Counting Mailboxes

When I stepped back on the road last July 23rd, I began with a 1.5-mile running "course" that took me from my house to a turnaround point three quarters of a mile up the road and then back to my house. From an logistics standpoint, easy peasy; but from an execution standpoint, it felt like an ultra marathon for my then-245-pound body.

I started with run/walking, and each time it was my goal to run a little more and walk a little less than I had the previous time out; and it soon became apparent that counting mailboxes was the best way to keep track of whether I was making progress...an imperfect science, yes, as not all mailboxes are the same distance from each other...but it was a system that helped me to progress initially. At first it was, "Okay Pete...run for five mailboxes, and then walk for five." And the next time, it would be something like, "Okay Pete...run for six...and then walk for four." And so forth.

And this went on for a little over a month, at which point, with great elation, I actually ran the entire 1.5 miles without walking at all! In retrospect, that was a huge accomplishment...and the mailboxes certainly played an important part.

After this initial success, I went back to run/walk intervals with the technologically-advanced Couch to 5K app on my phone...which took over for the mailboxes and told me when to walk and when to run. But a funny thing happened along the way...those mailboxes actually remained part of my routine, and they served and continue to serve as a faithful group of friends who were and are there to greet me on my final homestretch. In fact, to this day - yes, even this very morning - when I'm returning home from a run and passing my old turnaround point, I know that I have eighteen mailboxes, eighteen supportive friends, to run past before I get to my "Cool Down" walk...and I typically pass by a couple of extra for good measure (because twenty sounds so much better than eighteen!).

And each time I count those oh-so-familiar mailboxes, I am thankful for how far my journey has taken me...and I'm excited for where it is taking me in the coming year.


Speaking of which, here is summary of my first week of marathon training (completed last week), as well as where I am in Week Two...

Marathon Training - Week One (July 1 - July 7)

Monday - 5.00 Mile Run (11:14 Pace)
Tuesday - Stationary Bike (45 Mins, Hills, Level 7), Abs (4 Exercises, 3 x 12 Reps)
Wednesday - 4.11 Mile Run (10:36 Pace)
Thursday - Stationary Bike (45 Minutes, Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex Circuit
Friday - 5.60 Mile Run (11:42 Pace)
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - Family Run of 2.64 Miles

Total Distance on the Pavement - 19.49 Miles (Includes Warm Up and Cool Down Walks)


Marathon Training - Week Two (July 8 - July 14)

Monday - 5.10 Mile Run (10:54 Pace) - COMPLETE
Tuesday - Stationary Bike (45 Mins, Hills, Level 7), Abs (4 Exercises, 3 x 12 Reps) - COMPLETE
Wednesday - 4.12 Mile Run (10:33 Pace) - COMPLETE
Thursday - Stationary Bike (45 Minutes, Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex Circuit
Friday - 7 Mile Run (Goal - Training Pace between 11:30 and 12:00)
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - Family Run


This is the week that I need to really start working on my training pace for the long runs, and ideally this pace should be about two minutes slower than my anticipated full marathon pace, which I'm hoping will be about 10:00 per mile by the time January rolls around.

But maybe I'll kick it up and go a little quicker when I pass those eighteen mailboxes...


Until next time, enjoy your journey...