The Journey is the Reward + The Final Count-Down

Week of October 3-9, 2016, preemptively posting a day early (you know, in case I die tomorrow)

Mileage: 18.3 so far, plus 27ish tomorrow = 45.3ish with 1 pre-race tune-up workout, 2 runs with strides, and a little core work.  As the title indicates, I have thoroughly enjoyed this training block and already feel so blessed with it!  The process has been amazing, and I am ready to go see what happens, but no matter what the outcome is I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to do it all.  Definitely sending thanks up to God for these gifts He has showered down on me, and hoping that I can use running to glorify Him more every day.

Prairie Fire Marathon Expo

Albani is running the kids' marathon!

Monday - Cross-training Monday was just 60 minutes easy on the elliptical and 10 minutes of core work...no strength training allowed this week except for a little core work!  This was also the first day I had some pre-race panic set in, which is unusual for me but I credit mainly to having some extra time on my hands due to work cancellations, having conversations about pace and strategy, and thinking about how I tried to run a sub-3:00 once before and failed. 

Tuesday - 7.6 miles total (7:10) with a final tune-up workout:  2 mile warm-up, 2 mile tempo in 12:41 (6:21, 6:20 - How's that for even?  It was supposed to be at 6:30 pace, but I give myself a lot of credit for not running it at 6:00 pace!), 1 mile easy, 0.5 mile in 2:56 (goal was 3:00), 2.1 cool-down.  When going fast I could feel Sunday's 400 m repeats in my legs, especially on the inclines on the slightly rolling course, but at the same time I felt like I didn't do much - and that is how taper week should feel.  There was also some additional pre-race panic on Tuesday, this time related to getting additional information about the race's pace groups that helped me decide that I for sure wasn't going to plan on running with a group.

Wednesday - 5.3 miles base pace, with 6 strides in the last mile (7:19).  Then I looked at my training schedule and was actually supposed to do the strides on Thursday, oops!  I also did my final 5 minute core workout.  I felt confident in trying my race plan and no longer had any panic from Wednesday on.

Thursday - 3.2 miles (7:15)...threasy!  What was most exciting about this run was that after I got warmed up (which takes nearly 2 miles, haha!), running by feel my marathon goal pace was my easy pace.  Mile 3 was 6:50, then I did a couple of strides.  Then it was onto carb loading, and I was also inspired to put coffee in my oatmeal for breakfast, which only contributed to marathon mania I'm sure!

Friday - Off (i.e., 10 minutes on the elliptical followed up stretching and foam rolling).  Then working a half day and traveling to Kansas!

Saturday - 2.2 miles (7:17), with 4 strides at the end...so short, but so much better than a day off to combat sluggishness on Sunday.  The weather was perfect this morning - 42 degrees and no wind - so here's hoping for a duplication on Sunday.  We also went to the marathon expo of course. Overall I feel good and ready to go, although trying to PR - especially in something as long as 26.2 miles - is always intimidating!  The count-down to go time is on!

Sunday - To be continued!

Seriously.  I even registered months before Albani!

This was Monday and Tuesday!