Week 8 Update (2024 Chicago Marathon Training)
A Perfect Week of Running, Birthday Joy, and Health Goals
Dear Duniyawaalo (People of the World),
In my previous post, I discussed how I balanced marathon training with wedding celebrations in Week 7. This week brought more excitement as it coincided with my birthday.
I’m thrilled to share how I combined celebrations with training and stay focused on my fitness goals.
Birthday Week Highlights
This week, I celebrated my birthday. I am grateful and feel so blessed for all the wonderful birthday wishes I received from everyone. Their thoughtful messages and gestures truly made my day extra special.
It means a lot to have such amazing friends who take the time to make me feel loved and cherished. I am truly grateful for your kindness and support, not just on my birthday but throughout the year.
I am also grateful that I got to celebrate my birthday with my wonderful wife and two awesome boys.
Balancing my birthday celebrations with marathon training was a rewarding challenge that reminded me of the importance of enjoying life while pursuing my goals.
Running Routine
This week's centerpiece of my training was a 16-mile long run at Lake Arlington Park in Arlington Heights. The park’s 2-mile loop was ideal, allowing me to take hydration breaks every 2 miles and a nutrition gel break every 4 miles. I completed 8 loops, switching directions every 2 loops to keep the run interesting.
In addition to the long run, I successfully completed my planned three days of running and two days of strength training. Running one day of the week with my wife, Archna, was a special highlight, and joining my friend Tiffany Perry DeRamos for CrossFit made the workouts even more enjoyable.
Nutrition and Progress
Despite the birthday celebrations, I stuck to my plan of eating healthy and nutritious food 85% of the time and staying away from alcohol. This disciplined approach paid off, as my weight dropped by a pound to 261 pounds from my starting weight of 267.
Upcoming Race
This week, I’m gearing up for the Alpine Race 10 Miler in Lake Zurich. This scale-back week fits perfectly into my training schedule. I’m excited about the race and looking forward to the challenge.
Planned Long Runs
Here’s a look at my planned long runs for the upcoming weeks:
Week 1: 6 Miles (Done)
Week 2: 8 Miles (Done)
Week 3: 10 Miles (Done)
Week 4: 12 Miles (Done)
Week 5: 10 Miles (Done)
Week 6: 14 Miles (Done)
Week 7: 10 Miles (Done)
Week 8: 16 Miles (Done)
Week 9: 10 Miles
Week 10: 18 Miles
Week 11: 10 Miles
Week 12: 13.1 Miles (Hidden Gem Half Marathon)
Week 13: 10 Miles
Week 14: 20 Miles (Fox Valley 20 Miler)
Week 15: 10 Miles
Week 16: 6 Miles
Oct 13, 2024: 26.2 Miles (Chicago Marathon)
Thank you all for your continued love, support, and encouragement. Your positive energy keeps me motivated as I move forward in this journey. Stay tuned for more updates as I tackle the challenges and joys of Week 9.
❤️ Rajneesh