Two weeks left

Week 8: 

11/9: Rest

11/10: 4 miles, speed work/hills. 37 min. Strength. 15 min 

11/11: 4 miles. Abs. 50 min ttl 

11:12: Strength (1 TM miles) - 40 min (mc fit)

11/13: Rest

11/14: 13 miles. It's complicated 

11/15: Strength 35 min

I'm pooped. 

I woke up this morning to extremely tight hamstrings, and I could picture them snapping with one wrong move. Good thing I took a rest day but some serious stretching is in order tonight. 

I didn't fit in any longer weekday runs last week. Looking back at the last couple of weeks, I don't think the added mileage was beneficial at all, not in the way I was running them anyways. I wasn't pushing myself or using the time wisely, instead just trying to bank the miles. Last week I just decided to run a couple of four milers - short but smart: they weren't spectacular or exceptionally fast but they were workouts with purpose. I felt good about the two sessions, and then added a pretty solid strength session on Thursday. Friday's are usually rest days if my long runs fall on Saturdays. 

Saturday. 

It rained.

Like, A LOT.

All. Day. Long. 

Normally for a longer run, I wake up early and try to get out the door before 8, but this time I decided there was no rush. We had no plans, there would be no break in the rain showers and it would most likely be dark-ish and colder the earlier I started. 

I let myself sleep in until 8, leisurely enjoyed my coffee and pita bread w jam and almond butter, and strolled out into the steady rain around 9:20. 

For the next two hours, I would pound the soggy pavement, step in a massive puddle, get sprayed at least four times by passing cars, and run up and down the same strip of neighborhood 3.5 times. Also, I would forget to start my garmin after a stop light, and proceed to run the next 1+ mile with the watch on pause.  

It's funny how a stupid watch and silly numbers can really mess with your mind because I almost quit after seeing that I hadn't received "credit" for miles 8.5 to 9.75. But then, how ridiculous is that. It's not like I didn't actually run those miles, I most certainly did! 

Proceeded to bust out the rest of the miles at a steady pace. There would be no fast finish: in fact, this training cycle had been filled with anything but fast anything. 

I don't know the exact time of my run since my garmin and I are not currently on speaking terms but the data suggests my pace was 9:35 overall. Decent. I'll take it given the circumstances.

Oh, and I took an immodium before I started my run. I sipped on two Gu's at miles 5 and 10 (jet blackberry, and salted watermelon) and had no water. Thirsty! I experienced very mile stomach distress about an hour or so after finishing but much more mild than usual. No other ill side effects from the run, aside from being frozen solid the rest of the day. Brrr.

Threw in one more strength circuit on Sunday. I probably should have run a few miles to shake out my legs but I just was not feeling the treadmill, and we also woke up to 37 degrees and a dusting of snow yesterday! 

One more long run left, Turkey day, and then it's race time!