Mandatory Drug testing?

So last post I mentioned I signed up not for the 1/2 marathon as planned for in October but the full marathon. Now some background. I'm fairly new back to running and most who I've talked to about this think it is nuts and wonder if I might have been consuming some non performance enhancing non prescription, non legal medication during the sign up process.  I'm still not convinced either way. I need some input from anyone who might have experience.  Here is my rational for the full not the half and a bit of background on me beyond what the rest of this blog explains. I have always thought of the marathon as a great fitness goal, a challenging achievement (the half most certainly is as well but isn't in my mind as out there or as motivating).  I have no time goal just to finish and I plan to continue training and doing the event using a run walk method, kind of a Jeff Galloway thing, google it if you aren't familiar.  I'm able to comfortably run over an hour and over 6 miles at this point and have been walking and then running since September though running is really since Jan in any consistent way. Finally if I get up in mileage later in the summer during the long runs and find it too taxing on the joints etc then I'm happy to shift into the half and run a full at some other point. Right now I have momentum and motivation and summer gives me the time to put in the miles. Happy to hear your thoughts! 

less thinking = more doing

Challenge 2 is off to a great start 10 for 10 in May exercising for at least an hour and I'm 3 weeks into  http://hundredpushups.com/ getting tough but sticking it out. As most of you know some days doing the things that are good for us or that we need to do can be easy, but other days getting up to run, riding in the rain or getting off the couch can be harder! This past few weeks I've really focused on my own conversations with myself about working out. Two specific actions seem to have the most impact. The first is the timing of when the conversations start. There is absolutely no point in guessing how you feel, how the weather will be, how you should be doing something else, etc. when a workout is hours or even days away. Preparing is important, having your stuff ready etc but worrying about making a workout just gives you a longer time to argue yourself out of it, or rationalize why rest or rescheduling is a better idea.
The second thing that works for me is awareness of my self talk just prior to and during the workout. The lazy me will say take it easy on an interval or wait til later to workout or just walk not run but being completely aware of these conversation seems to quiet them and if they do surface, they seem to be much less effective, kind of like knowing the salesman tricks before negotiating. These two steps have helped me keep going on at least 2 runs and added intensity to most of my other workouts this month. Workouts and eating well are things I want to do and they will happen, so no point in having this negative internal dialogue.

all about the process but...

I know I've been talking up the benefits of soul sport and doing things for sake of doing things but this year I also need a bit of focus to keep me pushing through. The plan is to have a dozen or so monthly challenges and a final biggest challenge at the end of the the 45th year to put a cap on what I hope to be a journey to my fittest year ever. So far some conventional ideas a half ironman, a double century bike ride, a marathon, others??? I need some creative help.. the goal is something that will be doable 14 or 15 months from now (by June 2011) but will seem like a stretch! thanks

Heading down.

Weight starting to get back in line and exercise on the up take. So very weird???  Backed off specific training plan and in the last week played tennis 3 times, had 3 hr plus hikes, 2 weight workouts and a long bike ride. Never really did like to be told what to do maybe that is even the case with a training plan. Oh well.

Thinking through my soul sport post and it wasn't really accurate. Having an end goal is actually quite motivating for me, but too structured a training program to get there seems to drag me down and take the fun and play out of the whole thing. Turns into "a have to do" rather than "a want to do", need to investigate this some more. There is a lot of research out there that would support the idea that obligation is way less powerful than passion (or positive affect in research speak). So maybe I need to keep reading and in my own mind understand the type and general training I should be doing but still leave me some room to play and listen to the body somewhat day to day. Anyway if you are reading this I need to come up with 12 challenges for the year of 45. I've already committed to ride the distance of the tour de france by the end of summer, technically Sept 21, 2010 3600 kms or 2250 miles. Other cool suggestions welcome, I may do more than 12 so please leave a comment if you can or dm on twitter.