Week 9

9weeks down, I made it through the half way mark. This was a great week to have a recovery week. I felt nice and relaxed all week and my 11 mile run today was fabulous. I did 4 with Josie and she was great and then I dropped her off and finished with 7 more at an 8:30 pace. I felt really good. It was nighttime so I was surpirsed that I enjoyed it so much. A Bear had to work and so it didn't work out for me to go until late but I felt really good and had no stomach problems. I went on a little different route and I liked switching things up a bit and staying closer to the house. It was dark and cold when I got back but it was a good run. I really enjoyed this distance, its funny that I could feel so comfortable at such a long run in such a short amount of time. I didn't have any leg cramping and didn't have any soreness after. This run brought my weekly total to 27 and I ran all 5 days, good for me! Now I just have that 17 mile run coming up next week hanging over me.

Running Christmas

Merry Christmas! And what a running Christmas this was for me. Not only did I do a slow 3 mile run this morning, I got just about all running presents. I guess this is what happens while you are training for a marathon. My parents got me running shoes and socks, A Bear got me a water bottle, Itunes card for new music to listen to while I run, a beautiful jogging stroller to take Baby C with me running, and my in laws got me some running clothes to make it through these cold winter months. I love every, single thing that I got and can't wait to try it all out. Of course I need it to warm up before I can take this little guy out in the cold but my new running clothes work great and are keeping me toasty warm. I just need hat and gloves now I think and I will be set...but I can wait. I can't believe its Christmas already, I remember thinking if I can make it through Christmas training for this marathon then I can make it to the end. Tomorrow is my half way mark run so if I can make it those 11 miles then I think I can make it to the end of my training, at least that is what I keep telling myself. :)

Christmas Slump

I have felt so slow this week. Not to mention the unusual cold weather and SNOW we got there this week. I have felt better than last week though. Its funny because I felt like my legs never recovered at all last week and were still tired for my Saturday run and then this week they have felt better even though I ran farther. Its kinda weird but I have needed my legs since we have been so busy with all our Christmas stuff. I do feel like all the ice cream, cookies, and goodies have caught up to me on my runs. I have been slow but that's okay because this is what a recovery week is for. Josie has been kinda sluggish too and especially interested in all the trash on the ground and trying to slide on the ice.

I did do a 4 mile tempo run on Tuesday and felt great. I kept a little over an 8 min./mile pace the whole run and felt really good. Its funny how much faster I am without Josie and also how much faster I felt like I got finished eventhough I only finished a few minutes before I normally would. It has been nice to sleep in a little also since A Bear took time off work for Christmas.

Week 8

So I finished out my 8th week of training today with a 15 mile run. I ended up finishing with an 8:37 min/mile pace overall. I could tell that I had started out fast. Josie was in great shape and didn't slow me down one bit. She was actually pulling me along for part of the time. We tried out a new route today and it took us through a new neighborhood. I really liked it and liked trying out something new. The only thing about changing up my routine is that then I don't know my mile markers. But I had a great run and I felt really good. I knew at the end that I still had more in me. I was tired and my legs were definitely tired the rest of the day but I had fun. I was going to meet up with some women to run but I ended up getting a late start and so I did it by myself. I do okay by myself, I don't really mind it. I just think about what I need to do and listen to my music and focus on the run. Its kind of nice to take a break from everything else going on.

So today brought my weekly total up to 29 miles. 29 miles in 4 days, that just sounds like so much to me. I am looking forward to this week. It is a recovery week and I can tell that my legs could use some recovery time. My knee has been kind of hurting when I get back from my runs. It doesn't hurt while I am running but is bothering me after I get back. I should probably start icing it. I didn't have any power bars or anything today when I went out so I packed some dried blueberries and snacked on them along the way. I think it worked out okay but I want to try out some different stuff to see what I like the best. Well this finishes up 8 weeks of training. 10 more to go!

Forget Friday

So I have been having the hardest time getting myself motivated to run on Fridays lately. Friday morning comes and I convince myself that I will work out later. But then later never comes. I end up never doing anything. Its been fine since I have been doing long runs on Saturday and its kinda nice to rest my legs the day before but I know I need to get out and do my quick 3 mile run those days. Next week, I'm committing myself to doing my whole training schedule as it says. All the days. I can do it.

Feeling the burn

I went out for a slow 4 mile run this morning and I am feeling the burn from my 14 mile run on Saturday (Not to mention the all day shopping and busy night). My hamstrings are bearing the burden. I kept a slow pace the whole time but made it through. My running partner was a little distracted, its trash day, but she was in much better shape than me! Here's hoping I can spend some time streching out today because I need my legs.

