Fun Run and Lunch

I ran with Logan for a while this morning in the stroller for about 2 1/2 miles.  We were in the wind for most of the way and then walked with Holly to lunch for 5 miles.  It was such nice weather and finally felt like spring!  I got a text from Jodi during my run with Logan that said she was running on the beach in paradise!  I don't think it gets much better than that!  Enjoy it while you can, Jodi, cause pretty soon you'll be back here and it will either be HOT or snowing!

Speed Work

I wasn't sure what speed work would do to me, so I decided to just do 2 minutes fast and 2 minutes recovery.  It was hard, but it felt good to go fast.  I did an extra long warm up and a couple of easy miles before I got into it and I'm sure that helped.  I did 5 repeats and then cooled down.  It was about 4 miles.  And no knee or calf pain!  I did strength training for my upper body and abs, stretched, and drank 1/2 recovery drink and hit the shower!  I wonder if I could start doing plyometrics again yet or just wait until I'm recovered from the next one!

We're not in Kansas anymore!

It was another blustery day!  It felt just like Saturday only colder!  Since tomorrow's such a busy day and Justin was home today, I decided to do my long run today.  I knew I'd have to take it easy and just see how far I could go. Jodi was nice enough to come with me again (I love having a running buddy!) even though she knew I'd be going slow.  It really was a good run even though we took several walking breaks (for me)!  We did a lot of hills so combined with the wind it was a good workout!  We went about 8 miles and though I could feel my hamstrings a little, there was no calf pain!  I'm totally excited!

I listened to Wicked while we were running and there's a song on there that I have come to love!  Even though it doesn't really talk about running, it's still inspirational and gives words to my feelings of wanting to accomplish what I never would dare to dream on my own.  So many other things in life are that way.  We never know what we can accomplish until we try.  So, enjoy!

Defying Gravity

Something has changed within me 

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by the rules

Of someone else's game

Too late for second-guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes: and leap!

It's time to try

Defying gravity

I think I'll try

Defying gravity

And you can't pull me down!

I'm through accepting limits

'Cuz someone says they're so

Some things I cannot change

But till I try, I'll never know!

Too long I've been afraid of

Losing love I guess I've lost

Well, if that's love

It comes at much too high a cost!

I'd sooner buy

Defying gravity

Kiss me goodbye

I'm defying gravity

And you can't pull me down!

Run!

So I thought that I'd try just another walk today.  I got on the treadmill since it's snowing (again!) and I don't dare take Logan out in the stroller in the snow.  I walked a mile progressively getting faster and my body just wanted to run!  I decided that I'd run just a little and see what happened, but promised myself that if I started hurting that I'd quit.  I ran a mile progressively getting a little faster with each lap (still not fast by any means) and decided that I could keep going.  After 2 miles I could start to feel some of the sore muscles and decided to quit.  I walked another 1/2 mile and got off.  I stretched really good and then ate.  But it just felt good to run again and know that I could still do it!  I know it was only 2 miles, but hey! I'll take it!

More Walking

Yesterday I started lifting again for my upper body and abs.  I don't think I'll be doing any lower body for a while to let my bod heal as much as possible.  Each day gets better and better as far as the soreness goes.  I went on a walk with Janz last night.  It was 2 1/2 miles but we did it at a pretty good pace.  My lower body no longer feels beat up and it's just my calves still that are really sore.  I can't wait to run again!  I'm just waiting until my calves feel better so that they don't cramp up again.  I don't want to prolong the process.  

Takin' it Easy

When I woke up this morning, I could stand on my heels again!  Hooray!  It's been the worst getting out of bed each morning since the marathon.  As long as I'm up and moving I don't seem to feel as bad.  But as soon as I sit....boy, standing is hard!  I had 1/2 hour sports massage yesterday and as much as it HURT, I think it did some good.  My calves are still pretty sore, but the rest feels pretty good considering!  Logan and I went on a 3 mile walk this afternoon and though it wasn't a leisurely pace, it wasn't Jodi's speed walk either.  My calves could feel it on the hills, but it felt good to be out!  I don't know what to expect the rest of the week, I think I'll just see how I feel and I'm hoping to be able to run 6 miles on Saturday.  It will have to be very easy though.  My plan right now is to do a 15-16 miler next Saturday and then a 8-10 miler the next Saturday and then the marathon.  It sounds good on paper, I'll just have to see if my body will let me do it!  And thanks again to everyone!  I really do appreciate all your support!  It makes such a difference!

