MARATHON TRAINING UPDATE

My marathon training is going very well this year. I just completed my week 12 runs and have steadily increased my stamina, eliminated injuries and lowered my heart rate during the runs since beginning my 18 week program in early August.

My first long run of this year my heart rate averaged around 165 beats per minute. This morning I ran 13 miles 1:20 under my pace and my heart rate averaged 146.

Last week my heart rate averaged 151 during my 18 mile run in Plano.

I had some major foot issues when I started running in August and during the first month of training. Those issues have been absent for about a month.

The only things that are giving me problems are my left hip, which is minor, and my right groin, which is a little tight during the early stages of some of my runs but not all.

I have six weeks until the race. I believe I've figured out what went wrong last year and have resolved those problems.

I'm not stopping or walking during my runs and am not using solid food either.

I'm very paranoid that something will go wrong this year. I just want to cross that line under 3:20:00. It's been two years coming, and I really took it for granted last year...thought it would be easy.

It will mean much more to me this year. Six more weeks until we find out if I can do it...