I woke up at 8:30 am after sleeping 12 hours. At 1 pm I needed to take a nap. At 3:30 the day was grey and rainy. What a strange thing in the Seattle area. It was an Agatha Christie type of day.

The smell of rain and feeling it on my face encouraged me to walk the trail around the lake. I put on my rain boots, my rain jacket and enjoy the pleasure of walking in the rain. The joy made me to walk slower. 29 minutes.

Monday 21st: I don't want to
Tuesday 22nd: Went to the gym after work. Ran like a schizophrenic.
Wednesday 23rd: I don't want to

Thursday May 24, 2007
Went to the gym at 4:30 am (INSANE). Did my thing. Proud of me.

Friday 25th: I don't want to

Zero Week - Over.

Lessons Learned
To run a marathon requires more that "I want to do it". Requires a plan and discipline.

We will run alone, but together. The decision is made

In the 90's I loved to run. At 41 yo, back in 1997, I ran my first race ever, the Clinica Avila 12K, in Caracas, Venezuela. It was easy for me. I did 1:07:00 for a pace of 9:00. Impressive, I can say today. I used to run daily 6 miles (9.6 Km) and hike 3-4 times a week very steep mountain hills. Then, I moved to the US and I stopped running. A bunch of excuses followed. The cold wind, the snow, the mud, the rain, etc.

In 2005, my adorable daughter Alejandra (18 at the time) and I, ran 5K in the 2005 Spokane River Run. It was on the month of April, and it was cold. After we registered we found out that "the run was on a 100% dirt trail, some rocks, roots and possibly mud, but no asphalt. The course winds through thick pine forests set against basalt cliffs and ends with a tight twisty single-track next to the roaring Spokane River."

We were making fun of ourselves and put music to this phrase: "Lizzie and Ale running down the trail, falling down the hill..."

We ran together, and crossed the line holding hands together. As the clock could not put us both at the same time, the results were:

41	0:36.54	11:35	Lizzie Lee	5K	Female	40 - 49
42	0:36.55	11:35	Alejandra Moreno	5K	Female	13 - 18

We were both out of shape, but that didn't matter, because we did it together. Also, our minimum goal was 12 min/mile, thing we achieved. We had a lot of fun, and we collected many memories of the event.

Two years later, today (05/19/2007), we decided to run together again. Several differences, though:

1) Alejandra is currently serving in the Peace Corps in Thailand. I am living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, 20 miles north of Seattle. The distance that separates us is 11,987 kilometers or 7,448 miles.

2) We are not going to run 5K but 42.195 K: A MARATHON.

3) Ale will run a Marathon in Bangkok on November 25, 2007.

4) I will run a Marathon in Seattle on November 25, 2007.

We are going to run a marathon alone, but together. The decision is made.