20 miler is IN THE BOOKS.

no doubt about it, the last few miles of a 20 miler HURT.

no doubt about it, a soda tastes so incredibly GOOD after a 20 miler.  who cares about the calories when you've just run 20 miles, right?

i took a bath as soon as I got home, which is very weird for me.  i don't like baths, they kinda make me feel dirty.  sitting in your own dirt and sweat just seems gross.  i've heard that it's a great to help your legs recover and i positively just wanted to sit down. the bath was heavenly!  i got out and my legs felt 100% better, although my toes are pretty tender.

because i don't run with a garmin and don't map out my runs prior to getting out there, i generally just go by time.  i figured that i was at least running a ten minute pace, so i needed to get in at least 3 hours and 20 minutes of running.  i decided yesterday to be on the safe side and run for 3 and a half hours.  when i got home i felt doubtful about the mileage.  so i used map my run, an awesome little website, and came up with my total mileage.  it's a rough estimate, but i think it's pretty legit.  it turns out that i ran 22 miles today!  wa-hoo. no wonder i felt like i was ready to throw in the towel by the time i finished.  four (.2) miles more and i would have run a marathon.  awesome!

so.  i think i'm ready!  i am so grateful for this healthy body that has been given to me.  the next few weeks are going to be delightful, now that it's time to taper.

Big day tomorrow.

this is it!  the toughest part of marathon training:  the 20 miler!  i don't have a course mapped out, i am just going to run for three and a half hours.  that oughta do it, i think.  honestly, i'm not dreading it at all.  in fact, i can't wait!  i love the way i feel after a ridiculously long run, it's indescribable.  i haven't been feeling well this week, so i decided to "sleep in" today and swim instead.  the swim went really well, i'm fairly certain that i did at least a mile.  i even threw in a little butterfly this morning!  i'll be sure to write about tomorrow's run.  i'm all set with lots of gu and gatorade, and even fresh legs.  it's hard to believe that marathon training is coming to an end.  i just hope i have prepared myself enough...

one step closer!

Finished another long run in this FREEZING cold weather! It looks like I'm one step closer to registration. (Guess I should check to make sure it's still open, then!) The run went so well today. Our group met for a crazy fast six and a half mile run and then another friend and I slowed things down a little for the remainder of the run. The plan called for six miles, but I decided to do nine because I missed a long run over the holidays. It probably doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but it brings me comfort to know that I didn't go for the easy way out. I truly had no idea how fast we were running or about the mileage, so I figured that I at least needed to run for an hour and a half. And, since I slowed down for the last few miles, I decided to get in an hour and forty minutes. It was heavenly! Truthfully, I don't mind the cold. There's really no alternative in my mind to running in the cold. Sure, we have a treadmill, but I'm not disciplined enough to run nine miles on that machine. There's always the gym, right? But! It's just not the same as watching an amazing sunrise or spending time with my girlfriends.

So! I'm still feeling good! And this goal is really helping me get through these winter months. I'd like to say that I don't care about the marathon time, but that's a lie. I do. Though, I will be pretty estactic to cross that finish line in March. I think I can...It's slowly becoming a reality! Yay!

Still Holding On!

The weather is really brutal today- we have yet another wind advisory. Yuck!  I felt like this morning's run was a breaking point for the marathon training.  If I did it, I am still in the game.  If I bagged it and cut it short, it would be time to hang up the dream of a spring marathon.  Somehow or another, I ran at least twelve miles in this blustery, cold weather.  It was not a fast run, by any stretch.  I did it, though, which was half of the battle.  A girlfriend and I started out together and got in three miles, or so, before we were joined by another friend.  (The key to training for a marathon is accountability, which is where running friends come in VERY handy.) My initial partner peeled off around forty/fifty minutes, and then my other girlfriend and I ran for another hour, or so.  I ran her back to her car and then headed home, but before I could hang up my shoes, I had to get in a few solo miles by myself.  (Another key to marathoning:  If you're running the marathon solo, some of your miles should be solo-- especially the last few of a long run.  It provides preparation for those lonely, tough miles at the end.) 

As soon as I walked in the door, I was BAM!!!! back in Mommy/Wife mode.  Before I could even think about showering, I was whipping up a delicious breakfast for my hungry, half-way grumpy family.  And while I'm a teensy bit tired, (waking up at 4:30 will do that to you) I am experiencing that amazing runner's high that will last until I go to bed this evening.  (Third key to marathon training:  the long distance high!)

Right now I am a teensy bit worried about my heel.  It's hurting!  And these new shoes are not working for me, which is so annoying!  I feel like I'm running with weights on my feet by the end of a run. It's so aggravating to even contemplate the idea of buying a new pair of shoes so soon after Christmas.  I might have to, though.

SO! Provided the marathon doesn't close within the next two weeks, it looks like I'm going to sign up.  My plan is to run nine miles next Saturday and then fourteen the Saturday after that- if both runs go well and I don't have any back/leg issues, I'm in!  I just don't want to lose the money again, so I'm trying to hold off on registration until I am absolutely sure I have the time and energy for marathon number six. 

The coffee was too enticing.

Last week was an abysmal approach to marathon training.  I think I ran twice?  Josh was out of town for a few days, there were meetings after school everyday that he was gone.  So, naturally, by the time he got home I was too tired to even think about getting up at four am to run.  I did run on Thursday, the windiest day of the week, and managed to get in about six miles.  Not bad.  This morning I met my girlfriends for a five am run, and I managed to get in the nine miles that the plan calls for.  All I can say about this week's long is that I did it.

Last night I went to bed around midnight and then got up at four to get ready to meet the girls.  Basically, I had a nap last night, which is pathetic.  So, I struggled through the run as best as I could.  I had every intention of hitting the gym afterwards, to either swim or lift weights, or both!  However, by the time I got to the car I was so cold from sweating and doing a cool-down walk that I just couldn't manage to exercise anymore.  The coffee was way too enticing, and so was a long, hot shower. After putting baby Nicholas down for a morning nap, I hopped into bed myself and slept for two glorious hours.  (I really needed that extra sleep!)

Because of last week's craziness, I've decided to repeat week 6, instead of moving on to week 7.  My reasoning is that week 7 is supposed to be an easy week, which seems silly to go that route since I just HAD an easy week.  This, of course, means that the miles will be higher for the next three weekends.  No big deal, though, the highest that the miles go up to is twelve.  And, as long as I improve my sleeping habits, I should be be okay on those long runs.  I can't believe how much I've missed these long runs.  There's a peace that I feel immediately after the long run and the shower.  My skin isn't even crawling at the sight of the kitchen, yet...

5, 10, Who's Counting Anyway?

Today was supposed to be my long run according to this new training program.  Of course, the program starts off gently with the long runs being 5, 6, or 7 miles depending on the week. This week the long run was supposed to be about five miles. Hmph.  I've been running five miles all week!  So, I decided to go ahead and do a suitable long run.  I started off just wanting to do seven miles, or so.  But!  I felt so good and my house was so dark and quiet that I decided to keep going and going.  Instead of sticking to the plan (like I should do!)  I ran about ten miles instead.  Tomorrow is supposed to be an "off" day, but I'm thinking about squeezing in a seven miler and then possibly taking Monday off, or Tuesday.  It feels so good to be injury free again and healthy, that I am finding it really hard to take days off or slow down.  I know I need to, though.  Twenty weeks is a long time to train and I know I'm going to be tired by March.  So, just for this week, I'm going to go a little over in the mileage.