Training for Marathon # 6 by KCorey

I have nothing positive to say. 

Stupid injury...whatever it is. 

Stupid "rest" the MD told me to take.

Stupid body that isn't allowing me to work out.

Stupid weight.

Stupid marathon in less than 1 month.

Nothing much more to say, that's basically where I am at right now.  Completely negative.

So I ended up doing my 12 mile on Sunday @ Green Lakes, it went OK I guess.  I ran the first 9 without stopping and towards the end of the 9 I got a lil dizzy/light headed.  So I went to my car after completing 9 in order to get some fluids.  All I had with my was a powerade zero which only has artificial sweetners in it, no Glucose like I needed, and I jugged the whole 32 oz cause  I was SO thirsty. I still felt dizzy/hypoglycemic since artificial sweetners do not affect blood sugar.  Then my body temp started to get wacky too, I contemplated calling it a day but I was too damm stuborn to quit.  So headed back out and felt like crap, I think  I ran like a 10/11 minute mile my last 3 miles cause it seemed to take forever! I drove home and ate some dinner, but still felt like crap for the rest of the night. We went on a movie date that night anyway which I was glad we did cause it just took my mind off my frustrations.

Monday at work I noticed that my shin pain I spoke of last week was still there...maybe it's not my shin.  I started feeling around my leg and it seems to not be shin pain at all. Now I am just not sure if it's muscle inflammation or is it's, dare I say, a stress fracture?! I have never had a fracture so I am not sure.  I just know this pain has been here since my 20 mile run 1 week ago and continues to hurt, everytime I run.  I crosstrained last night and it was frustrating because I really couldn't push the intensity to much cause it hurt. SO frustrating.  I went to Fleet Feet after work and bought a new pair of sneakers.  I have only had my other ones for a little over 2 months but have put a ton of miles on them, so maybe that's why? I am going to go try to run tonight with the new sneakers and see how it goes.  If the pain persists I am going to try to find a sports medicine MD and try to get in right away for an xray or something.  I can't decide if I am being over dramatic and making this a bigger deal than what it is OR the opposite and I am just pushing myself way to hard and making excuses.  On another note, I checked out those compression socks tonight, kinda pricey, wondering if they are a good investement? The guy at fleet feet said athletes have said they notice a difference so maybe I will spend the money on them.  I wonder how hot they are though?

OK I hope the new sneakers help, or else it may be another day of crosstraining....

This past week of running went pretty much as scheduled.  My left shin has been tender since my 20 mile run... it hurts when I start running, during the run, and still hurts when I stop.  I hope this goes away soon, I am able to run through it but I just don't want any aches and pains going into race day to mess with my mental game.  So Monday (post 20 mile run) I did some light crosstraining as scheduled:  brisk walking for 1 hr 15 minutes.  Tuesday I took OFF as my body felt like it needed one more day to recover before I ran again. Wednesday I did ZUMBA for an hour then went and did a 7 mile run at Green Lakes, it felt pretty good.  Thursday I ran 5 miles inside (had some issues with heartburn & was making me wanna barf) then a good weight work out: legs, arms, abs.  Friday I did a 6 mile run at Green Lakes then my sister and I went to Albany for the day.  It was a fun girly day out and I only worked a couple hours which was a change.  Yesterday, Saturday, I went to Zumba for an hour then did a 6 mile run on the treadmill followed by 45 minutes of weights: arms, abs, legs.  I also got a ton of cleaning and laundry done! The hub and I went for dinner at Cafe 119 where I get my favorite salad: Romaine, strawberries, canteloupe, raisins/golden raisins, pistachious (non-recalled), and lemon poppy seed dressing.  We also got these yummy grilled garlic rolls.  Then we watched some UFC with some  friends and I had some delicious wine, Sweet Walter Red, my new favorite!  I had a few glasses.

Today, Sunday, I went to 1 hr Zumba this morning and did 30 minutes of arms/abs.  I am scheduled to do 12 for my long run today but I am going to go a little later like 2 or 3.  It's the warmest in Syracuse if you wait to go between 3-6 pm.  Also since I worked out this morning I don't mind giving myself a little break.  I am going to go to Green Lakes to do my run, I am so over treadmill running if it's over 6 miles.  It's still windy here as always, but not as bad as last weekend. It was SO fun doing Zumba 3x this week, it's not normally offered that much but since the kiddies have school break some of the other classes got cancelled.  I think if I could do Zumba that much every week the weight would fall right off of me.  It was fun while it lasted.

Not sure what my runs are gonna look like this week.  I got my schedule mixed up so I am technically a week behind training.  I am exactly 5 weeks out from the marathon which means I should do my 20 miler on Sun May 3rd (my last "long run"). Which is 2 weeks from today.  Since I messed up my schedule I don't think I can fit in 2 more- 20 milers as planned.  I already did one last weekend, and I think I will aim for 15-18 next weekend, then my last 20 the following weekend.  From there I will taper down.  I'd rather do as stated above instead of trying a 20 miler next weekend and the weekend after.  I don't think my body would recover well from that.  Does this even make any sense? Oh well! I am going home to Massena next weekend with the hubby, so it should be fun to run around my hometown for my long run.  Seriously nobody works out there, so people frive by you and look at you like your crazy when they see someone running. 

My tummy hurts, maybe I ate too many cocoa flavored almonds : (

Gonna relax a bit more then head out for my run.  Hope everyone had a great week of running!

So excited; despite the 20 mph winds, and the 30 degree weather, I finished my 20 mile run in 3 hrs and 5 minutes. 

I ran 9 miles and then stopped for a drink of some gatorade, then ran until 12 miles and had to take a bathroom break.  Ran until 14 miles and was really starting to feel sluggish so I drank some gatorade, ate my package of sports beans, and drank a ton of water.  I felt SOO much better, then I was able to complete my last 6 miles feeling really good.  It's always a great feeling to push yourself during a run, but I also like being able to walk away from a run feeling good.

I felt so good the hub and I took a little Easter stroll with our bully Winston.  Now hopefully our Easter Dinner will be ready by 8:30 cause we are bothed starved.  Then my date night tonight involves going to see Monster vs. Aliens in 3D, YEAH! Today was a good day afterall.  Just wish I didn't have to work tomorrow but hey that's life and I'm just lucky that I still have a job given the economy. 

PEACE!