Salt Lake Marathon

I've been waiting to post this whole experience until I can be positive about it and I think I may have thought of enough things to write it now.  It was definitely not the perfect run.  But it's o.k., now.   I was doing better than the day prior to the marathon, as far as the nerves go.  I think I figured out why I was so nervous.  I started to remember all the pain from the first one and knew that I wasn't going to have a running buddy with me this time.  It's so much easier to endure pain and be excited for something when it's new and someone's there to share it with.  I didn't know the course at all and was nervous about the weather.  I felt more prepared physically, just not mentally.  The night before was so good though.  We had been to the temple and then out to dinner with good friends where I was so good about my carbo loading.  I never could get in all the carbs I needed to either day.  I'm sure I could if it was junk food, but when it's good for you food that was limited on the fat content, it was tough!  Janzen gave me a blessing too and that calmed me.  

I was able to sleep about 3 1/2 hours and then got up at 3:45.  I got in a warm bath and shaved my legs (I was planning on that massage afterwards) and just took my time relaxing.  I put Body Glide on what seemed like my entire body and really focussed on my toes.  I was determined not to lose any toenails this year.  I made some oatmeal and got my pre-run drink ready.  Just as I was getting all my stuff together, Holly pulled up.  I wasn't sure what to wear.  I had on a short sleeved shirt and my long sleeved technical tee over the top of that.  I was going to wear my vest that has the really good pockets that I've trained in so I didn't have to use the back pocket in my shirt.  I got my phone, my gels, my sunglasses, i pod, chapstick, and ran out the door.  We picked up Sherrie, who was waiting on her front porch and headed out!  It was fun riding down with friends.  But the closer we got to Salt Lake, the nerves came back.  We decided that since it was going to be 70 degrees that I had better not plan on wearing the vest so I packed all my stuff in my back pocket, hoping that it wouldn't bounce too much and give me a bruise.  They dropped me off and I went to find the porta potties.  

I was once again amazed at the number of people paying to punish their bodies and thinking to myself that I was a little crazy.  It was so different than my first marathon.  I didn't have a buddy to hang with so I found a spot of grass away from people and laid down and thought about Janz's blessing and just tried to calm myself as much as possible.  I lost track of time and when I got up and looked at my watch, there was only 5 minutes until the start.  I ran over to find the clothing drop.  I dropped my bottle and vest and some other things in my bag and started to walk to the starting line.  There was a gospel choir singing up on the Olympic Bridge and then they starting singing the Star Spangled Banner.  It was beautiful and there was a big flag on the side of the hill made out of rocks or flowers or something.  I settled in near the back and got my i pod ready to go.  I heard him say go! and then a whole 5 minutes later I started running.  Did I mention that there were a lot of runners!  1243 Full Marathoners, 3819 Half Marathoners, and 3020 5 k runners.  The 1/2s and the fulls started together and then split about 6 miles in so it was really crowded at the start.  I was feeling really good and just told myself to take it easy and not get carried away.  I missed the first mile marker and when I hit the second one I checked my watch.  It said 18:57.  I felt great and felt like I was holding back a little.  I could feel my right quad, but just barely and I hoped that it would loosen up, which it did.  Mile 3 was 9:55 and I developed a plan for the rest of the marathon.  I'd try and run an average of 10 minutes miles and allow for extra time on the uphill miles and try to make it up by gliding down the downhills.  And I'd have to allow some extra time for going against the wind.  Did I not mention the wind yet?  Well, it was a steady 25 miles an hour wind with gusts of 40.  Yeah, great.  Oh and did I mention that it was going against us?  

