Last week was all about mental barriers. There could have been a lot of excuses about why I couldn't train, and a lot of emotional crap was festering. It took a lot to get four full runs in this week, and that included stressing myself into a spiral on Saturday night...but it happened. While I felt incredibly strong on my long run on Sunday, and was surprised by my ability to maintain a pretty steady pace, my brain is having a hard time making the leap from 14 miles. I keep hitting a wall there, I push through but with a lot of talking to myself and constant prodding. I can't figure it out, but 14 continues to be where everything falls apart. I keep going, but it is slower and frustrating.
I keep thinking, maybe I am not cut out for this marathon, and then I think, that is crazy talk look how far you've come. Your 20 miler is just around the corner, gosh darn it!
Last week's training:
Monday: rest dayish
Needed it. The past weekend took a lot out of me. I got supremely antsy around 3:00pm and did a very short yoga stretch to refocus.
Tuesday: Speed workout 4.15 miles
I could have said "there isn't enough time, I am traveling this afternoon!" Instead I got myself out of bed and actually ran. Was hovering around the 9:20 pace.
Wednesday: 6:00 miles NYC-STYLE
Let's be real, I was that runner with a crazy happy smile on her face on Wednesday. It was FALL outside, and there was a crisp to the air and it wasn't humid...and I ran my little heart out in shorts and a long-sleeve shirt with thumb holes. 8:22 pace, which is honestly unheard of for me, but I think I was really revved up about heading into the office and you know, not sweating to death because of the heat.
Thursday: 4:00 miles
Took a little run to the Queensboro bridge to get some inspiration. This is going to be mile 16 and our first entrance into the City. I've been a spectator on 59th Street before and can only imagine what it is like to come off that bridge into a wall of sound. It's the part right before it gets really hard and we hit mile 20 at the end of the downhill on 1st Avenue. So I ran it a bit just to get a feel for it. 10:00 pace
Friday: rest day
So this was another travel day/rest day. Not to mention a late night celebrating our win for PR Campaign of the Year!!!!
I had a walking meeting with a supervisor so I did get to shake my legs out a bit before getting on a plane.
Saturday: cardio yoga
Traveling takes a lot out of me, and I probably could have gotten up to run with the training group....I mean I did, it was 5:00AM and the alarm went off and I thought no...sleep today. So I slept and roped Josh into a cardio yoga session instead.
Sunday: 18 miles
Convinced a friend from running group to run with me. It was cooler this morning, but by the time the sun rose it was just straight humid. There was not an ounce of breeze out there, unless a large bike group was going by. I don't think I have ever wished for a large bike group as much as I did on that run. As I said above, I hit a wall at mile 14 where it was a struggle to get myself moving. I had maintained a pretty steady pace of 10:15-10:30 throughout and each time I got myself started again I got back there. Truth I was alone for the last 12 miles since Stacey was only doing 13...and if I hadn't told the guy in front of me that I was running 18 I would have stopped at 16. I really need to get through these mental barriers.
