I am only 10 weeks away from running my first full marathon. In theory. That's if I make it. My faith in myself is starting to waver a tad. During week 12 I did a fourteen mile long run. It wasn't pretty. It rained from mile one through ten - which was fine. It felt great actually! But by mile 11 I was slowing down and just running sopping wet was getting old. By mile 12 I was struggling to keep it together. I actually started shouting out "I CAN, I CAN, I CAN" to help motivate myself. It just made me winded more than anything, lol. At 13 and a quarter miles I stopped and walked. I walked a half mile and ran the last quarter to make it a total of 14. I'm not mad at myself or disapointed in myself I'm just worried. If I struggle so much with 14 how will 26.2 go? So I'm getting scared about the race.
Last week, week 11 of training, went pretty well! I did 4 on the TM on monday. That went well. Then Tuesday Joe didn't have to drive so I was able to run before waking up the kids. I did 7 miles at 4:45am. It was a very eventful run because I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a locust, then I got attacked by a GINORMOUS grass hopper. On a more pleasant side though I saw a deer and I got to watch the sunrise - which is always beautiful. I was thankful I got a good distance in before work. Wednesday I did speed work and did three miles. I did a light mile circle and then did 1/10th of a mile sprints, 1/10th of a mile walk on and off for two miles. So I did a total of 10 sprints. This killed my shins.
Friday I had planned to do about 12 miles on MOPAC trail but there was a thunderstorm. I was invited to join some friends for a run Saturday but after talking with Joe I decided not to. I have to say it's really difficult to be a good mother and wife and also train for a marathon. Other people need me around more than I need to get a run in. It was obvious to me that Joe wanted me around Saturday morning to help wake up the kids so I bowed out of the LR on the trails w/ other runners. I ended up drowning my sorrows though on Friday night. This didn't help me when I did get a run in on Saturday. I ran during Penny's AM nap at 9a. But I only did 7 miles. I tried a new route. I had always seen a bike trail just off of 180 and decided to run to it and see what it was like. I'll tell you what it's like it SUCKS. I don't ever want to run on that trail again. I don't think it's been paved since 1980. Now I know why I never see runners on it. The hills to and from that trail are also brutal! So when I need to do hill work in the future I will probably go to the highlands neighborhood.
This week should be fine. Aside from getting a lot of packing done for vacation and getting all my school shit together (b/c it starts less than 24hrs after our plain lands in omaha) I will be running as much as I can. Saturday I will hopefully be doing 16 with the runners I had to bail on last weekend.
I have to admit that I'm a little bi-polar in my emotions about marathon training right now. I'm partially burnt out. Partially frustraited. Partially scared. Partially discouraged. But I'm not giving up OH, HELL NO!!! I'll be running my ass off whenever I get the chance. And depending on the rain today I should be able to get 4 in this afternoon - and hopefully OUTSIDE, not on the TM at the gym. I'm still focused on doing this damn race that's for sure! I'm actually getting really excited for next week because I'll be in Jamaica on vacation. I will be brining my running shoes but I plan to give the new "barefoot" running craze a try... ON THE BEACH!!! Right where the surf hits the sand, it's packed tighter. I saw this tip on a running website. So I'm going to bring my garmin watch and try to do a few three milers while there. I probably won't do all of them barefoot but I"m going to do at least one barefoot run.
This weeks running song: T.G.I.F. - Katy Perry
This weeks running quote: "Training and racing have shown me sides of myself that I never knew existed. I've found perseverance, an ability to focus, stubbornness, compulsiveness, bravery, organization, a sense of humor, and a capacity for unbridled joy." —Gordon Bakoulis Bloch, in How to Train for and Run Your Best Marathon.