Oh, and did I mention the hills?  Well that was coming!  The chart is deceiving because it's only a drop of 500 feet or so overall, so the hills weren't as drastic as they look.  The next couple of miles were downhill and I did them in 8:25 and 8:39.  Then next six miles were rolling hills but my pace stayed pretty steady around 10:10.  The wind was so hard.  There were times where I didn't feel like I was even moving forward.  I also had to adjust my gels, but I think it was in the wrong direction.  I realized that the water stations were about 2 miles apart and in training I had been doing 1/2 gel every 30-35 minutes.  I decided that I'd gel every other aid station and just drink water in between.  The wind had a nasty side effect of making my mouth totally dry.  I wished I wouldn't have sent my gum down in the bag.  I got to run through Sugarhouse Park which was where I ran my only 5 k ever last year.  That brought back fun memories and I took my phone out and texted Jodi, who I ran it with.

At mile 13, out of nowhere, my right calf started to cramp horribly.  I didn't even get any warning like soreness before.  I ran through it for a little and then decided (o.k. my body decided) to stop and walk and stretch it.  It helped for a while, but after running for a few minutes it was right back.  Mile 16 was the first 11 minute mile and it was both calves by then.  I was getting really discouraged.  I knew that I hadn't entered the hardest part of the run yet and I was hurting so much already.  Each mile got progressively slower and more painful.  I had to do more and more walking and got more and more discouraged.  Part of the reason I was so discouraged is because the rest of me felt great!  I knew I was faster this year, I was stronger and it wasn't going to show.  My knee wasn't hurting at all, my quads felt great and I just wanted to GO!  

About mile 18 I took out my phone and called Janz.  I really needed a pep talk.  I could hardly talk because I had started crying.  He told me that athletes don't cry!  How's that for a pep talk!  Then he gave me the words of encouragement I needed.  He wasn't even in Salt Lake yet or I may have told him to just come pick me up.  I did some serious praying, more crying, and finally just turned off my music.  I tried to change how I was running, tried telling myself to relax my legs, tried to just block out the pain but I'm a wimp and ended up walking a lot.  By mile 20 my spirits had gotten positive again.  I knew there was only 6 miles left and we were in the city again.  I haven't mentioned yet how great all the spectators were!  People were lining the streets almost the whole course and some really cute little girls around Abby and  Caroline's age lined the streets with their hands held out waiting for runners to give them five!   There were 7 bands along the route and lots of people cheering for all the runners.  The last 6 miles were pretty slow.  I could run about 10 steps before my calves would lock up and I'd have to walk.  I bet I walked about 3 miles toward the end.  

Then, about 3 blocks from the finish line I tripped!  Yep, you read right!  I tripped and fell down.  I was getting ready to cross a street and was looking at the policeman directing traffic making sure he saw me.  And the road just happened to come up a little around a manhole cover.  I went down in front of all that traffic and lots of people!  I caught myself pretty good, no blood or anything, just some hurt pride, but when I went to stand up, my calves were locked up and I was up on my tip toes like a very uncoordinated ballerina crying in pain and unable to get my heels down.  Several runners who had already finished were walking by and came running over to help me get up.  They were keeping me upright while I got one heel down, but the right one just wouldn't go down.  One lady rubbed my calf and it finally relaxed enough to let me stand up.  I'm sure I'll never see those people again, but I was so grateful they came to help me out.  I crossed the street glad I had my sunglasses on so no one could see me bawling like a baby!  I was right before the last turn before the couple of blocks to the finish line, and a volunteer from the marathon came running over to me.  He could see I was crying and took my hands and ran backwards leading me onward telling me I was almost there.  He asked what was hurting and I told him my calves.  He was awesome, kept encouraging me, and talking me through the baby steps I was taking to run.  He took me to the corner and congratulated me on finishing.  Those last few blocks seemed to last forever. 

 

I kept scanning the crowd for my family.  I knew they were on the right side and when I saw them...well I was already crying and they were cheering so loud for me.  I couldn't wait to get to them.  I got my timing chip cut off and then went to find my family.  My mom and two sisters and her kids were there as well.  I was crying and couldn't even enjoy the moment. 

 

I was just so disappointed. There was no sense of accomplishment, no joy.  I went to the massage table and should have gone to the first aid tent for the huge blister I had on my foot.  It was in the exact same place as last time!  And that's even with wearing my special (that a code word for ridiculously expensive) socks!  

