Week Two... in progress.

Well, I'm half-way through week two of marathon training and I've already pulled a diva move of telling my coach that I was happy with one approach to my training and then 12 hours later freaking out and telling her that I wanted something else.

I blame my initial acquiescence to a plan of more quality over quantity on a holy basil high. It's a good idea to change things up... to try something else... but, I'm a mileage whore at my core and knowing that I have to hike/run/crawl the Grand Canyon 2 weeks after my marathon... well, let's just say I'm using that as an excuse to run ALL THE MILES. Hooray.

In other ways that I'm a shitty person to coach... I did my workouts back-to-back this week. Well. Kind of. I mean, ON PAPER, they were back to back. I ran a tempo run on Tuesday and I did my hill workout on Wednesday. But, it wasn't 24 hours between the two.... it was 36. So... that's better, right?

 

I offer the following explanation: I had The KoB to run the workouts with me. Who can say no to that???

The tempo run I did Tuesday morning just as the fucking polar vortex part deux was rolling into town and I managed to nail a 4 mile tempo. Half of each mile was way slow because I was running into the wind, but the second half felt like I was flying. So, at least I recognized the tail wind for once. 

Surprisingly, in my 6 weeks of slothdom since Baton Rouge, I don't feel like I've lost that much fitness. I just jinxed the shit out of myself, didn't I? I mean, sure, 4 miles was the max I wanted to run for a tempo, but I'd say it was the best I've felt starting out on a training cycle. So, yay! I guess?

I did hills on Wednesday night. The KoB and I did our regular 6 mile loop (which is hillier than I like already) and pushed the pace on most of the run and then after about 4-5 miles we added 5 hill repeats in. My goal was not to start out like a bat out of hell and have some effort left for the last repeat and I think I accomplished that. After the first one, on the jog back down, the KoB asked: "where did it hurt?" And I dumbly said... "oh, about there." pointing at a driveway we crossed near the top of the hill. NO DUMBASS, he meant, where in my body did it hurt? I told him it hurt in my legs. And he said good. When sensai asks you a question and he responds "good" to your answer. YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH, my friend. Anyway, they felt hard, but a good hard. Ya know what I mean?

And finally, in other ways I've effed up this week: In an effort to save money and not spend $128 on a pair of pants that I am DYING for:

WHO SPENDS THAT MUCH MONEY ON PANTS?????

But damn. They are totally perfect, right? 

Anyway, see that seam like 5 inches ABOVE the model's knee. 

That's the whole point of the pants. They are moto pants.

I found an alternative at Zara for $30 bucks. SCORE! (I can't find a picture, they must be sold out online). Except, I got them home and tried them on and the part that MAKES them motorcycle pants (the seam details around the knees) was practically at my ankles. Short legs for the Fail, again.

Le sigh.

I did learn something else besides the fact that I was indeed a pygmy in a former life from this fashion fail:
Why so many bloggers/instagrammers/etc take photos of their feet while standing:

Because, OMG your legs look skinny and

OMG THIGH GAP!

Gag.

(Little photobomb nose in the right hand bottom corner.

the REAL reason I included this photo).