Week # 3 Recap

Okay week # 3, let's see how this one goes!

Motivational Thought for a while:

"So many people choose to quit. Choose to stop living. They're really cheating themselves, you know. I think people don't really understand what they can accomplish if they want to. They have no idea how talented they are. I think you find another side of yourself when you actually put your heart into something. That's one of the things that makes marathoning special. . .it's one of the few times when you actually met the challenge of doing something that is probably the most physically and mentally difficult thing you've ever done."

Monday--2 miles (20.08 [9.59/10.08] minutes)

Okay, running aside, if this is what Mondays feel like--running through soup on wooden legs, well, ick! I am beginning to wonder if I am learning to enjoy the challenge and variety of running outside, because this run on the track was hard.

On another note, lets talk equipment. As in, equipment woes. What equipment, you ask? Well, I snagged a hole in my favorite smart wool socks--and it is already dime sized on the ball of my foot. It seemed that I had a constant wedgie from my cotton undies. And well, It was hot and I was sweaty and my shorts and I were having constant disagreement. As in, I wanted them to stay around my hips, they wanted to sit up by my belly button, which help spur on the aggressiveness of previously mentioned wedgie. My clothes were sticking in uncomfortable ways and really, I just wanted to go shopping then and there for new running stuff.

Tuesday--2.5 miles (35.00 minutes)

Run? What run? How about a brisk walk that followed a brief run with my fantastic running partner? What else is there to say--at least we were moving, even if we were feeling pretty lazy.

Thursday--3.0 miles (32.30 minutes)

Barely three miles, while pushing a stroller. Not bad--I will say, though, that it is a little harder to push a stroller and run: my legs are a bit achier, my shoulders and arms get an unexpected workout, and my back is a bit more sore. But it's not bad. And there are very cute parts about pushing OG for three miles--like when she insists that I am running "too fast, mama" and at the end of my run when she gets out and runs ahead of me. It gives me a little reminder as to why I am doing this.

But, I keep questioning my ability to do this--running feels like hard work and getting four runs in a week is a challenge. And I am beginning to wonder if I am going to have to do this on my own. Eric is running into some major calendar scheduling issues with the actual marathon itself. I am not sure I can do a 20 mile training run without support. Also, because of the work that he does, his schedule is a bit hectic anyway, I am not sure that he will be able to get in the running he needs to do without sacrificing more than he already has to. How will this all work out? I don't know yet. . .But the cutoff for the beginning of training is soon--most experts agree you need at least 16 weeks to prepare for a marathon--and I am on week 3 out of 20. We'll see!

Friday--

Nope, didn't run wasn't supposed to, but learned something. I checked through my running schedule tonight and realized that I am short a mile this week. Horror! What ever shall I do? (No stress, really, but also took the time to read some great and inspirational "I am a marathoner" stuff!)

Saturday--6.00 miles (1.05.30)

Wow, I ran for 6 miles, for one whole hour. And it was rotten because my feet hurt, almost the entire time! Starting after a mile or so, I get an aching in my arches, just a "I'm tired of being used" compliant. After another mile, I get another nag at a very specific point next to my ankle. This usually lasts for the duration of my run. Usually, after I stop, my feet protest loudly about the agony that I just subjected them too. Add to that that today, Eric surprised me with a little hop across some one's lawn and across the street and that really tweaked my ankle. So it was decided that I would get new shoes!

And so it came to pass that we travelled to Gazelle Sports where the lovely and knowledgeable people there helped me find new shoes (since mine were 1 1/2 years old which is old in the running world but seems pretty short in the life span of adult clothes) and some wonderful feeling arch supports (officially called orthotics, which sounds like something old people need). I took a test run on the sidewalk outside and it was wonderful! I expected some protest from my feet, but nothing! They felt great--in fact they protested when I took them out of the shoes and put my sandals back on again.

So here's to hoping that any soreness is behind me, because honestly, if my feet hadn't of hurt like they did, I could have kept going (not that I wanted to--6 miles was a pretty good distance for today!)

Week Total--12.5 miles