(BTW-check out the great salt lake that accumulated on my face for the day! O.k. so I couldn't get it to enlarge but trust me, there is salt dried on my face like nothing else!)

We went home and I took my ice bath which felt SO good and I was o.k. the rest of the day.  Sore, yes, but o.k.  I woke up today more sore than yesterday and it's my whole lower half.  I took another cold bath (all the ice was gone) this morning and I may do it again tomorrow. 

 

Now that I can look back on it, I can see some things I need to improve on and learn from.  

First:  I need to work on my fueling and find something that will be easier to do in the marathon situation.  I didn't want the intestinal problems from taking in too much, like last year, but I don't think I got enough this year considering the hills and the wind and the aid stations farther apart than I was used to.

Second:  I still need to learn to pace myself better and remember that 26 miles is a long way and not use it all up in the beginning.

Third:  I need to seriously work on being able to adjust my goals in the middle of a race and still be happy about it.  I can't let myself get so discouraged again.  That was bad!

Now, some things to end on a positive note:

*I ran a marathon for crying out loud!

*My knee didn't hurt!  Yeah!

*I haven't lost any toenails this year!

*No chaffing whatsoever!

*The wind actually kept me cool and the 76 degrees didn't even feel hot!

*I'm not as sore as I was last year and will recover quicker!

*I learned a lot about enduring to the end.

*I have an awesome support system and that includes anyone who reads my boring little blog and leaves me comments to encourage me!

*There are awesome people in this world willing to cheer and help people they don't even know and will probably never see again!

*I have the chance to try it all over again in 4 weeks!

Please give me tips if you see something that I don't so I can use it on my next one!  

Oh, and check out my family blog to see a really funny but true video if you haven't already!

 

Carbo Loading Workout!

It seems crazy that I would only have to run 3 miles today!  But I did it and it felt good.  I think I may have overdone a little on my speed workout on Tuesday because my right quad has felt sore ever since.  It doesn't feel any better today and I'm a tiny bit worried that maybe it's a pull and not a sore muscle.  I don't really know what I can do for it at this point.  I stretched it good after my run today and I guess I'll just try and do that again tonight and tomorrow and hope for the best.  I started my carbo loading today right after my workout.  I read in my latest running book a different carbo loading method by the Western Australians that only requires 24 hours of carbo loading.  But it requires sprinting at 90% for 2 1/2 minutes followed immediately by 30 seconds of all out sprinting.  It is supposed to be done the day before the marathon, but can be done 2 days prior to as long as you keep the carbs up the following day.  I did this (HARD!!!) at the end of my miles and then cooled down and started my carbo loading.  

I think it is going to be harder than I thought doing without the protein and fat I am used to.  If you want to read the whole research on carbo loading, visit here.  I figured out how many carbs I was supposed to eat today and tomorrow and it's CRAZY!!!  552 grams of carbs or 2208 calories worth of carbs!  That just sounds so outrageous, but it's only 2 days and I got started late today so I don't know if I can even fit in that many carbs!  My fat allowance for the day is 31 grams and my protein is 69 grams.  I've actually already gone over that in the protein for the day and as I sit and type, I'm eating Raisin Bran with no milk!  I for sure didn't do this last year, so maybe this will help!  We live in this carb phobia world and as much as I don't think I'm impacted by this, I must be a little, because this sounds nuts!  But I thought ice baths were nuts a month ago until I tried them, so who knows!

So I think I'm having a freak out about the marathon day every other day now because Monday I was absolutely crazy and Tuesday I was o.k. and then Wednesday I was so nervous my stomach felt physically sick and then today I'm fine.  So if that pattern continues, I'll freak out tomorrow and be fine the day of the marathon!  My mom used to always get sick a couple of nights before one of my brother's big games.  I thought she was so silly to get physically sick from nerves.  I guess this is my payback for thinking that and now I have a lot of empathy for her.  

