In the beginning, there was Fartlek...

I imagine that those of you came here based on the name "Wanna Fartlek" will know what Fartlek means, but for the non-running public, allow me to clarify:

Fartlek is a Swedish word which literally means, "Speed Play." It's a term that runners use to refer to a type of workout in which one alternates periods of slow running with periods of fast running. So, for example, if you decide to run 5 miles at an 8:30 minute per mile pace, but every last quarter of each mile you run a 7:30 min/mile pace... congratulations! You have just fartlek'd.

This blog is pretty much a way to hold myself accountable for the marathon training program I'm about to undertake. The plan is to see how fast I can run the Vegas Marathon on December 2 of this year. The goal is 3:30:00.

I've been chasing the 3:30 for a year now, and so far it has eluded me. Here's a little bit of background:

I'm 26, I've been running marathons since I was 20. This Vegas marathon will be my 7th marathon. My PR (personal record) is 3:57 at last year's Vegas marathon.

So that's it! I just wanted to make an online running log in the hopes that having one will force me to KEEP a running log (which I've never done) and to ramble on about life and running and the lunacy of thinking that a 5'6" Jewish kid from Texas has any business running marathons.