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One week out. Monumental. Ready or not.

Yesterday I ran 13.1 miles. Half the distance of what I’ll run this coming Saturday at the Monumental

I didn’t do a long run last weekend because the Tuesday 20 mile stroller run kind of threw everything off. My legs were still a little tired Saturday and I figured I’d chill instead of put long miles on my tired legs two weeks before the marathon. So Glenn and I just did 7 that day and I never made time during the week to knock out a longish run.

So this weekend, one week out, I knew I needed to do anywhere between 10-14. (There has been no scientific or specific plan here. Glenn cringes just thinking about the sporadic, random plan or lack there of a plan I’ve been doing the past 11 weeks) I plan what I am going to run day by day always knowing that I’ll do a long on Saturdays or whenever I can fit them in for that matter. (apparently that sometimes ends up being a Tuesday)

Before I headed out, I thought I’d do 12, but early on in the run I decided to do 13.1. Half the distance. No real significance there, just wanted to tackle half. Ideally, I’d love to PR, but like I’ve said before, I absolutely don’t have the training in to realistically do that (unless I’m feeling amazing on Saturday).

I do think I can run the marathon around 8 minute pace and see how I feel around mile 16 or so. I SHOULD have probably ran my 13 around 8:30 pace, instead of my projected race pace, but I felt comfortable at 8 minutes and decided to stick to that. (the dang watch kept me obsessing!). My pace varied between 7:52 for my fastest split and 8:15 for my slowest, but for the most part I kept it pretty controlled and even and ended up with an average split of 8:03.

I think I should be happy to keep that pace for 26.2 on Saturday, and I know my 26.2 self all too well. 

This is how things could play out: 

  • Go out around 8 min mile. Speed up too soon– Make sure I DON’T speed up too soon.
  • Freak out around mile 4-5 thinking what the hell am I doing. (this happens every single marathon for me)  I think- Why did I really chose to wake up at an insane hour on a Saturday to put myself through 26 miles? My normal friends are sleeping, or enjoying breakfast in their jammies.
  • Start feeling great around miles 8-14 – this is where I ALWAYS speed up and run way too fast to even think about having a negative split. I won’t do that on Saturday. I won’t let it happen.
  • Make it to Mile 16. Hello Mile 16. Mile 16 is a friend because you’ve made it pretty far, but man those last 10 miles are nothing like the first 10. As soon as you cross 16- you are technically in single digits, less than 10… almost.
  • Mental battles are fair game anytime after the beautiful mile 16. We hope and pray they don’t happen until way after mile 20. But you just never know. I won’t let them creep in this early on Saturday. No way.
  • Miles  23-26, just keep running. Head down. Push. It hurts. Go anyway. Never Walk. I never have, I never will. (although I did quite the shuffle during Chicago, 2010)
  • The whole race – remind myself how amazing the finish of ANY marathon is, not matter how fast or slow, how great or terrible you feel during the race. Finishing a marathon is makes you feel strong, and when you feel strong, life is just better.
So here I’m saying it, because weather you believe it or not, when you say it out loud, you are holding yourself more accountable to attain your goals. My goal for Saturday is 3:30. 

While I’m doing my 26.2 thing, Glenn will be doing his 13.1 thing. He ran a 1:24 at the mini this year and would like to do a 1:20 on Saturday. The weather will be in his favor for this one, seeing as how it was crazy hot and humid at the mini this year. He’ll be finishing and I’ll be a measly 10 miles into my journey. 
I have requested that he check in on me at some point later in the race to see if I need a good ass kicking. I’m thinking I might see him around mile 22 or so. 
In other news, my sister Ericka finished her 6th marathon today– she ran a negative split, PRed by 13 minutes and broke her goal of 4 hours, running a 3:58:26. I am so proud of her for this. I tracked her all morning (checked my phone 25 times for updates during church… oops)- she ran such a perfectly paced race, it was incredible- I only wish I could have been there for it.
And now, I’m the only adult in this house- (and it’s actually surprisingly peaceful) Glenn is football and beering at a friends, my other sister Shelby is learning how to shoot a gun at the shooting range with her husband and here I am with Marshall and my niece, Giovanna. They both just woke up in time for me to finish this up. Now we’ll go for a walk with big C. Marshall in front pack, G in stroller, Cadence on leash. #SundayLove


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