Week 14- LONG RUN : 2 1/2 hours-ouch! (15 miles?)

I was suppose to start my long run at sunrise, around 7am yesterday. The temperature was about 8 degrees with a chilling wind. I finally made it out around 9:30. I knew I had to run until 12 pm and was not excited about it. It was freezing. I ran to two towns over, came back and headed to the beach. Half way through, one side of my leg was completely numb to the touch. I had no pain in any part of my body but I felt exhausted.

When I had about an hour left of running, I wanted to stop. I really wanted to walk a little. I thought, "what is the big deal." Just a rest. During the marathon, I will have to stop to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water. But I remembered people telling me about how I will feel like quitting when I do the marathon. And that I will have to use my mind, not my body to run through it. So I thought it would be a good exercise, fighting through it, for training. It was tough. I just kept running and thinking, "almost there, almost there." I completed the run in 2 hours and 28 minutes.

When I stopped running, my legs kept propelling me forward. They would not stop moving. So I was walking fast and felt like I had no control. Later, I had body pain ALL OVER! It hurt to move, walk, get up from a chair. But it wasn't "injury pain." It was soreness which is ok. I didn't get smart and realize to take Tylenol until the next day when I was still hurting.

I have to drive the route to see exactly how long it was but if I did the 10 minute mile without stopping (which I did!), I should have run about 15 miles today. More than half way!

Hoping to run every other day for the next two weeks. My next long run will be 2 hours and 50 minutes, maybe in about two weeks. I am going to post my fundraising letter by tomorrow. Then I will have to finally commit. SCARED!

Week 14- First Run of the Week

I haven't run for a full week because of babysitting issues. I finally got to run again today, after a rest period of a full week. I was suppose to do a long run this weekend but that has to be scheduled for this weekend coming up. I just finished a run on the treadmill. HATE IT! Ran for 25 minutes with interval training. Increased speed to 7.0/7.1 for 2 minute intervals. I really felt like I was going to pass out.

Because I have no babysitting until May, I don't know when I am going to run during the week. I have to keep increasing my running time but scheduling is becoming an issue. Goal for this week is to run again on Thur. and do a long run on Saturday, about 2 1/2 hours non stop.

Week 15- 1st run-I hate Treadmills

Wed. -
I have been unable to get out to run so I decided to go on the dreaded treadmill. Hate it! It is from 1980 and the controls are stuck on an incline. I ran for 20 minutes, doing intervals of 2 minutes each. It was horrible but at least I ran. I had slight pain in my knee and behind my leg (I hate treadmills).

I want to run my long run on Fri. and race on Sunday but because of my crazy schedule, it looks unlikely. I definitely need to do my long run by this weekend and attempt 2 and 1/2 hours. I'll try my best.

End of week 16- 5k Race

Sunday morning I headed to Robert Moses Park to complete a 5K with friends. It was freezing at the beach and I was not happy to be there. My friends were very positive and really pushed me to "get over it" and run fast.
I felt very good during the race and had no pain in my legs. My first mile was slow, about 9 minutes. I had a lot of energy so pushed a little harder. My goal was to compete the 5k at my PR which is 8:30 minute, finishing at 26:30. When I saw the 9 minute mile, I felt pretty defeated about reaching my goal but decided to at least move a little faster.

I finished feeling bad but not so bad that I wanted to throw up. I ended up with a time of 26:48 coming in 16 out 70 in my division. I felt good with that number especially since I had no painor injuries which is so important when you are training for a marathon.

Next run should be on Tues. but not likely with no babysitters around and I have a meeting at night. Also must complete my long run sometime during this week (week 15) and attempt 2 hours and 30 minutes, non stop!

I read a fanstastic book last week about the NYC Marathon called "A Race like No Other." Favorite quote- "you have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable."

Week 16- 1st run of the week

I was able to go for a quick run today (Wed.) which was a surprise. I thought this week would be an impossible week to run. At 4 pm, it was about 26 degrees and the sun was starting to set. I headed out for a short run, thinking I would try for 2 1/2 miles. I completed my 6 minute warm up walk and started to run. I ran at a slow beginning pace since it was cold. It was strange because my left knee began to hurt. I have never had pain in my left knee. About 1/2 thru the run, I decided to push it and speed up for the rest of the run. When I picked up my pace, my knee stopped hurting completely and I had no pain. I ran a little over 3 miles in about 28 minutes total. I ran very fast for the last 10 minutes and my body felt good.

I am concerned about having knee pain when I run slow b/c I will be doing a slow run during the marathon. My pace will be a 10 minute mile which is much slower than my normal pace. If I am having pain at mile one at that pace, how will I be feeling at mile 20? It is strange to not have pain when you go fast but at a slower pace, feel the pain in the knee. It must have to do with my stride.

My plan is to do a short 2 mile run on Friday and run a 5K race with my girlfriends on Sunday and work on my speed. We will see if I get to my goal this week. So far, so good!

3rd run in week 17- Painful

At 8:40 am on Sunday, I headed out for my long run. It was about 25 degrees out and sunny. I was in a bad mood and really felt I was not going to complete the long run. About an hour in, I was ready to call it quits. I have a lot on my mind. I couldn't focus or get into the run. I also had pain in my right knee but not bad. I ran for 2 hours and 10 minutes. My plan was 2 hours and 30 minutes but I could barely finish the last 10 minutes. It is still my longest run. AT the end of the run, I realized that at this point of my training, I could not run another 2 hours. I am not near the condition I need to be in 17 weeks to run this full marathon. I am just assuming that if I keep doing what I am doing, I will get to the condition I need to be to do it.

I had a lot of soreness during the day after the run and that night, I had a lot of soreness and pain all over. I really felt like I pushed it. I woke up around 12am and had to take tylenol b/c I couldn't get back to sleep with the pain.

Plan for week 16- don't have one b/c I am going to have a crazy week and don't know when I will have a chance to run. I should be running Tues., Thur. and Sun. but don't see it happening. I plan on running a race on Sunday with friends (5K) and checking out if my speed has decreased. My last 5K race was timed at 26:31. I have a feeling I will be slower.

Still week 17- 2nd run of the week

I completed a 30 minute run in Amityville today. I brought Donovan to my mother-in-law's house and went for the run. The weather was not bad, not too cold. I had some pain in my left knee and in the back of my right leg. I was a little concerned considering it was a slow and short run. I want to run my long run in 2 days in Sayville- about 2 and 1/2 hours. I hurt my toe later in the day but I seem ok now.

My goal for the marathon is to complete it in 4 and 1/2 hours. That would be about a 10 minute mile. I felt that this would not be a difficult goal but I am getting a little nervous about it because I heard about a person who trained on the schedule I am doing and ended up taking 5 hours! Too long.

17 weeks left

For the past few weeks, I have been increasing my running distance. I have not been measuring in miles but instead, in time. My longest run was 2 hours. I ran from my house to downtown Sayville and then headed to the beach. It was Christmas morning and the roads were full of snow. It was a great run and I have had no pain or injuries with my training which is unusual for me.

I plan on running 3 miles tomorrow (Fri.) in Amityville and completing a long run on Sunday, probably about 2 and 1/2 hours. Hoping the weather will hold up and I will get some good runs in January.

Decision!

In honor of my grandfather, I have decided to run my first marathon. I cannot express the excitement but also the trepidation I feel about this decision. But I will go forward with this goal and raise $1000 to donate to the Lustgarten Foundation to find a cure.

This blog will be my training log. I want to remember this accomplishment and the road I traveled to get there.

The marathon is on May 2nd, 2010 and the count down begins.