Every Mile A Memory: 6 Weeks: 20 Miles : Attempt #1

Weeks: 20 Miles : Attempt #1

What a week! This week things really got incredibly tough for me and the funniness also began to take shape. Some pretty incredible things this week and some serious laughable moments .

In an effort to keep my body confused, and making progress, this week was the end of a build cycle, but the workouts were a bit different. The only strength day I had this week was an upper body day. Yep, always trying to keep me confused. LOL! Normally I would have had a leg workout, but nope, upper body.

Monday, I had a 5 mile run. I just felt like I was out of power . Period. Just nothing. I warmed up well, and felt OK. But I knew that I was going to be in for it coming out of the gates. Just felt like I had 0 power. It didn't help I went one of my more difficult 5 mile loops at home. But, in the end, it was done. Wednesday, I had another 5 mile run, with 3 in an upper z3. Again, by far, not my best, but lets remember that I was on pretty decently tired legs.

Thursdays Workout was my massage that I have scheduled. Literally, I had to have that. My legs were 100% wasted, and that helped tremendously to freshen me up for Saturday. Friday I was off and came home and got off of my legs . I knew what was awating and I wanted to have everything I could have at my disposal.

SATURDAY : 20 Miles. Attempt #1

Saturday was the day. We had finally arrived at 20 miles. I got up at 330 am . Laid in bed till 3:45 Got up then, got my gear on, and made my oatmeal and protien powder bowl. Ate it, ran out, made my water drops, came home , and went through some runners warmup yoga to make sure I was ready. I was nervous but optimistic. As I left out , it was dark, and I felt great. Well, best as could be. I tried to hold back some. The marathon you do not want to come out fast, or your gonna regret it later. I was trying to work on that. My plan was 5k chunks. Keep 2 at around 14:30 and then the third mile, try to lower the time to under 14 without getting out of my zone 2. I managed to do this the first 2 or 3 times. Then, I had some moron try to run me down , NOT ONCE, but TWICE. Luckily, I am very heads up , and was able to move in time. IDIOTS. But it did mentally get to me. I wanted to kill that dude. Made me a nervous wreck. Things were ok, but not the best. I began to tire at mile 11. I stopped at home by mile 14. Grabbed another water and a few bites of an orange. Headed out back down town. By this time, my feet were hurting and so were my calves. they were spazzing. By the end of this loop I was at 16 or so. I was dying. It hurt. I was in tears. But I kept thinking one mile at a time , take this as you need too. Breathe. Just FINISH. DO NOT QUIT! GO! 5.5 hours after I started, it was done. 20 miles was successfully completed. Was it the way I wanted, NOPE! I was physically and mentally spent. Period. I crawled in , undressed, and was cramping so bad, I just laid down and stayed there. I was just spent. Finally regained enough strength to pull myself up and move. Wasnt' fun. I was waddling like a duck, but it got done. I left coach notes as always. I basically asked for a 2nd go of 20. Why? Because I can do better than this. I know I can. Give me it on the front of a build cycle, I can kill this. Period. I expect to shave about 15 min or so off the time in 2 weeks. Also, I have been granted permission to run the first 17 and then hop into a 5k race , but not race it and go from there to finish it up. Something to have me look froward to and give me a lil pep in my step. Teach me how to finish so to speak. Do I dread the 2nd attempt. Yes and NO. No because I know I am gonna rock the hell out of it ! Yes , because I know how tired I was. Its Monday as I write this. As of this am, when I sat down, I have not had socks or shoes except sandals on my feet since the run ended. Just cant stand them. lol. So really, thats about it for this week. A long week, culminated with a big end to a build.

RECOVERY WEEK!!! I couldn't be happier. However, still need to work on getting the final pieces mentally glued into place. After this week, we have 2 weeks of big build left before taper. Getting to be at a couple events really gives me something to look forward too.

So, that's it for this week.

Until Next week:

From one "Idiot" to another: