Discipline - Brady

Kevin and I just got back from a 14 mile training run. We (and Kelly) are prepping for Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota on June 18. We ran 18 miles last weekend and will run 20 this coming weekend. After 20 we taper our mileage down to get rested and ready for the big day.

Since these last few weeks have required a lot of running, we've had to stick to a pretty strict schedule in order to fit workouts in. It's been a really unique experience for me to be so disciplined - to have such a set routine every day of the week. Here's how we do it:

- Mondays I usually wake up early and lift weights or do yoga. Off to work (or working from home) from 8:30 or 9 - 5 or 6. I usually have a cocktail when I get home, Kevin makes dinner around 7:30, we eat, I clean up, and then we either watch TV or read in bed. I'm generally under the covers by 9:30.

- Tuesdays I set my alarm for about 4:15 a.m. We (Kevin and me and sometimes Kelly when her busy schedule allows it) have to run early to get it in before work, and I need at least 45 minutes to eat something and wake my body up before we head out. I make green tea and peanut butter toast before we go. Tuesdays are usually 5 mile runs. We're done, home, and out the door by 7:45. Class/Work - 6 or so. Cocktail. Dinner. Clean up. Read in bed. Asleep by 9:30ish.

- Wednesday is a repeat of Tuesday except we run 9 or 10 miles in the morning, so we wake up even earlier.

- Thursday is an exact repeat of Tuesday except sometimes we do something fun on Thursday nights because we have a "rest day" on Friday. This past week we went to a really good and new (to us) restaurant in our neighborhood called Erwin. We had Manhattans, split an onion and blue cheese tart, chatted with the bartender, and listened to some jazz. Funny how much I appreciate a little outing like this during such a structured week.

- Friday means no working out! HOWEVER, our long runs are on Saturday, so we stick to lots of water and healthy food all day long. We usually have some sort of carb-heavy dinner and then go to bed early. Last night we were asleep by 10:15.

- Saturday mornings we get up around 6 and do our long run on the Lakeshore Trail. (Ha. I say that like it's no big deal.) We come home, stretch, take ice baths, shower, hobble around, and then do something fun in the afternoon. I look forward to Saturday nights all week - even more than I did before training for this race. I'm more lenient with myself about food on Saturdays, too, so it's all around pretty awesome.

- Sundays are usually rest days. Or we sometimes do yoga. If we're in Chicago, we usually spend the day catching up on chores around the condo or work that we didn't get done during the week.


I've really loved this process. It's cool how calm I feel all the time, what with the constant running and never having to make any decisions because I know EXACTLY what I should be doing at any given moment, EXACTLY what I should be eating at each meal, EXACTLY how many hours of sleep I'll need to feel good on my run the next day.

But I will not lie to you. Come June 19 when this thing is over, I'll be ready for some spontaneity.