Oops, gonna try to post more regularly... but anyway, here's what's been going on with me running-wise:


Had a couple of bad training weeks, on the back of a really awesome training week.  So, I had this week where I did a 17 miler on Saturday, 5 miles Monday, then 11 miles of speedwork on Tuesday, and 13 miles of speedwork on Thursday, all of which was a lot and really awesome.  But by the time I got to that Saturday I did only 8 and it was the worst run ever... I thought I wouldn't make it.  I think I overtrained and all of that speedwork was just too much.  After that terrible 8 miler I fell off of the program and did some shorter runs here and there but nothing too intense, and I took the next Saturday a bit easier.  I think this Daniels plan is kicking my ass a little too much.  I'm thinking for the next race I might go back to Hal Higdon and maybe do one Daniels-style speed workout mixed in per week.


Had to replace the shoes.  Somehow my shoes were already up to 400 miles so I got a new pair of the same (Brooks Ghost 3).  I tried to get fitted for something lighter and more minimalist, thinking I could try to train in something not quite as minimal as the Vibrams but not as huge as a regular trainer, but they told me at the running store that the lighter the shoes are, the less mileage you can get out of them.  I tried on the lighter model of Brooks shoes, and they didn't even feel that much lighter and would wear out twice as fast, so I decided to just stick with what I have.  Also, the Brooks Ghost are pretty darn light as it is.

I got interested in the light shoes thing because a couple Saturdays ago there was a Saucony rep at our group run and I ran 6 miles in some Saucony Progrid Mirage (pictured left).  These shoes weigh under 8oz (to compare, the Ghost are about 11-12oz) and it was a noticeable difference.  But, I don't need correction for pronation and the outsides of my feet were aching a bit by the end of the run.  The shoes were awesome though--they're a take on minimalist shoes that still have some arch support (which kind of renders them not minimalist at all...but they were still really light).

Something about shoes that I learned:  Apparently, if you alternate between two pairs of running shoes, you can get the wear life of 3 pairs of shoes out of them.  I wish I had known that sooner!  Letting the padding decompress between runs makes them last longer, which is where alternating shoes helps (gives each pair time to rest).

Did a 20.5 mile run on Sunday, and it went really well.  I struggled a bit around miles 14-16, but after the run I felt really good (no pain!!) and the rest of the day I wasn't that wiped out.  Yesterday I wasn't that sore, and today I feel basically perfect.  I'm really, really psyched about this--the first time i've EVER done a run of that distance and not felt crappy afterward.

So the race is in 33 days and I think I'm nearly ready to go.  I'm not convinced I will break my terribly slow first marathon time of 5:09, but I'm hoping I can at least go sub-5 even if I don't run the 4:30 I was hoping for.   I'm hoping those lazy days after that really intense training week didn't totally bankrupt my training efforts, but I felt good on the long run and I suppose that's the real test.

I'm hoping this week's training goes ok.  I took yesterday as a rest day on purpose since I'd just done the 20, and today was going to head out but it's pouring rain and i'm not sure I have the gumption right now.  Life is doing its best to keep me from getting work and training done.  My aunt passed away unexpectedly 3 weeks ago (she was only in her 40s, and had a random blood clot) and my grandma passed away Sunday after having a stroke last week.  It's really been a lot, and later this week I have to drive back home for the funeral.  Running has really been helping me cope... in fact one night last week when things were really bad, my bestie vegan runner buddy John went for a run with me at midnight in the rain so I could get out for a bit.  Thank goodness for friends who are willing to do completely nutty running things at absurd hours.  But I am hoping the travel and everything else this week will still let me get training in.

Shout out to my awesome running buddy and friend who did a freaking 100 mile trail race 2 weeks ago and finished in 25 hours, 36 mins (3 hours ahead of her goal pace).  Talk about inspirational and amazing.