Since the half marathon, I have been running a little less and taking it a little easier on my body as advised from our "coach". But now with only 8 weeks to go, I am into the heart and soul of my training. The good news - its really on 6 weeks left of intense running because the last 2 weeks leading up to the marathon, I taper off my runs in order to allow the body to recover and be ready for race day. The bad news or more like the scary news is that the next 6 weeks are going to prove to be very mentally and physically demanding. This Saturday is a 16 mile run and although I think I can handle this, the upcoming weeks move up to 18 miles and then the dreaded 20 miles!! I am trying not to think about it but sometimes I just can't help it. When I think about what is ahead, I usually start off thinking about all I have achieved already but then the fear sets in... I have many thoughts about the weeks to come. The time commitment, the toll all of this running is going to continue to take on my body (oh the blisters are so pretty), how I will juggle all of this running and still be fresh at work and also still be able to give time to my #1 commitment, my marriage.
On another note, I feel a little frustrated today. This humidity is bothersome. I went for a run today and it was just so thick outside, I felt like I could hardly breathe. I dripped of sweat and also my ipod kept repeating songs for some reason so lets just say the run was less than enjoyable. But I did it and its done but I have to say I am not happy and these runs during the week have not been anything that I am looking forward to. Lately it feels more like a job requirement rather than something I am doing for pure passion. The long runs have been different thus far. I mentally prepare for them and to me it is very exciting to see just how far I can push myself. Maybe I have been focusing too much on the long runs and not enough on those that come during week. Because after all, the runs during the week are what is helping me get through those 12 and 14 mile runs on weekends! I have to remember to appreciate each day that I am able to move forward, figuratively and literally.
I guess all runners have a combination of good and bad runs. The good ones are sometimes so great that sometimes I feel as though I could run forever. The bad ones sometimes make me want to hang up the sneakers and walk the other way.
One of the good ones happened this passed weekend:
~ Every year my husband and I as well as some friends go down to Delaware for the Dogfish Dash. We usually make a weekend of it and always have a blast. The Dash is a 5k and 10k race. This year I ran the 5k and got a new PR - 27:15! I ran the race with ease and the hills were no match for me! I pushed it the entire time and was so excited to see my time. Let's just say that was one of my good runs that I will be remembering for a while. I suppose if they all were this great, where would the challenge be?
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