3.31.08

The last day of March 2008, three months of 2008 already gone… tomorrow will be April Fools. I shall not play any April Fools jokes on you and I hope no one plays any on me as well.

Today I have no voice but I feel pretty good – considering…

At mile 24 yesterday I told myself I’d never do this again. [You tell yourself things like that when ladies in pink totos with pink boas pass you.] Even yesterday afternoon I thought that. But already today I’m planning how I can better myself for next year’s ING. CRAZY! I know.

I kind of compare it to giving birth. When you’re giving birth you think to yourself, “WoW! I don’t want to do this ever again…” but then, when it’s all over, you forget the terrible pain you were in and… you do it again. hummm… sound like a reality problem there.

Anywho… I’ve already thought about how I need to drop about 20 lbs. and do some weight training to strengthen my calf muscles. I really like the ING course and I really, really, really want to run the whole 26.2 miles and enjoy it all as much as I did the first 15-20 this year.

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Marathon Wrap up

It was so, so, so, so COLD! So cold that my running partner’s CPA had to meet me at mile 14 with a sweatshirt, gloves and a beanie. I was TOTALLY unprepared for how cold it was going to be. Had he not been able to meet me with those extras I seriously would have given up. Even with the extra clothing I never really got warm.

I finished a disappointing 5:35:36. The last 6 miles took me and hour and 45 minutes 😦 I seriously should have done the 1/2. And from now on… I will. My average pace over all ended up being 12:45. At the 10K [6.2 miles] my time was 1:03:37 — not too bad, at the 1/2 [13.1 miles] it was 2:18:17 — still not bad, at the 20-mile mark it was 3:52:24 — acceptable but it went down hill [so to speak] from there.

I will say that the hills this year did not seem nearly as daunting as last year. I don’t know if the course changes had something to do with this or not. Up until mile 15 I ran all the hills and only took walk breaks on the 5-mile marks with a GU break.

I’m pretty sure I’m going to lose at least 1 toenail and maybe 2 😦 but I’ve “been there done that before” so, no worries. It just doesn’t look too pretty for a few months. And, the pedicure I’d planned on getting on Thursday… well, that will have to wait ’til like June.

I’m pretty sore but I’ll just have to eat well, stretch a lot and ice. I’ll be OK in a couple of days or so.

I didn’t hardly sleep at all last night. It rained and rained and all I could think about was what if it is still raining like this in the morning. + I’m getting sick from the pollen… If I don’t have pneumonia after today it will be a miracle! I will say though, that I am very thankful the Lord brought the rain last night. I think it washed a lot of that pollen out of the air and that was a really good thing. Yesterday, before the rain came, there were like clouds of yellow pollen blowing through the air and I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to run through that! Running in the cold is better than running through clouds of yellow pollen any day!

My bff TM me about 9:00 “you can do it” and that was a best thing that happened all day!!! For him to TM me was HUGE. I didn’t even know he knew how to do that. I got a few calls and those were very nice too– especially the ones from my bff and Sari Beri – Thanks Y’all!

I think next year I will just do the 1/2. That’s more my speed — no pun intended…

My running partner did well — bettered her time from last year 🙂 She’s AMAZING!

3.29.08

So, we just returned from the Expo and… I’m doing the FULL! I can’t explain it, it just felt like the right thing to do. I have the weather to my advantage this year. It is supposed to be 50 degrees at 7 a.m. when the race starts and only 53 by 11 a.m.

I’m lining up with the 4:15 pace group and hoping, just HOPING to stay ahead of the 5:00 pace group. My running partner is also in the 4:15 pace group and Anne is in the 4:30. I’m sure Anne will catch up with me and maybe I’ll at least be able to keep up with her. One can only hope. I’ll just be very, very happy to see 4:something when I cross the finishline, even if it’s 4:59:59 🙂 [Last year’s time was 5:08:57]

WHEW! I’m ready to go out and have a nice run through the city. I just hope we get some rain this afternoon or evening to wash some of this pollen out of the air. I’ve been stuffed up and sneezing for days now and I can’t imagine what it will be like after huffing and puffing through the city for hours tomorrow.

My bag is packed. My Fuelbelt is filled. I’ll be up and out the door by 5:30, at Centennial Park by 6:15 and ready to run by 7:00.

I felt last year that I was way over prepared and this year I feel way under prepared. We shall see…

3.27.08

A couple of quick miles on the mill just to loosen up. Still my back and neck are sore from the visit earlier this week to the chiropractor. I don’t think I’ve ever been so sore from an adjustment before. I even slept with the heating pad last night– just a temporary solution.

Today I’m leaning toward the full. I started thinking about it late yesterday afternoon and whatever… I could walk some if I had too– probably would have to… I’m SURE I’d have to. Anywho… I guess I might as well do the full… tough it out and see what happens. THERE! Today I think I’ll do the full.

3.26.08

2 miles on the mill last night just to try to loosen up from a visit to the chiropractor. BOY! am I ever sore!

Nothing today. Slept in. On my second water bottle, 2 of 4.

Got my bib # [1749] last night. Def I think I’m doing the 1/2. I’m really, really sore. Have been trying to stretch more.

Right now I’m just really, really ticked at people who create what should be a Word document in Excel because they don’t know how to create a table in Word– that’s a whole ‘nother post all together…

I sure need a massage! My neck and back are screaming HOT TUB!

3.25.08

Opted out on the 5-mile run yesterday p.m. Just too tired and didn’t feel too good either. I hardly slept at all Sunday night. Slept in again this a.m. so no 4-miler as planned. Will it happen this p.m.? Probably NOT.

Went to the chiropractor today. My back has been giving me fits since picking up something heavy several weekends ago [about 3] and every week I say I’m going… never do, but today I did, and right now it feels much better.

Doing well in the H2O department. Right now I’m on bottle 3 of 4 for the day.

The good news of the day is the new ING GA Marathon route. Evidently it was posted in February, just days after I downloaded the now old 2008 route map. AND.. the good news… NO OUT AND BACK AT FREEDOM PARKWAY! They heard our cries! Also the full and 1/2 marathoners run together until mile 7– last year we parted ways at mile 4. Looks like the marathoners will get to run THROUGH Agnes Scott College as opposed to just in front of it like last year.

I’m really getting excited and can hardly wait! Still thinking about the full, can’t decide what to do. WHAT will it be? The full or the 1/2…

3.24.08

The countdown has begun and I can already feel the butterflies in my stomach. GOT TO RELAX! Got to think of this as just another training run…

Will increase my H2O intake starting today from the normal 70+ oz. per-day to almost 95 oz. per-day for the next week. Will be well hydrated for the race. Trying to work in as much carbs as possible w/o the fat but right now I’m not feeling like eating much of anything– will work on the carb thing maybe starting tomorrow or Wednesday. Today, it’s just fruit and veggies– I so need the energy. Didn’t sleep well at all last night- too much coffee.

The weather is looking pretty nice so far but you know how that can change… I won’t concern myself about things I can have no control over– like the weather. It is what it is and will be what it will be.

My bff says he might go to the race. I’m def going to switch to the 1/2 and thinking about trying to break my 1/2 record of 2:02.

Didn’t run this a.m. but may try to get an easy 5 in this afternoon or tonight. Will see…