Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon Training Recap Week 9

Week 9 was not my best week of training. It's Sunday night and I'm trying to not beat myself up about it as I write out this recap.

Monday I started off with a bang and knocked out 10 miles before work. On a roll!

Tuesday through Sunday I ran zero miles. Ugh. I was struggling with exhaustion and just could not sleep enough hours. It finally dawned on me during the weekend that it seemed similar to the Vitamin D deficiency I'd struggled with before. For some reason I just assumed I was getting enough Vitamin D from the SUN in the SUMMER to not need a vitamin supplement, but I guess I'd be wrong. I took my normal dosage Friday and Saturday and already felt dramatically better on Sunday.

But not good enough for a run, I guess. I had a REALLY RANDOM ache in my right ankle Friday night that reared its head again Sunday morning. Like I said, i haven't ran all week, and it didn't hurt at all on Monday, so it's probably nothing, but super cautious, always injured Jerbear was super cautious so as to not be injured and scrapped the run. UGH.

Sunday I was able to meet my running buddy Jenn for a long leisurely ride to get my heart pumpin' a bit.



Next up is B Goal Race Week, so I hope this week is a bit stronger, mentally and physically!

I had the following set as a separate post, but I think it makes the most sense to include it for this week's recap, as it's what I'm feeling this week and last. I often use this blog as a diary to go back and reflect on training, so it may be helpful to have this included. We'll see.
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After my 3k XC race, I was on runner's cloud 9. I performed better than I was expecting and the race and racing atmosphere left me wanting to go out and run all the miles. As races typically do. It also started to give me some of my racing confidence back. That I can fight in a race a bit. That not all my speed is dead. That my training is showing improvement.

And then a few missed runs crop up and I completely lost my mental game.

Whoa.

Ok then.

Jenn was giving me a text message pep talk about my upcoming marathon (I screenshot the whole convo to look back on during moments of need and pre-race when I'm freaking the eff out, as I do) and how she just knew that I was going to run sub 4. And I was like, cool, I don't know that. But I'm glad you do.

But it was just awesome to have that sort of assurance from someone who used to be the same exact g.d. speed as me and then went bonkers and shattered our PRs by like 30 minutes or something ridiculous like that. So yeah, I'll listen to her.

Because the marathon is such a weird beast. You can run, and analyze race predictors, and race and further analyze race predictors, but it's just SO HARD to know what your body is ready to tackle when you toe the line of 26.2. There have been times I was sure I'd finish the race with a 3 at the start of my time, but I never have. 

So right now I'm in the boat where I feel confident that I will run a PR this October. 4:12 will no longer be my best marathon time. Will that time start with a 3? I honestly don't know, and I still have some hard work to put in before I'll join forces with Jenn in believing her. But my god, is it nice to have someone believe in you and your dreams!

Feel free to give me some advice on how you silence your brain when the negative racing doubts creep in.

Words I Never Thought I'd Say

I was cold on my run last night.

I know, I'm as shocked as you are.  Miss "I'm Sweating Just *Thinking* About Running."

In my defense, I started a 2ish hour run 20 minutes before the sunset.  It was a glorious 50 degrees.  No wind.  Sun still slightly to the west.  I wore shorts and a t-shirt, because it was perfect weather.  I was cool until mile one, and then I warmed up, aka perfect running weather.  IMO, if you're not cold during the first mile, you're going to be hot as hell before too long.

The sun set, and the temps dropped (duh).  And I was fine until I got to a busy intersection.  Because of the setting sun, I had to do a residential route for the last 7 miles, meaning a) I almost got hit 7 different times, no joke (stop signs?!!? Let's roll through those or not even stop, amiright?!?) b) I had to stop at busy intersections.  I managed to do pretty well for the first mile of only stopping once, so I was just dandy, but an intersection around mile 6 had me standing and waiting, 2x.

When I first started to run again, my teeth were chattering.  My hands were frozen.  What was I thinking??  I should've worn long sleeves so I could pull them down once it got cold.  I debated (HEAVILY) turning around and cutting the run short.  But then I realized I was still two miles from home, so either way I was going to be cold for at least another 20 minutes.  So my chattering teeth and I continued on.  Sure enough, within another mile I was warm again.  Phew.

Someone remind me of this potentially hypothermic (me? dramatic?? no....) moment in the Madison Marathon which is sure to be perfectly cold, possibly freezing, literally, if I want to take a walk break.  Because clearly walk breaks will lead to hypothermia.  :)

**For the record, it was 39* when I got home, so it's slightly justified that I was cold after standing still for a couple of minutes after being soaked in sweat.  My hands also turns a creepy combo of stark purple and yellow-y/absence of color-y immediately post run.  But hey!  It was a super awesome mid-week LR.  So I got that going for me, which is good.