Week 7, 8 ,9

Week 7 -
Monday 4
Wednesday 6
Thursday 4
Weekend 12
Total for week 7 - 26 miles

Week 8 -
Monday 4
Wednesday 6
Thursday 4
Weekend 14
Total for week 8 - 28 miles

Week 9 -
Monday 4
Wednesday 7
Thursday 4
Weekend 16
Total for week 9 - 31 miles

Trying to catch up on my blog, so not commenting a ton here....but ok, let's talk about that weekend 16. I have never run a full marathon before, only 1/2's. So there has never been any logical reason at all for me to ever run beyond 13.1. I'm still trying to figure out what logical reason there is!

16 miles on a Saturday morning....started out a little something like this.

Awake at 4:30. The planning for a run this long is pretty extensive. Can't just jet out the door. Must have time to eat, wake up, bathroom, water, bathroom, stash pickle juice, powerbar & water refill along the route, eat a yummy pack of watermelon beans.

5:30 I'm off.

First 6 miles were fine. Thanks to my awesome Garmin, I didn't really plan a route - let's just run until it says we're done.

I ran my normal loop, not remembering that the return goes RIGHT by my house. So what's the problem with that? Well ... when you are at 8 miles of 16, seeing your house is verrrrrrrrrrrry tempting.

Noone would even know if I just slipped home a little early....

Ok, yeah, I would know... & I told a few people I was running 16 that weekend... kinda was thinking I would have to admit to only doing 8 if I stopped. Can't do it.

Off I go, running AWAY from my house ... but I had some more beans & felt good to go.

Remember that good thing I said about the Garmin? How you don't have to plan your route? That's also a bad thing sometimes. I ran the trail by my house not really thinking that I was going to have to do an out and back. Gahhhhhhh I hate out and backs. I guess they are fine on a short run, but man, turning around & knowing exactly how far I have left gets in my head sometimes on a long run.

The last 2 miles - I could feel every step, my quads were burning, my back was hurting, oiy. Ready to be DONE.

Home sweet home finally. Chocolate milk, banana, a snickers & an ice bath! Heaven.

After this 16 miler, my only thought is holy sh*t in 2 weeks I will do 20! What in the world was I thinking?!