The group of about a dozen women who had taken on the 10K challenge got together for a celebratory — and intimidating — kickoff dinner at one of my favorite Thai restaurants in town. During the meal, Coach Blue (who, as you will come to learn, is irrepressibly upbeat) casually informed us that he had run 60-plus marathons and presented us with a training schedule that demanded we work out six days a week for the next month. While I typically try to exercise at least four times a week, I don't always do it. Six days a week, I knew, was going to require some sacrifice. I made a point of savoring my wine — and copious amounts of fried rice — that night.
The training plan included a mix of speed runs and long runs with the Nike Run Club app, some cross-training, and some strength sessions on the Nike Training Club app. I ended up following it almost to a T, with a few minor changes. I have a beloved hip-hop dance class on Monday nights I try never to skip, so I did my NTC sessions on Fridays instead. And I did the NTC workout "Leg-Pocalypse Now" again in lieu of "The Speed Center" because it didn't require any equipment. Otherwise, I committed myself to sticking to the schedule.
