Calm before the marathon storm

In between hanging out with my son and his mother, puttering through an 8.5 mile run, and Memorial Day festivities with my parents and siblings, I turned in an important piece of paper over the weekend: I registered with Fort Worth Fit, which is Luke's Lockers Marathon Program.

For what will turn out to be about $7.50 a week, I'll get six months of marathon support in training for the White Rock Lake Marathon in December. I'll get a training program, discounted merchandise at Luke's Locker, and a free entry into a 5k race in the fall.

What I like most about the program? You run with others during the weekend long runs and there is water and gatorade provided on the course. There is orientation for the program this Thursday. And I'm already getting antsy. Fort Worth Fit also has a program for those wanting to run a marathon earlier than December, and the last two Saturdays, I've seen those runners on the Trinity Trails, some of whom I've run with during my Tuesday morning tempo runs: Christa, Dave, Kimberly, Lisa, Jerry, co-worker Mac.

My program doesn't start until June 14. So I've got a little less than three weeks before I'm in marathon mode. I am going to take it easy until then. Limit my speedwork to just the Tuesday morning tempo run. Limit long runs to 10 miles. Don't run more than 5 days or 30 miles a week. I want to be totally healthy when I start training and right now, I've got a sore left arch and sore right calf.