Five weeks and counting.

Well it's been a couple weeks or so since my last post, I suppose it is time for an update.

Five weeks and counting until my first marathon attempt. I am both excited and nervous. Ordinarily five weeks would seem far off, but I know it's just around the corner and it will get here fast. I am nervouse because I feel like I have put a lot of training into this one day, I hope it goes well. I guess I shouldn't worry too much about it and I should just try to enjoy life.

Last week I was pretty worried because my longest training run is "only" 20 miles and I was thinking how in the world can I run 26.2 miles on race day when I have only run 20 miles. I've read a lot about it and every training program I found had the longest run of 20 miles. The theory is that a couple of weeks before the race you start to taper off and run less miles each week. This way you will be well rested come race day and that, along with some adreline, is suppose to push you the extra 6.2 miles. Sounds good in theory but does it work?

Well last week I had a chance to put it to the test, sort of. I was feeling sick and so I skipped my normal Thursday & Friday runs, and skipped my Wednesday and Saturday cross training. Then I got up Sunday to do a 17 mile long run. I had the best long run. I couldn't help but think there must be something to this tapering. That Sunday I couldn't wait to get up and get moving again.

Today's long run of 20 miles didn't go as well as I would have liked. My goal was to complete the 20 miles in about 3hrs 11 minutes. I got to my 10 mile turn around point right on pace but I just wasn't feeling it. By the time I got to mile 16, I was struggling. The last couple of miles it was all I could do to keep going but I did. I finished about 6 minutes behind my goal time, which isn't all that bad considering a 20 mile run.

On my way back home I was thinking about what went "wrong", why was it so tough? What did this mean for my marathon goal time? I was starting to think I had failed some how. The more I though about it the more I realized that I hadn't failed, I couldn't fail...it was a TRAINING run. We're talking about practice. Suddenly I become thankful for the struggle because I can look at it and figure out how to improve. I can tell you that I didn't eat very well the day before my run. I also put more up more miles this week (35) then I had any other week, and on my shorter runs I pushed myself pretty hard. It's no wonder that miles 32-35 this week were tough.

I am reading this book about Ultra-marathoners, these people that run races around 100 miles. One women was talking about the struggle of training runs (which makes 20 miles seem like a jog in the park) and she said she enjoys the struggle because each time she fights "the beast" she is better able to handle it. So I should be glad that today's run was tough because I came out on the other side. (Of course that's were my car was parked so I had to get there eventually)

So what I learned this week is that some runs feel better than others, but they are all good because each one makes me stronger, both physically and mentally. I guess life is like that as well, we have highs and lows but there is always something to be learned. I tell you what, I will appreciate those faster long runs now.

I have another 20 mile training run scheduled in two weeks, it will be last one. (I moved it from Sunday to Saturday because of Christmas) I hope to make it a good one.