A triple week

This was another HOT week! I was able to get some running in, however, and tripled my mileage. While tripling is great, the total mileage is not so impressive. It has been oppressive heat in July.

My goal was to get a 16-18 mile run in before I left for vacation, but that didn't happen. However, I was able to get an 11 mile run in at the beginning of the week so that was much better than last week and one mile more than my last longest run since the marathon. So, at minimum I am moving forward.

The average high for my next planned marathon is 75 so I have to get used to this if I am going to run that race. On the other hand, 120+ heat index is a little unacceptable! My 11 mile run was in the upper 70s/lower 80s so I figure that was a good race-day trainer. I think since I had such a break from running that I was fired up to get out there again. It was a really great run! I woke up and it was really foggy so I did the entire run in town. City limits to city limits is less than 2 miles so that's pretty good. 11 miles was a good distance that day; I was strong, it was a great run, but I don't think I could have finished the marathon that day.

The end of the week was rather stormy so I couldn't run either. When it finally had a break, I got out for a quick 4-mile run. I didn't realize how quick it was until I got home and mapped it out - 7:56 pace! I was mentally rushing to be done before my scheduled errands for the day, but didn't realize I was THAT fast. Sheez.

Due to vacation the next couple of weeks I won't be running so I'll have a big break again. I hope to hit it hard after this vacation to reach my goal of at least one 20-mile run before September. If I can do that, I just might sign up for that marathon!

Total weekly training mileage: 15 miles
Total miles for July: 41 miles :(

It's hotHotHOT!

The temps have been nasty lately - 90s, and heat indices in 120s. Check out this pix at 5:00 PM! The heat index is 121. YUCK!

So, this is my excuse for not getting out running this week. I only did a 5-mile Ethanol Loop. I was planning to finish another 3 miles when I got back to town, but never did. :(

Total weekly training mileage: 5

Weather conditions: unbearable!

--F-A-S-T-->

Phew! I'm exhausted after this week! I actually did 3, 6, 3, 9 this week. The first 3-miler I did with Bill. The second one I did with Rachael to see how her recovery was coming. I think she has an injury so we'll be talking to the dr about this at her physical this week!

For the 6 mile run I really had no intentions of doing 6 miles. I was really only going to do 5, an Ethanol Loop, but it was sooooo foggy out I didn't think it would be safe and I have been a little gun shy from the skunk last week. So, I ran what I thought was a little shy of 5 miles, got back and thought hmmm, that was a little fast. I mapped it out on mapmyrun because I wanted to know how short of 5 I was and discovered it was really 6.33!! It was at least an 8-min mile. Yes I maintained that for a good 6 miles. sheez. I never would have guessed. I'm also assuming the other runs have been rather fast as well because I was always surprised when I got home, how quickly it went.

It has been so incredibly hot and humid lately, but I've been out running. Saturday I wanted to do a 10-12 mile run, but it was just so darn hot so I waited until Sunday morning. I ran and Rachael biked, just to see if biking bothered her at all. Again, it was so incredibly humid that I drank 40 oz in an hour and a half. I felt so run down by heat that I just quit. This is the second time ever that I didn't finish a planned run. The difference? This time it didn't bother me. I ran my heart out again. I didn't feel like I was going that fast, but finished the 9 miles in about 90 minutes. While that alone doesn't seem like a fast run, it includes about 10-15 minutes of walking.

My shins have been feeling pretty good so I think I am getting healed well. I am very excited to be 3 weeks post-marathon and have a 21-mile week. My motivation has been next to zero, but once I get out, it is great to be out. I've had some really tough runs this week, but the speed and heat are probably culprits of that.

Total training mileage: 21 miles

Stinky scare

This was a weird week of running. I only got 2 runs in this week, but they were weird. The first one was with J, 7 miles. I felt like I was really working to complete the run and that we were going really fast. When we got done, she said it was a 9:45 pace. I was sure it was 9:20-9:30.

The second run was about 10 miles. Bill got up early and ran with me. I was planning to do 2 Ethanol Loops, but we met a "friend" about 2 miles into the run. I was daydreaming and lost in my run when Bill said, "SKUNK!" I heard what he said. I knew what he said. For some reason, "raccoon" registered in my mind so I didn't think much of it. He repeated, "Skunk! Coming at us!" OMG!! We both stopped looking at this skunk walk toward us, tail up. I immediately became petrified and turned and started running the other way. He kept coming after us! Great, that's just what I need: a tomato bath that will still leave me smelling like skunk! We probably only ran about 1/10 mile when Bill said, "He's gone. He went in the ditch." We turned around and went back the way we came, both of us keeping a close eye on the ditch where he went in. phew! I've seen skunk in fields and ditches next to me, but never one that came after me, tail raised! Yikes, that was a bit scary.

I felt like I was really working on this run, pushing every step. I am at zero confidence about a fall marathon. If I do it, I will be all alone I think. Rachael and J probably won't be there. I get so motivated and mentally and physically pushed when I'm with them. I don't think there would be any PR set if I go alone.

Weekly training mileage: 17 miles

Total June mileage: 105 miles