Okay boys and girls...102 day until the marathon...it's crunch time in the training logs and that means I have GOT to blog about it. The drop-dead date for the Higdon plan came and went and I was a week behind before I even realized it. Shit...BUT good thing I have essentially been doing weeks 1-2 since oh don't know...January perhaps? I rolled right into week 2, doing 3/3/3, skipped my 6 miler b/c I had a soccer triple header in 100 degree heat, then did 3/3/3/5 the following week. So I cheated a little bit, sue me. I was up and running while the rest of the world was sleeping and or boozing ( evening HH runs) so I win, they lose. Plus I have been having lots of soccer games, those sprints up and down the field kiinnnddd of count like fartleks yeah? Okay I know they are not but shut up.
I had been running a mix of TM runs and my default, outside 3mile loop, but last week opted to run my 4 miler ( week 3 is 3/4/3/5) on the Mall. I had my watch and NO IDEA where mile markers were. I had to google pedometer my route when I got home and lo and behold I was running 9:45 ish for miles 1-2, then slowed up and ended up with 11 min/mi splits. Not half bad for it being 90 degrees out and 10pm and up hill both ways to and from the Mall. I was kind of pissy b/c I had been running on the TM and jacking the speed up as fast as I could take it. I was doing 7:00 pace for about 1/3 of every other mile and was settling in at a flat 10:00, which is my ATM goal pace. Previously I had never pushed myself and though 11:00 was as fast as my fat ass could go.
Fast forward to week 4. Here it is, Tuesday and instead of doing 3/4/3/9, I am going to do 4/5/4/8K4.9mi)+4.1 miles, as I need to "catch up" on mileage and prepare myself for a Twighlight 8K I have this Saturday. That will be a hoot....I can't decide if I wanna run my 4.1 Saturday AM or hold off and run a full 9 on Sunday. I am thinking I will be pretty used to my 4 mile course and pace by then so I will do it in the AM and rely on energy and nerves to get me through the nighttime run. Plus there is beer at the end of this race AND a few people I know are running it, so the competitive beast in my will be out, pushing me to beat their times, even if it is only by 1/2 a second.
Just got back from my 1st of the 4 milers, on the course that was "unfamiliar" to me last week. Started off slightly slow, at a 10:15 pace, got a wicked side stitch ( I am still struggling with how to breath without sounding like I am in labor), and slowed it down a bit. Around mile 1.75 a boatload of negative energy found it's way into my brain.... I am thinking...'wow I can't even run 4 freaking miles, how am I going to run 26.2. Why am I doing this...I only have a 100 days...I CANNOT do this!! My family is coming to watch me...how embarassing!" That just slowed me down even more and I ended up finishing at 10:50min/mile. I keep finding myself stopping for no reason. I won't be winded or sore.... I'll just be lazy and bored. I have downloaded some Marine Corps Cadence and have found those boys are jogging at about a 10min/mi. Hearing their footsteps and being able to repeat back what the SGT or whomever is barking out cadence, is saying helps me slow down and get into a groove. Other music either pumps me up and tires me out or is too slow and makes me angry.
Okay enough ranting and raving from me for one day....until tomorrow!
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