Weekly Update

This week (well last week) I started having doubts that I really wanted to run this marathon. Like, I had trouble getting out the door and running. Maybe it was the snow we got and the two snow days that my kids had. But I seriously was dragging ALL week.

March 13-19
Monday

It was a rest day but I decided that it was time to get back into yoga. I had previously really enjoyed it but last fall when my back acted up I had trouble with doing vinyasas and just overall aches with a lot of the poses I just quit going. But I think I am going to start going again as it felt good and on Tuesday I woke up feeling a good ache across my chest and shoulders.

Tuesday

Snow day for the kids meant not getting to meet up with Amanda for a slow 5 miler, not that we would have met with all the snow (even though at this point I was okay with attempting to run outside because that might have made me fall and break something so I could get out of running this marathon!) I waited to run until the afternoon before the kids swimming lesson at the Y. Got there with about 1.5 hours to kill and set out to run 5 easy miles. Which somehow quickly turned into 8 miles of intervals. Which also turned out to be wayyyyy too fast. My intervals were between 7:35-8:00 for half a mile and then the "recovery" runs (quarter mile) were around 8:45. I seriously thought I was gonna barf when I was done. I also don't think I was well hydrated and just felt bad.

Wednesday

Snow day again! I did get out the door in the morning to attempt this run. Maybe it was because I ran so hard the afternoon before and didn't give myself a long enough period of rest but I struggled big time on this run. I walked a lot and too it very very easy for 5 miles which is so hard to do on the treadmill (for me at least).

Thursday

Kids had school! But I wimped out on Amanda because I was so cold and I couldn't make myself go out since I was nervous about running 5 miles again (after Wednesday's run). I felt better on the treadmill and kept a moderate pace the whole time. It felt good and then I was mad that I wimped out on Amanda. Later, I went to kettlebell/kickboxing which is always fun. We did a pyramid workout which is hard and easy all at once. Starting at 21 reps I always use a lower weight and once we got down to 3 reps I was using a 20 pounder which was a first. A little while ago, I tried 20 pounds and every time I swung the bell it would make me take a step back (which I don't think is suppose to happen!)

Friday

It wasn't cold but it wasn't even warm but I felt that I needed to run outside for some fresh air in the morning. It was suppose to be a rest day so I just ran 2 miles. I am glad I did as it made me feel much better and thinking about running a marathon didn't make me feel sick to my stomach.

Saturday

My buddy, Amanda, had to run 19 miles. My training plan stated for me to run 13. I had told Amanda on Friday night that it would be "fun" to run the shamrock course (9 miles) and hit the road for my last 4. And then she would "only" have to run 6 miles on the towpath. Amanda wasn't that happy with the idea but I told her that we ran her pace and take the hills nice and slow. Well the weather had other plans. It turned out to be rather foggy and where we'd have to run on the roads isn't really smart. I think Amanda was happy to learn this. So I made a new suggestion of running 7 miles on the towpath, 6 on the road and then she could do 6 more on the towpath to mix it up. It had snowed the day before but it was packed down however still not easy and Amanda decided that we should just run roads the whole time. We ran up and down Akron-Peninsula Rd. We ran from Hunt farm and ran North to The Winking Lizard (it felt more hillier this way) and then headed South about half a mile past Steel Corner Rd. This wasn't an overly hard run for me but I hadn't slept well the night before and still fighting the mental struggle of putting one foot in front of the other, I did keep telling myself at least I wasn't running 19 miles (or 20 since Amanda decided to add a mile, ROCKSTAR). I also listened to tunes for the first time (at least running with a partner) and I was happy about this especially since Amanda ran a little ahead of me the whole time. I was totally cool with Amanda running at her own pace and me behind this week. I just kept the pace very even (around 10:20 for each split surprisingly with a few quicker ones at the beginning and end) and ended up with an average pace of 10:16. I left Amanda to continue on and stretched before heading home. Came home took a shower and ran a few errands. Then I laid down in bed and continuing reading "A Man Callled Ove". When I got up to go out to dinner, my legs seriously felt like lead. I was confused since I had been running all my long runs (and I had completed longer runs up to 18 miles without this feeling) and knew it was gonna be a rough evening. I think last time I wrote I felt that my restless legs thing had stopped I guess I shouldn't have said that. Good thing Matt slept on the couch, I think I would have kicked him off the bed! I thrashed around for hours (!), okay maybe a few hours and couldn't get comfy at all.. Sigh!

Sunday

Woke up tired but had to take Charlie to a birthday party (his 4th or 5th of the winter) and legs felt better. So when we got home I went over to the gym and did an hour of the elliptical to get the rest soreness out. Came home and finished my book, Ma tt made homeade pizzas, and watched an okay movie "The Hollars". Only reason I said it was just okay is because it was not a comedy (which I thought it was based on the trailer we watched) and the book had made me sad as well.

**Also this was night 3 of nothing sleeping well. I sure hope to see better tonight (Monday that is)  and get my head wrapped around the fact that I am running 19 (!) miles on either Saturday or Sunday morning.**