The Chicago Marathon - Accomplished!

I know I slacked off on blogging about my training, but I promise I DID do it all!!!!  I finished the marathon in 4:04, 7 minutes slower or about 14 seconds per mile slower, than my last one, but overall I was happy.  The weather was warm and windy and I almost ate it on mile one when I tripped on the bridge going over the Chicago River.  This is an entire 16 week training schedule for an intermediate type runner.  You can always play with it a little bit, and add in strength training and core work as well.

Goal Mileage	Key Workouts	# of Easy Runs
23	Fartlek - 1 x 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 (1:1 rest)	2
	Long Run - 6 mi
25	Fartlek - 4 x 2:00 (1:1 rest)	2
	Long Run - 8 mi
28	Tempo - 2.5 mi	2
	Interval Workout - 4 x 1/2 mile
	Long Run - 10 mi
32	Tempo - 3 mi	2
	Fartlek - 2 x 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 (1:1 rest)
	Long Run - 11 mi
27	Hill Repeats - 8 x 30-60 sec. hill (jog rest down hill)	2
	Long Run - 12 mi
34	Long Run - 13 mi	4
39	Tempo - 3 mi	3
	Long Run - 15 mi
42	Fartlek - 2 x 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 (1:1 rest)	3
	Long Run - 18 mi
32	Tempo - 4 mi	3
	Fartlek - 4 mi easy then 8 x 3:00 (1:1 rest)
40	Interval Workout - 1.5 mile, 1 mile, 1/2 mile (5:00, 3:30 rest)	3
	Long Run - 20 mi
45	Interval Workout - 6 x 1/2 mile (3:00 jog rest)	4
	Long Run - 16 mi
41	Tempo - 5 mi	3
	Long Run - 20 mi
45	Fartlek - 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 (1:1 rest)	4
	Long Run - 13 mi
38	Interval Workout - 2 x 1 mile hard (full rest)	4
	Long Run - 11 mi
30	Tempo - 2 mi	4
	Interval Workout - 1 mile, 1/2 mile hard (full rest)
15*	Interval Workout - 1/2 mile, 1/4 mile hard (full rest)	2
	CHICAGO MARATHON
	*Does not include race