My i-pod started having problems last night when I was trying to download some new stuff.  We got an Mac for Christmas and still have the Windows version downstairs.  Well it was having problems with me mixing and matching computers and was telling me that it was full when I know it wasn't.  So I had to reinstall it and I lost all my playlists.  So I put most of the music back on today, but I still have to go and rearrange everything.  I had on my long run playlist all the slower paced music and the beginning and the faster stuff at the end to get me through when I need the energy.  So I guess that will be tomorrow's project.  We are going out tomorrow night to the Temple and then dinner and won't be back until late.  Then I'm leaving about 4:30 a.m. so I better get everything ready and set out tomorrow so I don't forget anything!  I did have one freak out moment today when I looked at the counter at the bottom of the blog and it said 2 days to Salt Lake City Marathon!  AHHHHHHHHH!

Speed Work?

I wish today would have been the marathon!  (except for the weather, a little sun would be nice!)  I felt so good and it didn't even seem hard to run today!  I wish I knew what made some days easier than others so that I could plan my race days around that!  I did 400 meters 6 times followed by a 400 meter recovery.  It was about 4 miles and I could have kept going other than I know I'm not supposed to this week and I didn't have time anyway!  I think I might go a little stir crazy this week.  I looked at Thursday's workout...3 miles at my planned marathon pace!  That it!  I need to think of some things to keep me busy this week or I may just go crazy!  I do need to rearrange some stuff on my i pod and calculate my calorie needs for this weekends carbo loading, maybe clean out some closets, and work on Logan's quilt, clean out the storage room....so maybe I don't need to think of things!  

I watched the news Sunday night and they had a couple stories about the Salt Lake Marathon and I got REALLY nervous!  My stomach was churning like the butterflies were on a sugar high and at the same time, I was excited!  I had a really hard time going to sleep and just calming myself down.  

Yesterday I talked to my friend Sherri, (the one who got me into this mess in the first place) and she got her dates mixed up and actually could have run it with me.  AHHHHHHH!!!!!  (that doesn't even begin to describe it!)  So now I'm the one trying to talk her into signing up before the deadline.  She's driving me down there, she has to do a run anyway that day, she might as well do it there!  So after talking to her for a while about training stuff, I settled down a little and slept well last night.  

After my workout I did upper body weights and abs.  Don't know if I'll try and do them on Thursday or just lay off until next week.  It's coming!!!!!

Spring Taper

This week was quite a contrast to last week.  I didn't really feel like running even though it is my taper week and it was only 10 miles.  (Logan being up all night didn't help and that cold is not going away like I want it to!)  The upside being that it was only 10 miles and I would have a running partner for the whole run!  This would be Jodi's longest run yet and I was excited for her.  The other good thing was the weather was supposed to be nice.  I got up later than I have been and we didn't leave until after 10:30.  But by then it was pretty nice and I even got to wear short sleeves by about halfway through.  The run was nice, I had trouble breathing due to the cold, felt like I needed more drinks today than normal, and talking was once again a challenge.  We were able to do a negative split with the first lap of 5 miles in 54 minutes and the second lap in 48 minutes.  A 10 minute 11 second pace overall.  I took my ice bath again for fun.  (Logan asked if I was having a bubble bath!  If only!)  My legs weren't feeling too bad, but I don't want to risk it.  I really can't believe that in one week from today I'll be done running another marathon.  Last year I couldn't wait for the taper.  But I really think I was a tad overtrained last year.  Because it's sooner this year I think I may go nuts next week!  But the way I was feeling today...who knows...maybe I'll love it! 

I also get to carbo load the end of this week.  I didn't do it right last year (ate too much protein and not enough carbs) and hope to do better this year.  But that means recording what I eat and I hate doing that!  After next week, my training will be weird as I try to recover from the marathon and try to get in a few long runs and then taper for the next marathon.  The normal taper starts at 3 weeks and I may not even be recovered by then.  I'll guess I'll just have to see how I feel and play it by ear.  