Week 7

So another week has come to a close and today I finished it with a 14 mile run. Wow, 14 miles, that is the longest I have ever run in my life. It was a long ways but I felt surprising good. I thought I was keeping pretty good pace but I think I only ended up with a little under 9 min./mile pace. It was a cool day but not too cold so that was nice and the wind wasn't too bad. I also got to do a little bit of some hills so that was good too. I ran about 4.5 miles with my running partner and she did great and then finished the rest alone. I took half of a Clif bar with me and munched on it thoughout the run and that worked out good. I had a lot of fun running and was excited when I made it back. Today's run brought my week total to 28 miles. 4 Days of running, 28 miles so that is a lot for me. I'm excited because I have found lots of people training for this marathon or the half marathon so it should be fun! These long runs really give me motivation and encouragement that I can do this. My right knee cramped up a little after I stopped to drink some water but it went away, but other than that I seem to be staying pretty injury free. I am going to try and do some more streching so that I make sure and stay nice and limber. :)

Speed Work

So now that I am down to my final twelve weeks of training I am dedicated to do one day of speed work each week. Now I don't dislike speed work necessarily, but it does require a bit more work. I don't really feel like making the drive up the track super early before school begins and I don't have access to a treadmill so it makes it a little hard but I do think that it makes a big difference. I did it with my last half marathon and felt really good. Today I did 4 1 mile runs at about an 8 min. pace with a .25 mile recovery in between. I really felt good at the pace. I started to feel tired on that last mile but pushed it to the end. I actually went to the gym with A Bear this morning so that was nice to have the treadmill. It was also fun to watch the hubby working it out. Plus it is so darn cold right now! I am so excited because I got some new winter running clothes and I can't wait to wear them. I feel like this is going to be such a running Christmas for me. :) I guess training for a marathon will do that to you.

Red Face

That's what I had when I got back from my 5 mile run this morning, a bright red, COLD face. The wind has really picked up and when I was watching the news this morning it talked about teen temperatures early this morning. I sure hope the Texas sun decides to come back out and play or this could be a long winter of training. I tried to keep track of my pace some this morning and I guess I don't know my mile markers very well because I would do an 8 min. mile then a ten and I don't think my pace was changing that much. The cold weather doesn't seem to bother my training partner one bit, she was made for this wind. :)
Baby C has been waking up several times a night lately making for one tired mama in the morning. Yesterday I slept in and cross trained instead of running and today I was tempted to just stay in bed again. But I just keep reminding myself that its just 12 weeks until the race, I can do 12 weeks. And as usual, now that I have Wednesday out of the way I feel good about the rest of the week. I was supposed to run 6 today but its so hard to come up with 6 miles in my neighborhood...
My right thigh has been cramping up some when I start running and my left knee as well at the beginning. I hope that it turns into nothing.

End of Recovery

So my recovery week ended yesterday and it was so nice to just feel like I was relaxing on my long run. I actually said outloud the words to A Bear, "oh well I'm only going 9 miles today." I mean who says that? Only 9 miles, who do I think I am? It was a nice run and I did it at a 9min./mile pace about. Josie ran the first 3.5 miles with me and she was a great runner. She didn't try and run out into the street once but she was a little disappointed when she went to frolic in her favorite puddles and they had a thin layer of ice over them.
So for the week I did 19 miles which is my lowest yet but I did miss a run this week. I feel much better though than I did after doing 27 last week. The cold weather hasn't bothered me TOO much. I feel like I am prepared for it and really bundle up but it is harder to get out of my cozy bed in the morning. Especially on those days that I have a snuggly infant who feel asleep eating in my arms. So now I've made it to my final 12 weeks, I can't believe it, 6 weeks down!

Brr...

The cold weather has made its debut and it is fierce. I can't believe how cold it has gotten in just a few days. We even got some snow on Wednesday morning. It came right as A Bear was leaving for work but I couldn't help but think how much it would be to go running in the snow in Texas! The cold weather with the wind and rain has kept me from running for the past two days and I am missing it but also enjoying the lazy mornings in my pajamas with baby C. But I have gotten out my heavy gloves and I am ready to do some serious layering and put my cold weather pants to the test and get out there. With this cold weather it makes me seriously question my decision to run a marathon in February when I don't have access to a treadmill but it will just take more will power. This is a recovery week for my training and so it was a good week to be introduced to the cold. My Christmas wish list includes lots of running clothes, running shoes, and running accessories. Here's to cold weather running.