I stopped at the swimming pool on the way home from work last night and knocked out a kilometer of laps in the 25 meter pool in Blankenloch (the next town south of where we live). It was several weeks since I was swimming last, but I quickly fell into a groove and had a good workout. I think my freestyle is slowly improving despite not ever having a freestyle swim course.
My wife took the train to Mannheim yesterday (40 minute ride) and talked to the firm that is offering the technical writing course that she has decided to take and returned totally motivated to do this. The school has stated that 80% of the last few classes found jobs within a few months of completing the course, so hopefully my wife will have the same luck.
I was talking to my wife last night about race plans for May. Last year I ran a 50K in May as a preparatory workout for my 50-mile run in June. I have narrowed it down to two possibilities, the same 50K that I ran last year, or the Mannheim Marathon.
My wife favors the Mannheim marathon because it wouldn’t require an overnight stay, and being on a Saturday evening, she wouldn’t have to work the next day. It may also be possible that we can take the train, which would eliminate the need (and expense) of finding a parking place. The minus point (for me) is that the marathon is a city marathon = asphalt. I ran the Mannheim marathon in 1995 as my first marathon, the streets are brutal on the quads.
The 50K race is farther away (3-1/2 hours) and due to its early starting time either requires that we lose a lot of sleep or stay overnight the night before the race. The race is also on a Thursday holiday, which means my wife has school the next day (Friday). The plus point is that the run is almost 100% forest trail or gravel/dirt paths and has lots of nice hills and scenery to keep me occupied.
In either case I mentioned that my wife doesn’t have to go with me to the race, she can stay home and relax. But my wife seems to think that I might overdo it and not be able to safely drive home, so for her this option is not an option.
Anyway, we still have time before I have to sign up for either race, so I’ll wait and see how the next several weeks develop. My training will remain the same in either case, my main objective being the 50-miler in June.
sounds like your heart is in the 50k, you just have to figure out the logistics. i like the train idea. would it get you home early enough so that your wife won't lose any sleep? and what woman doesn't want to go away with her husband overnight?!? :)
Wouldn't it be possible for you to make your own way to the 50k the night before, run the event, and then your wife will come to collect you afterwards?
Thomas' idea sounds like a good compromise. You know, sounds like she's gotten a lot more supportive over the years!