Richmond Marathon Training Take 2 - Week 12

Officially halfway there.

3 runs for 24.1 miles

2 miles of swimming

Total running miles so far: 243.6

(Sorry... couldn't help it.)

Training highlights:

• Had an appointment with Dr. Cutter on Wednesday, at which I was declared overall healthy and ok to run. He thinks the discomfort is from scar/fibrous tissue build up from the glass incident. I don't really know if I believe him... (see below)
• Skipped out of the Patrick Henry Half Marathon on Saturday - which was what all MTT people were supposed to do - to do what we called the "Going Rogue" Half instead. Basically, a big group of us (30-40) running a 13.1 mile route that Greg came up with and staffed with 3 water stops - one of which was manned by Husband. I decided to do my best to hang with the flyers - Kit, Coach Ed, and Giles, who is like the rabbit to our proverbial greyhounds. Whenever Giles is with us, the rest of us just chase him and find ourselves running faster than we should. Anyhow, it was a lovely morning for running thanks to a cold front the night before, and I ended up with an unofficial PR of 1:49:50. VERY unofficial, as I stopped my Garmin during water stops. Kit came in first and I was second, but only because the rest of the group stopped off at a water fountain about 1.5 miles from the end and we kept going (though I think Kit still would've been first). It was a great run and I felt very accomplished for sticking with the flyers - for the most part.

Greg even rounded up some medals and finisher certificates!

• Return of the Garmin! I received my new Garmin on Friday, only 7 business days after mailing away my old one. Big virtual high five to Garmin customer service.

Training lowlights:

• Even though I saw the clear X-Rays with my own eyes, I still don't quite believe Dr. Cutter. There is something going on in there... I just know it. By the end of the half on Saturday, I just wanted to be finished so I could get my shoe off and massage my foot. After that, it didn't hurt but I spent the rest of the day on the couch (literally... I didn't leave it). Felt great when I woke up on Sunday, which was a rest day with only a short trip to the grocery store and some vacuuming. But at around 5:00 pm as I started packing my suitcase for Germany, my foot started wonking out. That's my new techinical term for describing what is going on; it doesn't hurt, it's not numb, it's just... wonky. Ugh. It just doesn't make sense!

Hydration belt status:

• Untouched

Gold star of the week:

• Greg for organizing and pulling off a great Going Rogue Half Marathon! Thanks, GB!
• Husband, for agreeing to drag himself out of bed at 5:30 on a Saturday morning and man the water stop at mile 3.

Completed some major speedwork with Greg this morning, but the rest of the week is going to get tricky. Our flight to Germany is at 11:20am on Wednesday so I'm going to attempt to run with the mid-week group to get in my 6 miles before heading out. My running shoes and 3 sets of gear are packed for the trip... I'm determined that this time I really will run while I'm abroad (and not just to the nearest gelato shop). 

Actually, I don't have much of a choice - I have to run to stay on track. So I'm planning on trying to do 10 in Germany on Friday morning and a mid distance run on Tuesday. Don't ask me where the third run will fit in. Haven't figured it out yet, though I have delusions of running in Paris. 

The real fun part will be flying back home on Thursday, September 5 and then trying to run an 18 miler on Saturday the 7th.

Yeahhhhhh.

Also happening this week, Sunday marks the anniversary of a certain incident which-shall-not-be-named. I hope to be in Heidelberg, going nuts at the all-Haribo store and/or drinking some good German Riesling and not thinking about it.