It's official

Tuesday: run 4 miles.
Wednesday: nothing. Too cold and windy (and snowing/hailing)!
Thursday: run 4 miles.

I'm an official entrant of the Boston Marathon. This means I really do have to keep training. I took Wednesday off because the weather was so nasty outside and my throat hurts and I'm coughing and sniffling. I paid my dues! I was sick for two weeks. I've been swallowing Zicam and praying it turns into nothing.

Today's run was good--windy and brisk just like fall. When I started out my legs felt wicked tight, but I told myself to concentrate on just taking it slow and easy. After a mile, the feeling went away. Must stretch my shins. My body is starting to feel the jump from 0 to 16 miles in four weeks. I might only run 3 days this week.

A change of plans

Feb 15-19th: run 21.47 miles. Long run of 10 miles.
Feb 20-26th: run 24.05 miles. Long run of 11 miles.
Feb27-March 5th: run 26.25 miles. Long run of 13.25 miles.
March 6-12th: run 29.05 miles. Long run of 16 miles.

Since the last time I've posted there's been a big change in my running schedule. During the 15th or so of February, I received word that I may be able to secure a number for the Boston Marathon. Did I want to run? That was an excellent question. Two weeks of lost fitness and no long runs.

I decided that I would venture out on two long runs of 10 and 11 miles respectively and if I survived I was game. I had one fabulous, but freezing run, through Central Park over President's Day weekend. My eleven miler was not notable for anything other than my cheeks, legs, and tummy turned bright red from the cold. The thirteen miler was in shorts on a sunny, breezy day and felt okay. This weekend I ran Boston's Run to Remember Half Marathon as part of a 16 miler long run. My splits were somewhere around 9:20 to 9:50's and the last mile was an 8:26. I felt tired after mile 7, but then I quickly realized that I had forgotten to take a gel. I felt tired again later in the race and noticed I forgot to take a gel again. I'm an idiot. I usually run around 10:00-10:30 pace for my long runs and my quicker pace on Sunday didn't bother me too much. And I have no soreness today. Who knows, I just may be able to pull this off....