This Training Cycle...

I am randomly overcome with anxiety and fear and doubt...Like, at some points of the day I'm like OMG I AM SO READY THIS IS IT!!!! and then five minutes later I'm all this is a mistake, I have no business running another marathon!

I must be tapering.

I know the best way to set my mind at ease is to reflect on my training. I know I had a really good training cycle this time around, and I need to trust in the training and believe in my ability.

August. After taking literally all of July off (I think I ran a total of two miles), I struggled a little. I was preparing to go back to school and it was brutally hot. But, this training month showed me that I could persevere and go from 0-to-training if I really wanted to.

August

September. Most of this month was awful. Archie's sudden death (ugh, it still feels like a punch in the gut to write that) derailed my training. I took it easy on myself, but this was the one time during the cycle that I really thought I might not really train fully...

September

October. Luckily, the emotional turmoil of September forced me to get real in October. Completing the virtual Runner's World Festival hat trick and running the Sanibel 10k really helped. I had my first 100-mile month ever, and that boosted my confidence like crazy. I surprised myself. I trained better than I knew I could.

On race day, I need to remember October. It really showed me what I'm capable of.

October

November. Not only did I complete two 18-milers (one was actually at the end of October but I'm counting it as November) and a 20-miler, but I did two of those three super-long-runs alone. I'd never done a training run farther than 15 totally alone. I can't doubt myself, because now I know that I really can depend on myself fully, and no one else, to get me to the finish line.

November

Another perk of those long runs is that I've been training on repetitive, fairly boring roads, so the repetitive nature of the race course may be hard, but I'm ready for it. I have multiple podcasts lined up  to keep me occupied! I used to struggle with quiet, neighborhood races (it's why I no longer run one of the most popular half marathons near me), but this time I know what it takes to finish a marathon and pass the same landmark multiple times.

Megan, thank you for helping me see the positive side of this potential challenge!!

December. I've actually been smart about taper. I didn't just stop running after my 20-miler, and I got another long run in. I've somehow avoided getting sick or injured. My legs may feel weird these days and I'm ridiculously tired, but I know it's got to be mental and I'm physically ready for race day.

December - Race day is December 13!

Looking back, I know this was a good training cycle. I could have done more speed work and been better about cross-training, but I couldn't have done better with the mileage. For where I was at, I think I did a stellar job, and I need to trust in the training and in myself!

ABK

Something True

I like to invite friends to my races, but I usually invite them in a totally ironic way. Look, I know spectating isn't really fun for most people, so I don't actually expect people to come watch. I especially don't expect people to come wait for my to run a race that will take 5 hours!

Once I invite people, if they agree to come cheer, I usually try to dissuade them after the fact.

So one of the things I'm most nervous for this weekend has very little to do with the race...it has to do with my buddies! I can't help feeling like it's selfish to ask people to hang out on the course to cheer me on...and I hate to think of people waiting at the finish line for me! I'm nervous to let people down by taking "too long"!

I am overjoyed that Megan and Kristina will both be running the half, and I can't wait to see them, but I already feel really guilty about cramping their style because I'll still be running hours after they finish!

Kristin is tentatively planning to come spectate, and I've tried to talk her out of it because she drove all the way to Space Coast last year with her daughter and I feel like that's more than enough, but she seems to want to come!

Kristin and Claire drove hours to come see me race, stayed the entire time, and even ran with me a little bit around mile 21!

My sister is driving up from Boca to spectate, too! She was supposed to work but traded the day to someone else so she could be there.

And there are a couple other maybes from friends who are going to come if they can.

I feel totally humbled by all this support. I have never been someone who toots my own horn or asks for recognition, especially for something I'm barely mediocre at. In a way, I don't feel deserving of these kinds of friends or this kind of friendship.

I am just so incredibly lucky. I hope I can make them proud!

Do you invite friends to spectate your races?
Do you ever feel this way?

ABK

Take That, Taper!

After Tuesday's run sent me into panic-mode, I was excited but also nervous to run Friday. I was really hoping all those mystery pains were just a fluke.

I started with some dynamic warmups and stretches. Then, I began my run at a slow, easy pace. I had a random mix of music playing, and I just concentrated on letting myself warm up. It was chilly and had just finished raining, so the weather was comfortable and clear. I felt good.

The two drops in pace around mile 2 were when my ankle "blipped" a teeny bit. I was able to figure out the cause and still finish strong!

A couple times, I did notice a...blip...in my ankle, but I quickly realized that what was causing it was a kind of "flopping" of my foot; as long as I maintained form, I felt great! So great, in fact, that my "30 minute test run" became five miles and included the bridge. I just didn't want it to end!

I finished feeling like I had showed taper who's boss!

Music of the Night came on toward the end of my run, and I began composing an essay in my head about the symbolism of the Phantom vs. Raoul. I mean really, the entire thing is about innocent, "pure", childlike love versus lust. Which probably isn't news to anyone who's a fan of the musical. Anyway, my thesis was that Christine chose the wrong man at the end, because choosing Raoul shows us that she's stunted due to her father's death and has never fully matured into an adult woman.

But, choosing the Phantom alone would have been all about lust and fulfilling fantasy and desire, without any solid emotional foundations, which would have doomed the relationship. So really, she should have just chosen both and had some brother-husband style polygamy going on. Right?

Taper is literally making me crazy, guys.

Except in this case, it was Phantom of the Opera.

Am I the only one who mentally writes literary essays while running?

Sunday I ran the second 10 miles of Kristin's first 20-miler for my last long run. I changed how I had tied my new shoes so they had a firmer grip on my heels, and it worked like a charm; I didn't have any pain, and it was so rewarding to be there for her through that milestone!

So much for sticking with a 12:30 pace. I'll do better next time!

We celebrated with breakfast at Skillets. Usually I go for the gluten free waffle, but I really wanted to try an omelet this time...which was fine, because Kristin's husband shared some of his waffle with me, so I had the best of both worlds!

I had this huge southwest-style omelet and grits, plus 1/4 of a chocolate-chip pecan waffle. YUM.

After breakfast, Matt and I drove to Cape Coral to check out the race route and parking situation. It's going to be pretty tricky for spectators to meet me on different parts of the course, but we have a week to figure it out so that hopefully I can at least see people a couple times on each loop.

Those blue areas are water, so it's basically impossible to cut through the middle of the course or take a shortcut.

This week, I'm planning two easy, shorter runs. I talked to Megan a little bit about what I should plan this week, and I've decided that three days of rest sounds good, especially because I'll still be up on my feet all week teaching.

(We also have two volleyball games, but that means we only have one practice, which will be easier on my legs and feet since I'm allowed to sit during games if I want, even though I rarely do.)

I'm so excited! I feel like training for my second marathon is finished and was successful! I didn't get injured or sick (fingers crossed...I have 7 days to go)! With that accomplishment under my belt, I feel pretty good about race day! Even if it doesn't go as planned, completing training itself is a pretty big deal.

Speaking of plans...I've already set my pace goals, but here are my other goals, broken down:

A: Break 5:20 (follow my pace goals as outlined in this post)

B: Break 5:30

C: PR (break 5:41)

And of course, finish upright and uninjured, and preferably at a run!

Does your mind go to weird places while you run?
How was your weather this weekend? We've had tons of clouds, wind, and rain, but it's still fairly warm. I've resigned myself to a warm race, and I'm hoping I'll be able to power through.

ABK