A super nasty run, a comeback and a taper

Sorry no pics on this one, just a long rambling mess!

What a crazy few weeks I've had! I think I've had just about every emotion possible when it comes to training. I had a super awful 12 mile run a few weeks back. I mean, wow man, it was horrible.

If it wasn't for my girlies pushing me along and the fact that we were way out of town....I would have packed it in at mile 6. I honestly don't remember ever having a run that bad. It was 97% humidity - which probably had something to do with it - but it was mostly awful because I had a bad work week, was super stressed, ate horribly and had an overall bad attitude. So bad in fact that even a run couldn't cure that one! WoW. Now that's bad!

After that horrific run, I took a week off. Yep. A whole 7 days without running. 4 weeks out from 1/2 marathon and just like that - I took a whole week off.

I was questioning my endurance, questioning why I wanted to do this in the first place, sick of spending so much time running, sick of getting up at 4:15 am in order to fit my run into my day, sick of spending every Saturday limping down the stairs, sick of using the whole day Sunday to recoop.....yep, overall sick of everything!

As the days ticked by, I kept getting more and more worried about the miles I was missing by completely skipping week 8 of training. But not worried enough to make myself run. It was weird - I've never, ever had such a bad attitude about running. I mean, I voluntarily went through knee surgery & 12 weeks of rehab just so I could do this!

So. It was approaching the weekend and I knew what I had to do. It was my last chance to run long before it was time to taper. I don't know a ton about training, but I do know that trying to make up miles when you're in your tapering weeks is a big NO NO.

My hubs took me out for pasta Thursday night, and I took Friday morning off from work to fit my last long run in. Oh did I mention it would be my longest run ever? And I was goin' it alone. It was time to suck it up, get my head on straight and figure out once and for all if I was going to finish out this training or quit.

After no running for a week, I planned a 14 miler - by myself. I just couldn't let that awful 12 miler be my final long run before the race. It was in my head - BAD - and I knew I had to give it one more shot or it would mess with my race day.

Well, my body must have been telling me it needed rest. My longest run ever was probably my very best training run this whole season!

I set out on a beautiful fall morning, stashed water at the 7 mile mark, and off I went. Friends are awesome to run with and a great distraction, but it's amazing how in tune I was to how I was feeling when I wasn't chattin' it up the whole run! I remembered to eat shots before I needed to & I remembered to stretch my knee out....things I usually don't remember to do.

I felt awesome all the way until about mile 13. I was ready to be done....my quads were talking (loudly!) and I was still a mile from home. I wanted to walk it. But who walks the LAST mile?! Couldn't do that. Thank goodness for Bon Jovi singing me home.

15 minute ice bath and off to work for the rest of the day. I was tired....very tired that afternoon, but somehow I made it without falling asleep at my desk!

And now....it's a one way ticket on the taper train. Oh yeah! Kansas City here I come! I'm ready :) You'll have to wait for my next post to hear me obsess about what pace group I should run with. Oh brother, that's a whole 'nother story.