crappy week!

Last week was the worst week so far of marathon training. I HATE the taper. It seems like it would be easy since it's low mileage but I made some huge mistakes. Because the runs were not very long, I allowed myself to be flexible and run at random times instead of USUAL times. Well for two very important runs, I waited too long and it rained. Now I can usually run in the rain but I do not have sidewalks to run on. I have the street right by fast zooming cars! So I get kind of scared running in a storm. Also Jeremy had to work late one night and I did not have enough day light. I have beat myself up over and over again for not getting all of my miles in. I know i will be fine because it's not going to hurt my marathon. If anything, my legs are getting the rest they need. But it really weighed on my spirit.

Marathon training is hard. It's extremely hard as a mother of three small children and a mom who homeschools and husband does not get home early and leaves early. No excuses but this is why I constantly tell my friends interested in becoming a runner that IT MUST BE YOUR PASSION or things will always get in the way and your training will never happen.

This week is a 3, 4, 2 and 26.2 mile week! Chicago here we come!

4 Tuesday

At this point I don't have a lot to say about the runs I am doing. I am just ready for the marathon to be here!

I ran a great 4!

10 not 12

My last long run before marathon was supposed to be a 12 miler but i ran with Jeremy and ran too fast and too many hills and it was dark! I couldn't see anything so we stopped at ten miles.

So it was not a good run at all!

To be expected! I think most of us struggle with that dang 12 miler. LETS JUST GET TO THE 26.2!

This week is 4, 6, 4, 8. (I think.) I need to double check.

Chicago is 12 days!

8 miles and 700 so far this year!

8 miles last night. Incredible weather!! I am experiencing some of the "phantom pains". I never felt one single bit of pain in the 20 miler and the 8 miler I felt it. Too be expected!

Ready for the marathon to get here!

Oh and I am now at 700 miles so far this year!! WOO HOO!

week 16- 5 miles

Last night I ran 5 in the pouring rain. It was incredible! LOVED IT!

Tonight it's an 8 miler, tomorrow a 4 miler and Saturday is 12! The taper is here!!!

I've got my race plan all figured out and I am so excited!

20

The 20 miler was incredible!

My body has been running in 95 degree heat or hotter for four months and today I felt like I took off a fur coat and ran like I was born to!

My last marathon was 4:55 and I would really like to get 4:30 at this one. If I run how I did today, I should be able to do it no problem. Maybe better!

Very excited! 3 weeks to go!

5

A wonderful 5 miles in my marathon clothes! Excited to finally know what I will be wearing. I've become very fond of certain shorts and tops and learned a lot about what to wear and not wear in the marathon.

Looking forward to the 20 miler on Saturday!

23 days and 22 hrs!

5 and 10

This week I have a meeting on a night I usually run so I've had to switch out my running days to Mon, tues, wed. It actually works great because after i run 5 tomorrow, my legs can rest up until Saturday's 20 miler.

We finally have a break in the hot weather! The highs have been in the 80's instead of 100! I had forgotten how much easier it is to run in cooler temps. It's not near as taxing on the body. This gets me really excited about the Fall air in Chicago!

5 on Monday night was great. Then 10 yesterday morning. It was cloudy and breezy. Ahhhhh!

I can't believe the marathon is in 25 days!

9 out of 14 (Friday)

Last week was the hardest week of training because of many things on the calendar. We had so much to do for the children's ministry kick off and Jeremy was out of town. Before he left town, I got up extra early Friday morning to run the 14 miler but was stopped at 9 because of the rain. Running in rain is actually great but it began to rain so hard that my feet were getting blisters from being so wet and my ipod was dripping wet. I had planned to finish and do 5 more over the weekend but never found any time to do it.

This week is peak of training! It's a 40 mile week!

5, 10, 5, 20!

Pray for my legs, feet and health!

5

Ran 5 last night and it was much cooler! Great run amd felt really good!

9

I ran 9 yesterday afternoon and again it was too hot! yuck!

The middle of the week long run is a killer! It's not the distance, it's fitting it in!

Tonight is 5 and then I will do my long run tomorrow morning.

Saturday I will do 5 and be all caught up!

18 Saturday

It was an incredible 18 miler! Naomi joined me for 5 miles and she did AMAZING!

Chipped some time off each mile! Very excited!

Week 14 is here! 5, 9, 5, 14!

5 (Thursday)

5 miles done!

9

It's not the distance so much, it's the fact that fitting nine miles in the middle of the week is very difficult. Last night as I ran I kept thinking about my last marathon and how cold it was on my nine mile run. Instead of it being cold, it was hot. I keep thinking when I get to Chicago and experience cooler weather, i will be able to run like the wind! SURELY!

Tonight is a 5 miler than Saturday is 18. I can't believe the marathon is almost here!

4

I can't believe I'm 39 days away from the marathon! WOW!

Ran 4 this afternoon and while it was very hot, it was NOT triple digit! Finally! Tomorrow is a 9 miler. It's a run that is hard to fit into schedule but worth it!

12 (Saturday)

I missed a 5 miler last week but did get the long run of 12 in. Saturday morning actually felt cool. It was 70 degrees! Quickly it reached 99 degrees! But for a Texan, 70 degrees is the beginning of something special!

This week is 4, 9, 5, 18. The nine miler is hard to get in but praying God sends some help with my kiddos!

8

I did 8 this morning but didn't leave until almost 10:30am. WAY TOO HOT!

Tuesday 4

It was a little cooler! I will take 95 over 100 anyday!!

16

I had a great 16 miler this morning! My friend Naomi joined me on the bike! It was so nice to not be alone in the dark at 6am this morning!

Finally there was a breeze in texas!!!

I missed a 4 miler this week because of our schedule but i'm not making it up. Got the big ones in this week and that is more important than me trying to cram in my miles in 100 degree heat!

Goodbye week 11!

8

This morning the babysitter couldn't get here until almost 10am and by 10am it's already blazing hot!

I can honestly say that today was the worst run to date!

But, I did it!

4 tomorrow!