26 miles at 26!

WEEK 5:

I had an epiphany this week, albeit a very dumb one. I will be running 26 miles and will be 26 years old during the Albany marathon. 26 is quickly turning into my lucky number. I may actually be 26.2 years old on race day, but that math is too complicated for me to comprehend after running my long run. I could run each mile of my race for each year that I've lived! haha! Nah, I'll just run. So, it is week 5, a crazy mixed-up week. This week is the Clemson Down's Forget Me Not 5k on Saturday. This will be my sprint day. So, I've got a tempo and long day to get in.......to make a long story very short and not to bore everyone that much more......I may have to skip completing the EXACT workout! Yes, I did just say that I would diverge and take the road less traveled........or maybe more traveled,? when you are training for a marathon and trying to live life and get your workouts in.... BUT, i'm actually okay with this. I refuse to run 2 days in a row. AND, I refuse to run 20 miles, then take one day off, then run 18. And, with work, I don't think I will have the time this week to get the complete 18 miler in. BUT, here is another epiphany! THIS IS OKAY! I like to think that as I mature I get smarter with my training :) If you miss a workout, you don't get to make it up! Why kill myself by running 18 miles and dig a hole? If I can get a quick 12/13 in at the given pace, this is perfectly fine. I am hopeful that on week 6 I will be back to my normal schedule. No digging holes unless I'm planting a garden.

11/30: LONG RUN SHORT- Beautiful day! POURING RAIN, chilly morning, with fog, AWESOME! It may be like this on marathon day! I am still sore from the 20 miler on Sunday, a good sore, particular at the hamstrings. Instead of tempo, I opted to do a run on how I felt, staring at my Garmin in the pouring rain trying to hit 7:35 splits with a non water proof watch wasn't going to happen today :O. So, off I went, i-phone 4 double zip-locked bagged jammin' to some One Republic and Lady Gaga for 8 miles. I felt significantly looser then when I started and did a good deal of stretching post run. I'm actually considering running the tempo tomorrow! I KNOW, 2 days of running in a row? Maybe so.....after all, i'm a girl and allowed to change my mind at any time! I can always justify my reasons, but will spare you my tangled thoughts that are in my head.

DISTANCE: 8 miles

Avg. pace: 8:49

Avg. HR 153

12/1 TEMPO: Goal 2 miles easy, 3 @ 7:35, 1 mile easy. I remember when I would run a 5k RACE at this pace, now it has become my tempo pace. This is still quite odd for me to fathom. Today was cold with strong, blustery winds. D and I had a nice tailwind for the first tempo mile, but on the turn back, we were faced with a wall of wind that adamantly wanted to see my hat fly like a kite in the sky. Luckily, my visor did not set sail and I managed to hit my paces even in the wind. 2 rest days now before the Clemson Downs Forget Me Not 5k.

DISTANCE: 6.5 miles

Avg. Tempo: 7:27

Avg. HR: 163

12/4 SPRINT DAY, CLEMSON DOWNS 5k! Fun day for an even better cause: ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH! 0645 departure from restaurant with my neighbors and momma! This is my mom's first 5k in 30 years!! Her goal is 45min! This is a very hilly course right on campus where I work at Clemson Downs. It is my 2nd home so I easily navigate thru my warm-up and potty breaks, etc. Home course advantage does help. The course is 2 miles of flat/down and a punishing last uphill mile with "GOT HILLS?" painted on the road. My run plan dictates 1 mile repeats today at a 7:02 with 1 min. rest in between......well, i didn't get to rest during the race OR enjoy the hot chocolate aide stations, but I did have an awesome run!

Distance: 3 miles (it was a little short of a true 5k)

Avg. pace: 6:51

Avg. HR: 169

AND, bigger news! My mom went 34:58 and won her age group with ease! GO MOMMA!

AND, a 95 year old woman completed the entire 5k, hills included!! :)