So I have been at this training thing for 150 days now and I have just one month to go before the Philadelphia Marathon. All of which is in preparation for the big Kahuna next August.

At 150 days, training has been going well. I have been running over 50 miles per week for over a month now and am in the last heavy week of training before the marathon. In fact, I have just a week and a half before I begin my taper for the marathon. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to that!!

So it is time to take stock of where I am and begin planning for next month’s race. To that end, I am running in a Rock n Roll 10k race in Brooklyn tomorrow. I plan to use this race to judge my fitness and to set a goal pace for the Philadelphia Marathon. Truth is, I am not feeling it today. Hopefully I will feel better in the morning which will begin at 4:30 am. Blech.

In addition to the running, I am swimming regularly as well, although not very far. I swim a mile at lunch time 4 days a week at a pool right by my office. Grab a sammich, hop in the pool, shower, change, and back at my desk within the hour. But my focus has been on running. I have completed two 18 mile runs and two 20 mile runs (and a bunch in the 13-16 mile range) in my marathon prep so far. I will do 15 on Sunday and then another 20 miler next week and that will be that. Taper time.

Not incidentally, I have lost 62 lbs since Memorial Day and am only 7 lbs away from my goal weight. I still hope to be close to it by the time of the marathon but there will be no dieting during the last 2 weeks before the race. I. Must. Eat.

So if anyone is doing the Rock n Roll 10k in Prospect Park, Brooklyn tomorrow, make sure you say hello as you run by me.

Update: Race was great. Lots o’People. Prospect Park is nice but the second time around, that long hill hurt. A lot. I ran a pedestrian 49:52, but I suppose that’s not too bad for a guy who was a couch potato 5 months ago. Thanks for all the encouraging comments!