Marathon Training: Hello Injury!

So I'm getting so close to the actual race day that I can FEEL it! I feel it way down deep in my right hip... where I have Bursitis! Wooo Hoo! My first running injury!!! No, I'm not celebrating. The other option is to whine like a bitch though so I'm going to laugh about it instead. IT'S HOW I ROLL. So what's Bursitis? It's an inflammation of the bursae around your hip joint... basically all the goo in your joint is ON FIRE!!! And I gotta tell you... it feels excellent! NOT. I noticed this early last week when my right hip was aching so bad I was limping. I then ran a 3 mile hill run and it really started hurting. So I talked to a medical professional (Ma) and was told to take 600mg of Ibuprofen three times a day to reduce the inflammation and rest until my 20 mile run (scheduled for that saturday). I wasn't sure if I was going to do my last long LONG run because of my hip pain. But by Friday afternoon my 3 days regimine of Ibuprofen was doing the trick and I knew I would be able to at least attempt the 20 miles.

So I did it! I ran 20 miles (again)! This time I was like a freakin' rock star though! I took 15 minutes off my previous 20 mile run time! The first time I ran 20 it took me 3hrs 56mins. This time I did it in 3hrs and 41mins! I didn't stop to walk at all. A few times my iPod went wonky and I had to slow down to mess with that but otherwise I WAS RUNNING! IDK why I have this issue with 'stopping to walk'. But I am really pumped that I did all 20 miles w/o walking. I have few goals with the actual race because it's my first. But one of them is to NOT HAVE TO WALK... accept for the water stations. I will walk the water stations!!! Because my running coach (Amber) told me that's a good idea. And I believe her. lol. But after that 20 mile run I feel so ready! I now have TWO 20 mile runs under my belt and am ready to slap on another 6.2 to the end of that total! Two weeks from Sunday!

As for the old hip - running 20 miles definitely pissed it off! If I were a smart body conscious person I would rest and let that heal. But I am not going to stop training NOW. Hello??? McFly!? I have two weeks to go! I'm not throwing in the towel b/c of some stupid inflamed goo in my hip! NO! I will run this mother. I am continuing my Ibuprofen regimin and that is helping tremendously. Sitting on ice packs helps. So I will continue to do those things until race day and while I will keep running these next two weeks are TAPER weeks! God I love the sound of that word 'taper'!!!

So what are my goals for the marathon??? Here's the short list:
1) Don't stop to walk (excluding water stations)
2) Come in in under 4 hours 40 minutes. I'd like to do it in 4:30:00 but I will see how I feel.

And that's it! I bought a new Brooks long sleeve running shirt yesterday along with my first pair of arm warmers. (like leg warmers for your arms). So I will be able to make a decision race day on what to wear. If' it's as mild as it has been I will probably wear my Under Armour compression capri's and a t-shirt. If it's chilly I can wear the arm warmers. If it's COLD (b/c there's a chance, mother nature can be a ho!) I can wear my new Brooks long sleeve shirt. So I'm all set! I'm ready! I have done all the planning and training I can. Right now I just need to take care of my hip and get ready for the race!!! We're going to the Bahama's this week but I will be bringing my running gear. I hope I get a few chances to run but if I don't I know my hip won't mind.

Running Song of the Week: It's a tie between - "Sexy & I Know It" - LMFAO and "Marry You" - Bruno Mars. I know the Bruno Mars song is super duper lame but for WHATEVER reason I was able to get through the last two miles of my 20 miler listening to just that song over and over. But I love that LMFAO song! It cracks me up.

Running Quote of the Week: "Everything you finish gives you strength everything you don't finish weakens you." Christopher Reeves