Yoga Pants Life

**I just posted and re-read my entry. This is probably one of the most choppy, shittastic things I’ve published on this blog. I’m tired, cranky and just need to have a record of my runs. Clearly, I won’t be winning any writing awards anytime in the near future. I’ll survive.

‘Sup, my people? (take a moment to appreciate my horrendous blog intro.) You guys!! It’s week 3 of marathon training. WEEK-FREAKING-THREE!!!! I’m honestly not sure how that happened. At this rate, the marathon will be here in a month (dear God, please, no!)

I’m pretty sure my last craptastic blog left off with me contemplating a treadmill run to test out my new shoes. I wasn’t sure what to expect or what I was capable of that day, it went great and that’s all I could have asked for. I did an brief interval workout (run at 6.0 mph for one minute, walk one minute, run at 6.1 for a minute, walk a minute – up to 7.0 mph.) I definitely felt like I could have gone faster and longer, but it was my first day back from injury numero dos and I didn’t want to push it.

There was a massive wildfire here last week (well, it’s still going, but it’s contained and the air feels normal – I run about 10 miles away from the fire) and between the poor air quality and heat, I knew running outside was a bad idea. I didn’t want to lose more time and training than I already had, so it was back to the treadmill for me. I ended up running at a 5.5 mph pace for three minutes, walking for one and repeating that for about 40 minutes. It was a very slow and comfortable pace that I knew I could hold. I’m not a treadmill runner and I find it ten times harder than running outdoors – I knew that holding that pace during longer intervals wasn’t going to happen….Until it did on Sunday.

(This is what it looked like at the halfway point of my long-run route at approximately 6:30 pm – not a cloud in the sky – all smoke)

Sunday’s treadmill run was uncharted territory for me and it gave me confidence I didn’t know I had. I ran a full mile without stopping (basic for a runner, I know, but seriously, I get a mental block on the treadmill and can never seem to go for more than a few minutes without walking) walked for two minutes then ran another mile without stopping. I kept my pace between 5.0-5.5 mph which felt slow, but I knew I needed to go slow if I wanted to finish the full mile. The second mile was torture, but it was ALL mental (seriously, this workout was 98% mental, 2% physical effort.) I did my best to zone out to Footloose and Turn Down for What and forget about how much I had left. Once that was done, I did reverse intervals –  one minue at 7.0 mph, walk a minute – all the way down to 6.0 miles for a total approaching 4 miles total.

(the starting point of my long run route at 6:00 pm – about 10 miles from the fire – the land adjacent to the freeway was smoldering when I drove to work earlier that day)

Again, I’m sure anyone reading this will be all ‘uh, you’re training for a marathon, running a mile should be a cake walk’ and you’re right…the thing is,  I can run short speed intervals all the live-long day on the dreadmill, but distance? No way. I always get discouraged when I try to go more than a few minutes at a time running on the treadmill, so I generally avoid it unless I’m desperate. I think the treadmill will play a role in this training cycle, and I’m hoping to keep treadmill runs to once a week at the most, but it’s so awesome knowing that it’s an option I can take advantage of and that it’s great for the mental/emotional training.

Despite all the injury hoopla of the past month, I still managed to get three runs in last week and I’m stoked about that. I didn’t get to my long run last week, but I’m trying not to stress about it. It’s early on in the training cycle and I’m on track to rock it this week. I’m not too worried (yet.)

This week has been good so far. I’ve swapped my evening runs for lunchtime runs, which, I don’t love…but I didn’t want to give myself the option of backing out in the evenings (I’ve been sleeping about 4-5 hours a night for a week now, I’m exhausted and don’t want to do anything after work…other than veg out.) I don’t like coming back to work feeling grungy (I’m sure my coworkers are THRILLED) but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I can deal with waiting a few hours to shower if it means I get my runs in. Also? As much as it sucks running in midday heat with the sun pounding on you, it’s great for training. Sometimes the Chicago Marathon can be scorching hot  – I’d rather train in realistic race-day weather (as much as it sucks when you feel like you’re melting.)

I have 6 miles on the schedule for my long run this week, but I’m gunning for 7-8 since that’s what I was supposed to do last week. I’m not sure if I’ll run it Friday, Saturday or Sunday (I like to keep all my options open, just in case) but I’m ready to take it on. Oh! that reminds me – no dairy for the next few days. 😦

So, there’s my super-exciting training updates (that I’m sure are boring as eff for anyone but me.) I can do this…right?

(You no worry – Feeder lady puts us to sleepies too, with all her running mumbo-jumbo)

Oh!!! I booked my flight to Chicago this week. There really is no backing out now. Gulp!