change up

I am not going to run the marathon in my Lunar Glides.  I feel like I am making a rookie mistake changing shoe plans this close to race day (2 weeks from today!!!).  I have a brand new still in the box pair of Pegasus, which I know is a tried and true, works great for me, shoe.  So I am going to crash course break them in over the next 2 weeks, to wear on race day.

Based on my arch and foot strike, I need neutral shoe.  Lunar Glides are a stability shoe.  I think they are going to be good shoes for me for speed and tempo runs, but I do not think they’d be good for long runs and thus the marathon.

peak

I can hear the Hallelujah Chorus beginning.  Today marked the end of my peak week and my longest run I’ll do before the marathon.  22 miles for the day, 48.5 miles for the week – I am happy the taper is beginning!!  Despite fighting a cold this week, it was a good week …
Monday: 5.2 miles easy (8:40/pace)
Tuesday: 7.3 miles with 6×800 in the middle.  The schedule had 10 miles for the day, but I figured getting the 800’s in was most important and since I wasn’t feeling well, I cut it back some.  800’s were very solid though.  Goal time was 3:15-3:20. My 1st 2 were slow (3:27 and 3:28) thanks in part to having to jump off the road to avoid cars but the last 4 were ALL 3:09! How’s that for consistency?! :)
Wednesday: rest day
Thursday: 10 miles with 8 miles at marathon pace – averaged 7:32 pace for the 8 miles – PERFECT.
Friday: super easy 4 miles (8:43 pace)
Saturday: 22 miles – 3 hours – 8:14 pace. NAILED IT.

As I mentioned, it feels good to know I’m on the downhill side.  In hindsight, I picked a bad time to train for a marathon in terms of family busyness … but at the same time, as my amazing husband said last night – training for this marathon has been the perfect stress reliever for me.  On top of work, school, and studying for the FE exam (if you don’t know about the engineering world, think MCAT or LSAT type test) he has been so amazingly supportive of me.

Day 26

26 days to go … close enough that I start to feel a twinge of nervous in my gut when I think about it.  And anticipation and excitement.  The latest issue of Running Times has great advice on marathon pacing.  I’m starting to think about race strategy.  My biggest current dilemma is whether or not to wear my Garmin.  Typically I do NOT race with it – using my trusty simple small Timex watch.  I like to race by feel and keep track of my splits as the mile markers go by.  Yet I am wondering if knowing my exact pace would help in the marathon? I don’t know?  Thus, the dilemma.  I have 25 days to decide (because I want to know my plan at least the day before the race!)

shoes

There’s a reason my new shoes were 30% off …

Ugly for sure.  These are the Nike Lunar Glide 3 which have been replaced by the Lunar Glide 4, so stores want the 3s out and for some reason no one is buying these beauties. So in comes me, always looking for a bargain!

I’m actually in a bit of a shoe conundrum.  I typically have 2 pairs of shoes going, that I rotate between.  I’ve been doing that with 2 pairs of Nike Pegasus.  Both shoes are getting up there in miles (yes I am this anal, thanks to Running Ahead) – 368 and 257.  I have my Lunar Racers which I love for half marathons and shorter, but I don’t think I want to run a full marathon on them – I’m afraid my legs will get too beat up with that little support.  Thus, the Glides.  I am breaking them in to be sure, but I’m thinking I’ll run the marathon on them.   SO basically, I am rotating between 3 pairs of shoes right now – trying to get the most out of every pair! And of course, I did just buy another pair of Pegasus to take advantage of 25% off (I’m SUCH a sucker) but I did read that it is important to get new shoes soon after a marathon to help your legs recover faster.

39 days

Training has been going well, but I’ll be honest … I’m going to be very glad when November 12th rolls around and marathon training is over! :)  Life was VERY different in 2008 when I trained for and ran 2 marathons.  Jon’s job was fairly flexible, we only had 1 kiddo, and we lived near my parents.  Fast forward to 2012 and 3 kiddos, far away from family, a busier job plus studying for a huge engineering exam … and it is harder to fit the training in!

I am tired and my body is tired.

But at the same time, it is empowering to know that I am doing what I’m doing.  It kind of feels like this secret life – most of my non running friends have no idea the time and miles I put in.  To get 8-10 miles in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I am often up at 4:45am.  I find a sick sense of pleasure in that :)  Saturday, I ran 18 miles – 2.5 hours of running.

This Saturday I’ll run 20 miles and in 2 weeks, the goal is 22 miles.  I have only had to slightly alter my plan.  All in all, I am sticking to it and it is working well.

I feel prepared.  I feel like a 3:19-3:25 is possible.  Let’s just hope the next 39 days go well so that those feelings stick around! :)