Marathon Training Monday - Week 16 (Last one!)

On my way to church yesterday, I noticed they'd already put up street closure signs. The final countdown is hereeeee! This time next week, I'll be in full recovery mode. I've very ready, mentally and physically, for the race to be over and done. I don't feel as nervous as I was last year---granted, it's MONDAY. I think I'll be singing a different tune come Thursday, definitely Friday. At this point, I'm just dying of curiosity about how the race will go. I feel really optimistic. But so much can happen (go wrong) between now and the start line, and between the start line and the finish line. No matter what, it'll be a feat. I just hope it's not one that takes me more than 5 hours or leaves me in a boot for weeks again. You know?

Last week's workouts looked like this ---

Monday: 1 hour vinyasa class
Tuesday: 75 minute run (8 miles)
Wednesday: 1 hour vinyasa class
Thursday: 1 hour cross-training (cardio + core), 1 hour sports massage
Friday: 45 minute gym cardio + stretching
Saturday: 2 hour run (12.25 miles)
Sunday: OFF

TOTAL MILEAGE: 20.25 miles

I started my week with an invigorating morning vinyasa class. Most of my yoga has been gentle lately, so it was fun to mix it up with some intenser core work and quicker flow. I chose to run 75 minutes instead of the full 90 minutes on Tuesday morning---woohoo for sleeping in 15 minutes! This week was all about barely pushing it. My body was tired and my paranoia was on overdrive: "Does this feel normal? What's this pain? Am I broken or just sore?!"

Early Wednesday morning, I was woken up by a cockroach on my forehead. YOU READ THAT RIGHT. Not surprisingly, I couldn't go back to sleep so I went to yoga again. Now I'm worried that the eggs it laid in my eyebrow will hatch into my bloodstream, travel down to my legs and cripple me prior to the race. So far, I'm fine...but I bet there's an incubation period of 2-3 weeks like Ebola.

I wanted to swim on Wednesday, alas laziness (and daylight savings) got the better of me. Sunsets make me sleepy!

My sports massage on Thursday had me sore for DAYS. I'm not sure she got into my IT as much as I wanted/needed. Luckily, foam rolling should help---it's what I plan to do every night this week. Friday was 25 minutes on the elliptical to loosen me up from the massage, plus tons of stretching. Then I had Boka takos...which will definitely not be my pre-race dinner this week (but tasted soooooo good).

Saturday's "short" and "easy" run was two hours through hilly neighborhoods south of the river. It was the kind of run where everyone stopped and chatted at each water stop, then took off for another mile or so in between. It was fun with a side of seriousness. I wanted to do some of it at race pace and I kinda-sorta did...The biggest factor during this run, though, was the temperature: IT WAS FREEZING. Right now, the forecast for Saturday looks like it'll be more of the same. Good practice, I suppose!

Before the run, I was planning to stop by the farmers market to get chocolate milk like I normally do. After the run, though, all I wanted was a hot Chick-fil-a breakfast sandwich, tots, coffee and an epson salt bath. 

So that's what I did! It probably goes without saying but: Epson baths > ice baths. 

Since all I'll be thinking about is running this week, I'll be popping in mid-week with another running post (sorry). Some days I miss sharing recipes. It's been so long! Good news is after the marathon comes the holidays, a.k.a. cookie days!