Dream it! Believe it!
Dream it! Believe it! Train for it!
In the meantime, I keep making deposits in the mileage bank!
In case you missed it on IG, I’m training for the Phoenix Mesa Marathon on February 24. Crazy how things worked out with me winning a free entry on IG. Heather helped me research marathons and after all of my requirements and requests, Phoenix was looking favored in my decision. One of my running partners, Ryan ran it in 2016 and has been encouraging me to go for it. He ran a speedy 3:04 in Phoenix and later went sub 3. This was after he missed qualifying for Boston 7 times! I had actually already started training for it when I won the entry! I was just having commitment issues pushing the registration button!
My first 20 mile deposit was Saturday. While coaching high school and middle school cross country in the fall, I didn’t have time for my long runs. In October, when I started to get a grip on my long run, I could quickly feel things falling back into place. I feel a little stronger after each long run. I normally would not have done this long of a training plan for a marathon but I feel like this is allowing me enough time to get my long run solid again.
For too many reasons to list, I decided not to make the drive to Cocoa for the Space Coast half. Disappointing yes, but I got in some quality training by not going. My workout on Saturday included a mile warm up, a fast 13.1 and then end in Heather’s driveway where she’d run the last 6 with me. My goal was to at least run those 13 at marathon pace or a little quicker. I started at marathon pace but I was quickly hitting a rhythm. At mile 10 I hit a bit of a wall due to poor fueling. (Definitely need to come up with a better fuel plan.) At that point I realized if I ran 2 good miles, I’d have a little PR! Sure enough I started digging a little deeper and came in hauling to snag that 7 second PR. Talk about a runners high! It helped knowing Heather would be waiting on me!
I have lacked some serious motivation this week. I’m not sure if the mileage caught up with me or if it is the single parent week because the doctor has been gone every night. My nights are long when I have to do all of the soccer driving myself. Luckily Joaquin joined me on a few miles Monday night! Love getting one on one time with my kiddos. As you can see from my splits below, easy means easy. That run below is almost 90 sec slower than my marathon goal pace.
There is a reason I buy cheap sunglasses! You can’t tell but wrapped in my headphones are three pairs of sunglasses!
Do you use any caffeine for a workout or long run? I always use caffeine. Sometimes I chew Run Gum and other times...I chug a shot of Amino Energy. Both are about 100mg of caffeine.
I whipped up this mix of oatmeal, banana, peanut butter, almond butter, honey, walnuts and blueberries. It was so good but I over ate this stuff and paid the price of that amount of fiber the next day. I of
November miles came to 248.20! So would you run the extra 1.80 miles or be ok with the odd number? I expect my miles to be about the same next month. 60 miles a week, give or take a few miles seems to be my happy place.
Have a great weekend! I'm hoping to get out the Christmas decorations but we might end up at Epcot instead!
Merry Miles!
Jolene