This past Sunday was 18 weeks until the 2011 Philadelphia Marathon (November 20), and this week I started my official training program. I am doing the Hal Higdon Intermediate 1 18-week training program.
I've already fallen short of the schedule, but I'm blaming that on my knee problems and going to New York yesterday. I was supposed to run 5 miles yesterday, but did do 4 miles today.
Also, I bought a foam roller and have been doing my knee exercises (see Monday's posting). I think it is helping; that along with the new shoes.
Anyway, I'm going to try to keep on schedule better. Hopefully, the result will be a sub-4 hour marathon. My ultimate goal is to qualify for Boston, but since they have now made the requirements more stringent, I have to run a qualifying race in under 3 hours, 30 minutes. That seems hard to imagine. I can only try. Look for me with my blue sponge.