Updates

Lately my blogs have only been about my last long run and talking about my upcoming marathon.  I guess that's why I have this blog, it was started to talk about my running, and since long runs and the marathon are all consuming in my head right now, that's all I'm talking about.  I totally missed talking about the trip to Leavenworth with my sister.

There is a chipmunk right next to my leg in that top left picture.

Speaking of, I totally got home that weekend and went for a run on Sunday after having been in the car for several hours.  That was a late day run of 14 miles.

 

I also didn't talk about my son turning 17, and how old I feel now.

 



I was photobombing in the top left, Damian said he didn't want
a picture with me because he always takes them with me.  I got
in it anyway.  ; )

So this last weekend I ran 17 miles on Sunday.  I am getting very freaked out by the thought that I have not followed the training plan exactly.  I have not had a mid-week long run since the beginning of August (I think).  I'm usually pretty happy to have just run 3 times in the middle of the week, but I am skipping 3-4 miles each week.  My September mileage was the most I've ever had, but it was 70 miles short of what it should have been. (Putting it in writing makes me even more scared.)

 I had on the schedule to run 12 miles last Sunday, but I decided that I took that mileage from the training that I am (supposed) to be doing which had the 12 miles as the first tapered long run but I had added a couple weeks so I could include a 24 mile run, so I should do more.  I was actually aiming for 15-16 miles, but when I got to 16 miles and realized I was a little more than a mile away from home, I decided to just continue running until I got to 17.  I felt good after that run, but it wasn't 20 miles. 

Since my 20 mile run felt so hard, I have been extremely worried about 24, much less 26.2.  I mean, I am really worried.  I don't know if I'll be able to do it.  Added to that is the problem of my feet.  I stupidly did not get new shoes when I should have and I ran 20 miles on dead shoes, which has made my feet hurt badly.  I did get new shoes a week ago, and my 17 mile run last weekend was in those, but my feet have still been bothering me. 

I have been rolling them and icing them every day but they are still sore.  At this point, though, there is no option, I am running the marathon on Oct. 25th.  I may have problems with my feet and may have to let them heal again, but I am running it.  And I am running 24 miles this weekend.  I will not feel confident at all if I don't.  Actually, I may feel even less confident than I do now after running 24 miles, but at least I will know what to expect.  Maybe I'll have to walk, oh well, I'm doing this.  And I will know after Sunday if I will need to ask for an early start (I really hope not!).  The marathon I'm doing has a cut off time of 5 hours.  I am estimating that I will be close to 4 and a half hours, but by Sunday afternoon I'll know for sure (I hope). 

I have actually not been icing them this way, it's just too cold.  I tried this last Sunday and couldn't keep my feet in the water for more than a few seconds.  I have been using a waterbottle that is frozen.