Flashback Friday: Really?

My training plan keeps getting tinkered. To keep my focus, I'm revisiting this year's goals (and retaliating for all the dude pictures at a certain dastardly blog). The ultimate purpose of my training plan is to get me ready for the Akron Marathon in September, but it also must prepare me for two other races because I missed my marks at the Cleveland and Kent races.

My goals reiterated:

• Break 50 minutes in a 10K
• Break 1 hour, 50 minutes in a half marathon
• Break 4 hours in a marathon

Conveniently, there is a 10K in August and a half marathon in September, two weeks before the marathon. Considering my current PRs, I really need to concentrate on speed.

The debunked McMillan Running Calculator shows that if I base my training paces on the half marathon goal I'll be on track for a 49:26 10K and a 3:51:59 marathon. In the ideal world where these times are all correct, I would shave 3:44 from my 10K, 4:50 from my half marathon, and 34:49 from my marathon.

Am I being realistic?

Probably not, I'm prone to gross miscalculation. I'm a round-number goal-setter. I picked these goals arbitrarily and by the power of Grayskull I'm going to nail these times!

I'm talking to you slow interval times!

Back Talk
Re-posted for public ridicule and self-satisfaction, here are some of your comments from the past week and my clever retorts.

In response to Monday's 10K race report and aftermath of kegs and eggs, Chia says, "Labatts with an omelet? You just have 'Chia's future ex-husband' written all over yourself LOL."

Answer: This could be the beginning of a beautiful breakup.

[Drunkard's note to self: Check for writing on body, possibly the result of a careless night of boozing. Beware of additional alimony debits from bank account.]

In support of Tuesday's Puke Threshold training tip, Nitmos adds, "I love that brief surreal moment in time when you've crossed the Puke Threshold and feel it coming up and there is nothing further that can be done. It's liberating....until the violent heaving ensues. Until then you have a small window to contemplate taste, texture, and bystander reaction in the Puke Interim."

Answer: Thank you for adding to the collective lexicon of running terms. Also, I fixed your misspelling of "can" in your comment. You're welcome.

And on a complete tangent from Thursday's book review, Marcy says, "And while we're talking about Rodale, could they PLEASE STOP CALLING MY HOUSE! YES I subscribe to RW but NO I don't want you're damn books already! If I did I'd go to the BS to buy them! Thanks I needed to get that off my chest LOL."

Answer: Maybe you should lay off the push-ups and have a stiff drink. Alcohol has natural calming agents.

Also, I was glad that new commenter S, of I Think I'll Remember My Own LIFE fame, and already-linked-to Xenia commented on All the Way Home by David Giffels, a memoir of his purchase and renovation of a Gilded Age house in Akron, which I mentioned is on my to-read list. I wasn't planning a review of this book here because it has nothing to do with running or drinking (I assume). However, maybe I'll make an exception. After all, the house is along the marathon route (and less than a quarter-mile from my apartment).

Have a fine weekend, teammates. Run well and drink well.