Well, we're heading into the larger mileage portion of the marathon training. Yesterday I ran the most I've ever run - 14 miles, and due to our large snow/ice storm, I had to do it indoors! I'm NOT a treadmill girl...in fact, mentally, I can't get past running on a treadmill for more than a mile or two. I'm not sure if it's the consistent pace, the idea of going nowhere, or what, but it pains me. Fortunately, the YMCA has an indoor track, and while it's not the most scenic of views, there are windows, and I can look out them while I run. Six laps on the indoor track at the Y equals one mile, so I slogged through 84 laps to get to my 14 miles yesterday.
Normally, I do my long runs with Andy, so I don't wear headphones because we talk, or listen to nature, or whatever. But when I'm alone and indoors, I like having music. Alas, it was not to be, as my headphones crashed on me a mere six laps into my run, so I ran 13 miles with no music! ACK! But God is faithful, and He has given me a body that has the ability to run, run, run, even if it's not Grete Waitz, Kara Goucher, Shalane Flannigan, Desi Davila, Deena Kastor-fast! The last two miles were difficult, but by my last lap, I just stopped my endless mind chatter, and prayed, and thanked God for those 14 miles, for that last lap, for the ability to be running, for the last two years of working on getting my body into shape enough to be training for a marathon, and He carried me through that last lap like it was nothing.
In two weeks, I'll be up to 17 miles. Going from 14-17 seems a HUGE leap for me. But, I hope to run it outside, with my trusty running partner, Andy, and run, walk or crawl, I'll be thanking God for the chance to do it! I'll keep you posted as we edge toward 20, 23 and finally 26, all before the May 6 deadline for the Tacoma City Marathon.
Great post! Appreciate your comments so much on my blog btw - and now I understand even more what you were talking about - now that I know your headphones gave out on you. All you had was the quiet time! Wow - you sound like you are going to be up to 26 miles way before the marathon! When do you run 26? The way you posted it sounds like it will be in another month. Keep reaching! :-) What an awesome thing to give thanks for this journey and your health! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt seems sooner than it is - right now, I have only one week between my long runs...14 one weekend, 5 the next, 17 the next...but after 17, we have two weeks between long runs. So, 17, then 5, then 6, then 20, then 6, then 6, the 23, then 6, then 7, then 26 and then a three week taper down (7, 6, 7) and then the marathon, so it actually takes me all the way into May, followed by a two-week post train of 7 and 6.
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