Weeks 5 & 6

So, week 5 wasn't bad, although, my plan was to run 10 miles Saturday and then 16 miles on Sunday.

That didn't happen.

Saturday, I ran a 15K and a .7 mile warm up for a total of 10 miles. So... hooray!!! Even better... I ran the 15k at a 9:49 pace (my goal was sub 10:00 pace for the race). So... double hooray!!

And then Sunday rolled around and I was all psyched to run 16 miles. And then I started running and my legs felt like bricks. Apparently, running 9 miles at 9:49 pace is hard on my legs these days. Sad, but true.

So, at the end of the week, I finished with back-2-back 10 milers. Not ideal, but not terrible.

Week 6 was terrible running-wise. The KoB was out of town for a couple of days, which means, I was on dog duty. I went to the Carrie Underwood concert for work one night, which was fun, but EXHAUSTING, and then we flew to Boston, where I could have ran more. But, didn't.

So, there you have it. I'm tapering. HAHAHAHAH. Ha. Ha.

The good news is, I have no problems with walk/running this marathon as much as I need to. (It's going to be a lot of walking, people). I've got 2 weekends to go before the race. Let's hope, I can put something together this weekend.

Weeks 3 & 4

I honestly don't know why I can't get my shit together to blog more often, but, I'm really hoping I can get back into a good routine, because I have things to say, dammit. Anyway, I'm in the middle of week 5 right now, so, we've got a little catch up to do.

So, week 3 was really good. Since, I don't have a lot of time to train (weekday-wise), I'm really focusing on getting quality miles in on the weekend. So, week 3, I ran 10 miles on Saturday and then 14 miles on Sunday and surprisingly, felt really good for both of those runs.

I think doing double long runs (for me) is a good way to get into endurance shape. It's teaching my legs to run while tired and since I have to run slower to get the miles in, I feel like I'm testing the injury gods a little less. 

So, I feel like I had a good week 3. Week 4, my running was pretty non-existent. So, that's no good. But now, I'm in week 5 and hoping to have a good week!

Remember, this is a precautionary tale of training. DON'T DO THIS. Actually train for shit and don't half ass it, like I am.

I'm getting into it and having fun, and I'm tempted to float the idea of being coached again, once this mess of a training cycle and race is through. I'm ready to get better again and while it's going to be a bit of a struggle to get my weekday miles up (new job is awesome, but a little less flexible than previous job), I think I'm ready to see if I can make it work.

Gotta get through Oct 16, first though!

Hope everyone else's fall training is going well!

OMG my blogger formatting on this post is driving me crazy. I apologize if it looks even shittier than it normally does.

Weeks 1 and 2

Hi.

Sadly, I don't have a good excuse like Bob and Linda.

How's it going?

Things here are going... okay. 

My strategy is essentially the same strategy I had for my first ever marathon (which I finished! Hooray! But, immediately afterwards, I was like... fuuuuuuck I didn't train properly for that. So... Booo!). That strategy is: Make sure you get your long runs in.

So, last week (officially week 2). I embarked on a 15 miler. I did finish the damn thing, but it was not pretty. 

Let's be honest. I shouldn't be running 15 mile long runs right now. And if it weren't so fucking hot that anything faster than a 9 minute mile is basically impossible, I probably wouldn't even be entertaining training for this marathon in October. But, with the temperature so hot and me so out of shape, I feel like pushing myself to a bad point, just isn't going happen. So, there's my reasoning. Instead, I'm just pushing myself into heat stroke and the possibility of having to walk 6 miles back to my car because I am just done in the middle of a long run.

So, for the record:

Week 1: Long run of 11 miles, total miles for the week: 31

Week 2: Long run 15 miles, total miles for the week: 32

What's the rule of thumb? Don't make your long run more than 25% of your total mileage for the week or some shit? Hahahahahahahahahahahahah.

Hahahahha.

Oh shit. I'm so dumb.

In other news.... I also have two other marathons on the books for my near future. The Flying Monkey in November and a marathon in Phoenix at the end of February. So... I need to get my ass in gear.

With 6 weeks go, I'm sure it will happen.

What can happen in 8 weeks?

Remember back in like May and I was all... I'm going to start basebuilding and I'm going to start doing some workouts. I'm going to be hella prepared for the Des Moines Marathon in October!!!!!!!

Me, in May.

And then summer happened and it got humid as fuck and then there were vacations and bottles of wine on friday nights and then a beach trip and now it's fucking mid-August and I've got no base and no speed and no endurance and yet, I'm still planning on doing a Marathon in 8 weeks.

Indeed.

So. Should I drop down to running the half and focus on that? Yeah, I definitely should. That is the smart thing to do. But, am I going to do that? Nope. Nope. Nope. I'm going to push forward and see what the hell I can do in 8 weeks.

This is what my body is saying to my brain right now.

So, please, join me.... here on the blog. Where I will be recapping each of my 8 weeks and what I've done or not done in order to survive a marathon in 8 weeks. Originally, I had thought I'd try to break 4 hours again in that race. Now, I just want to finish the race with my shin bones intact.

I do have some good news to go along with this ridiculous news!!!!!! I have actually been LIFTING!!!! As in... consistently using weights and doing push-ups and shit. I KNOW. I can't believe it, either!!!!! And even crazier, is I'm actually really having fun doing it. 

Another plus... I've been doing really well with cleaning up my diet lately, as well. So, if I can finally put all three together: lifting+running+not just eating popcorn and ice cream for dinner, but salads and stuff = a decent shot at surviving the next 8 weeks, as well as the race.

So, here we go... I'm in the middle of week 1 right now. Stayed tuned for the possible shitshow.