Short Tempo Work

I always get excited for the shorter tempo days until I get on and start them, realizing that they are at a faster pace than the longer tempos, so they are still challenging even though they are shorter.  I had a 2 mile easy pace followed by 3 miles at tempo pace.  It started off rough because I had to get on and off the treadmill multiple times in the first lap.  Logan needed a snack, wanted my drink, so I had to get him a drink; not water or milk, so I made Crystal Light, needed a bathroom break, changed the channel for Logan, changed my music and was finally on my way.  It went by pretty quick today.  The last couple of laps were pretty tough though.  I did plyometrics for my lower half (I'm still a little sore from Tuesday) and did weights for upper body and core.  Good day, although I've been tired this afternoon.  Could have something to do with my cold.  Although that feels slightly better today too.

Trying to outrun the Rain!

It looked pretty nice out today so I decided to try out the jogging stroller and just go for a nice easy run.  Logan was pretty excited.  There's always a high chance we'll see some trucks along the way.  Especially garbage trucks since it's Wed.  As soon as we started going the sky started to turn dark and it looked like it might rain.  We were pretty far away from home when the wind started and it began to rain a little.  I started booking it for home and by the time we got back, it had started to snow.  But I think we made it back before the worst of it because while we were eating lunch it was really coming down.  Good little run.  Ended up being about a 4 mile run.  The cold that I've been fighting off pretty well, was pretty bad this morning.  Hopefully it goes away completely.  It hasn't been all that bad, it's just still there.  

Speed Work

I didn't do anything yesterday because I was, well...lazy.  Yep, just plain lazy.  Everything else in the house needed attention and I didn't feel too guilty because of the 19 mile run Saturday.  I thought that one more day of rest couldn't hurt.  

Speed workout today was a 15 minute warm up followed by 5 repeats of 1 k.  I've done this work out once before and remembered it being one I didn't think was going to be too bad but was.  This one was not different.  It was hard and fast, but felt good.  Especially when it was over.  

I followed it up with some plyometrics for lower body and lifted weights for my core and upper body.  I don't think I'll do any lifting next week to let my body heal as much as possible before the marathon.  

When will I learn to pace myself?

I have a problem.  O.k., so I have many problems.  One of which is that I just can't seem to pace myself.  If I feel good early on in a run, I have a hard time not going for it and just letting go and running fast even though I know that it may cost me later on.  Which begs the question, would I just end up being tired at the end of a run anyway or will the energy I conserve at the beginning really pay off in the end?  I may never know, because I CAN'T seem to not go fast when I'm feeling like it!  Today I woke up excited to run!  I knew I'd be going 18 miles and I was actually excited to do it.  I dreamed about it all last night.  And sure enough, about a mile in, I felt great and just wanted to GO!  So I did.  It was great being awake and outside in the predawn air.  There's something about being present at the beginning of the day.  It's invigorating!  I finished earlier than I thought and so I ran a little over a mile until I was supposed to meet Jodi.  But then I stopped and when we started we did a pretty fast first mile and even though the next four miles were o.k., the next 4 miles were kind of rough.  I had to stop and walk a couple of times to catch my breath.  The laps with Jodi were so nice though because they went by so fast.  The weather was warmer at the beginning than the end and we had some icy wind going on.  And I'm sure all my talking made it seem harder too.  I'm not used to talking on my runs and maybe that means I'm going too fast because it's pretty difficult for me to talk and run at the same time.  After I dropped Jodi off (she did 9 miles again this week!) I only had 3 left to go.  But after I got going again (Janz refilled my water) I felt pretty good and ended up going a mile extra, which put me at 19 miles today!  I have felt great today too and I'm pretty excited about that.  I also took another ice bath after I stretched and I really think it helps.  Although I think I used too much ice today and my toes were seriously frozen.  I read where someone wears neoprene booties in their ice baths and I definitely need to think of something.  I don't know how anyone could deal with frostbitten toesies!  Now if I can just deal with the pacing issue, I'll be feeling more confident.  So much for negative splits today!  Guess I have the S.L. Marathon to practice again in 2 weeks.

Used the gel again today with water.  Went well.  Used 2 1/2 gels in all.

10:15 pace overall.

