14 miles

So, 14 again today. My trainer told me I should run 2 minutes walk 1 this time since my legs have been dying at mile 11. So I tried to do what she said but when I'd only ran 4 miles and I had been out for an hour I had HAD it! So I just ran. I had to walk a bit. A little at like mile 11 and mile 13 and I was pretty tired at mile 13. My legs really started to hurt. Seeing as that is only half of the marathon I don't know what I am going to do on marathon day. I guess I should have stuck with what she said to see how it turned out I just couldn't do it.

I fueled better today. I ate oatmeal and toast for breakfast and I think that helped. I also had rested legs from not running so much this week. I just hope it all comes together marathon day.

Eating my way through a marathon??

Yeah, that's right! I think I'm going to eat my way through this thing! I was much more conscious about fueling this time because last week my stomach was growling! How can I be running when I'm so hungry? So I took 1/2 a bagel with me and a cliff bar along with my gels and energy drinks. I snacked on them on and off while I ran and it helped a lot. I felt a little silly but my tummy was happy.

I snapped this picture of myself. This was on mile 8 and I look a lot happier then I feel. It was wet and cold and rainy and when I looped around and stopped at my house I had to change my clothes into dry warmer ones. It was really hard to leave the house. I wanted to stay home! I thought that this would be easier after 22 miles but it was, for lack of better words, horrible. Just like last time my legs just died after 11.5 miles. Being out of breath and the cardio workout of it all doesn't bother me, I could go for ever. But my legs kill. It gets so painful just to put one in front of the other. Walking hurts worse then running. I am confident I can finish this race but it is going to be SLOW and PAINFUL!

My son snapped this one of me right before I ran up and changed.

22 really long miles!!!!!

Before the 22 miles... feeling good and feeling excited. I was really ready to do this run and get it behind me. The after picture would have been a lot uglier! 22 is a long ways!

Oh my. That was hard! Things went awesome until about mile 11 and then it got really tough. I ran the first mile straight and then I ran 5 and walked 1 until mile 8 and I ran 4 walked 1. Maybe I should have started running 4 in the beginning, maybe I pushed myself too hard at first. The last 6 were really hard I could barely move my legs. By mile 16 my stomach was literally growling so maybe I should have eaten a power bar or something. So many maybe's I'm not sure what would have made this easier for me. I walked the last 2 miles and limped into the house nearly 5 long hours after I left. The time did include all my bathroom breaks including one to my house where I discovered my children were alone so I stayed until the babysitter returned so that did take longer then planned. Initially I wanted my marathon goal to be under 5 hours but I think its now under 6. Its a really long ways! I'm glad it is over :P

Oh the difference sleep makes :)

So, I've quite literally ran myself into the ground. I could feel I was on the brink of disaster and just throwing the towel in all together. It wasn't like I didn't feel like I could do it I just didn't want to anymore. I did not want to run anymore, period. So, I stopped working out in the mornings. I decided that if I couldn't fit the run into the afternoon I just wasn't going to run. I only missed one run and I think that it was okay. It took a week but finally by Sunday I finally caught up on my sleep. I didn't realize I was so tired until I wasn't tired anymore. I feel awesome. Life is just better right now. Everything is better when your not exhausted.

So I only had to run 6 Saturday and it went okay. This next Saturday is the 22 miler. I'm not really scared, I know I can do it and I just want it to be over!!! I'm ready for this thing. I just now feel like I can do this. I will actually run this marathon!!!