Richmond Marathon Training Take 2 - Week 6

Guess what?

It didn't rain this morning and another week of training is already over.

3 runs for 22 miles (1 mile over thanks to unintentional 6 miler on Wednesday)
23 miles on the bike

Running miles logged so far: 114.3

Training highlights:

• ...ummmmmmmmmmm... 
• ... we got our official MTT Shirts on Saturday... 

They're pretty snazzy this year!

• ... ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
• Chili cheese omelet, homefries, and big old biscuit at Dairy Bar after 11 miles with Team Navy on Saturday.

Training lowlights:

• Once again stuck on the treadmill on Monday thanks to RAIN.
• Wednesday's run was just positively awful. 
• I think a serious case of marathon training munchies has officially led to a 5 lb weight gain.
• For the first time, I absolutely dreaded  Saturday's long run. I was anything but enthusiastic when I showed up at 6:30 am. The run was 11 miles and included going across the Nickel Bridge and then Riverside Drive, both of which can only be described as hilly. I'd never run Riverside but it has a 'reputation' so I was nervous about it. I wish I had copied the elevation chart from my Garmin but I didn't, so I'm going to be lazy and link to RunJillyBean's chart. Did I mention that the run also featured 89% humidity? And that I was still achy? Even though I wasn't Mary Sunshine, it didn't turn out to be as bad as I had anticipated, but I was still really happy when it was over, as evidenced by my "home stretch" photo below.

Photo courtesy of MTT Photos/Mark Buckland
Mile 2 or 3, running with one of our coaches, Ed, and Greg
I think at this point I was saying, "We should smile guys, we are supposed to be
looking like we're having fun right now."
Key words: LOOKING LIKE

Photo courtesy of MTT Photos/Mark Buckland
Thank you, sweet baby Jesus, there's the END.

I wish I could say I've recovered some of my motivation for the week ahead, but sadly, I haven't. This morning I took the Brooks Ghost 6s out for the first time and they didn't feel amazing  but were definitely more cushioned than my PureCadance 2s. My ankles and knees are still sore and to add insult to injury, I stepped on something in the kitchen on Saturday which lodged itself into the ball of my right foot and will not come out. 

I'm sure the Band Aid doesn't help, but I love the excuse
to use one of my fancy Cynthia Rowley designed Band Aids,
courtesy of HMR.

Oh yeah, and the humidity is sticking around and the heat is getting worse this week, with indeces topping 100 degrees starting tomorrow. I just love summer. ::sarcasm::

At least it's drop back week and we only have 8 miles scheduled for Saturday.

And it didn't rain today.

Yay optimism (?).