No Escalators Available

I was thinking, as I was on the treadmill, how nice it would be to have downhills on the treadmill.  It gets pretty monotonous, as anyone who has been on one knows.  Sure you can crank up the hills, but you never get a downhill.  I started to long for the outdoors where there is variety and so many things to look at, where there are dirt trails, uphills and downhills, familiar roads and homes, and endless possible paths.  I thought about hills and how I can look at one and dread it or look at it and think that when I get to the top of it I'll feel a lot of accomplishment and there will be a downhill to coast down.  But in life, like on the treadmill, there are no downhills.  We are on a constant uphill battle to reach a higher plane that we can't even conceive how great it will be.  We were meant to have challenges and hardships.  They are what make us stronger and better capable to handle the next hill.  If life isn't hard or isn't a challenge, we aren't growing or moving upward, which is where we need to be.  If life isn't uphill, who fault is it?  Sure we are given challenges in life, but ultimately we choose our own path and if we don't challenge ourselves, set goals, and reach for them with all we've got, who do we have to blame?  And where will we end up?  We were put here to work and grow and help each other.  In life there is no escalator to the top!

Tempo run

Thank you Salt Lake Marathon!  If I wouldn't be switching my schedule around I would have had to do a 9 mile tempo run today.  Instead I just had to do a 5 mile.  Sounds much more doable.  I've been waking up the past few mornings with a sore throat and a stuffy nose, but have been telling myself that I'm NOT getting what Janz had.  He seriously was sick for about 2 months and it's been through all the kids.  But this morning I knew that it was hitting me.  Hopefully it will GO AWAY fast!  The run was pretty hard and the first 2 miles were excruciating.  I kind of loosened up after that and the last 3 were hard but better than the first 2.  I did weight training afterwards. 

Easy Run

I love late start days at the Junior High for a very selfish reason.  I get to run outside for a short little run because Justin's home for an extra two hours!  I dropped the girls off at school and took off.  Because of time, I just ate 1/2 a banana and a cup of water about 1/2 hour before heading out the door.  I ran pretty slow and then was gradually able to pick up the pace a little but didn't push it at all.  It was a good temperature and just a nice relaxing run.  I finished up on a few choice hills and then made it home in time to take Justin to school!  Ran about 4 miles and then gobbled up the leftover french toast made with Janzen's homemade bread!  YUM!

Mind Games

 I took yesterday completely off so that I could completely recover from all my soreness.  I can't believe what I can get done around the house when I don't have to run!  Seriously, I didn't think it took that much time, but I sure got a ton done yesterday!  It feels kinda good to be caught up on a few things that have been weighing on my mind so maybe that's why I had a good run today.  Cause when I looked at the schedule I was definitely NOT excited. 

 This is the week that I start shifting things around because of the craziness that I decided to do.  I had a friend talk me into running a marathon with her as my 20 mile training run.  Now, I really am going to run it as a training run and not a race, but it did require some shifting in my schedule so that I could do it, taper slightly for it, and recover for the next marathon four weeks from the first one.  When I say it out loud or see it on paper it makes me think I'm an idiot!  I know some people run a marathon a week all year long or even crazier things, but they're not me and for me, this is crazy!  I've decided that it is going to be the best training run ever.  I won't have to carry water with me, there will be thousands of other runners, there will be cheering crowds, and at the end, I'll get a t-shirt and a medal for my training run.  Can it get much better than that? 

 So it required me to do mile speed workouts again this week instead of getting a break in between.  DREAD!  It's always amazing how if I play mind games how much faster it goes.  So here was the game today.  First lap: turn down music and concentrate on form, don't swing my arms too much, be smooth, don't pound on the treadmill, stay tall and look forward.  Second lap, turn up music and try to keep good form.  Third, turn down music and concentrate on form again.  Fourth, turn it back up and make it through the last bit.  I did 3 repeats with a 400 meter recovery in between.  Ended up being a little over 5 miles.  It really went by fast today and wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Mile repeats used to be the worst thing, besides tempo workouts, and who am I to lie, they still are, but I'm learning ways to get through them.  Now if I can just apply it in a race situation!

Afterwards I did weight training for my upper body and some more plyometrics for the lower half.  Hope my body gets used to those!

Since I'm eating pretty much the same thing before and after my workouts, I decided I'll only record if it's different.