one week to go!

as i posted on FB..this time next week i will be in DC making final preparations for race day...i have gone over my race plan with my coach....i know what i am going to wear, eat, drink and think on race day (and before and after)...i know how i am going to feel before, during and after the race...i know that i am going to be supported not only by the huge crowds at the race, the Marines....and my family...both my mom/dad/bro/sis-in-law/2 nephews AND my husband's mom/dad/sis/bro-in-law!! woot! thanks guys!!

i am having a bit of a hard time getting my head around the fact that it is so soon...however i am getting excited...did my last long run this morning...it just happened to be HUMID and warm...but that is okay...race day will be what it is...and that is all i can ask for...

one way that i know i am ready...and ready to be done is how i keep thinking about mornings when i won't have to set my alarm...i know it won't last long but i hope to have a few weekends of that before i start training again..

and the pressure is slightly less in terms of Boston qualifying too...i am still going for it...for absolutely sure...but Boston is already sold out (it sold out in 8 hours)...so this is for 2012 :D

medium crappy run

(my shoes)



thursday is medium long run day...for me this means waking up at 4.15am...feeding cats....making coffee....checking email/school stuff...packing my lunch...hopefully i have packed my change of clothes the night before...getting running clothes on leaving the house by 5am and driving over to Barton Springs to get in my 6 ish miles plus 3x10 push-ups and 3x30 second strides...soak in the springs for 10 minutes...shower/change/drive home...hop on my bike and be on campus all before class at 8 am...

i really love my thursday runs because they habitually have been on my own...in the dark...and quiet of pre-dawn austin...lately though my runs have been noisy...only due to my silly overactive brain...but this week...i finally had a much more quiet mind...however...my body was speaking up loud and clear...and in totally random and weird ways...

my head hurt....i've had a headache for like a week...everyone says it's allergies...idk...my throat hurt...also attributed to allergies (i have never had allergies before but again everyone says you get allergies in austin)...my right ankle hurt (wtf...really? why!?)...i had to take my hair down out of my normal really every waking minute of the day hair style because it felt wrong?!!!...sorority girls in nike shorts and date dash t-shirts were passing me on the trail...i felt sluggish...and on and on...

my whole run i was thinking about coach amy's post about the pre-race melt down...i've not had mine yet.. (hang on baby it's coming i know)...but i kept thinking that this was the pre-race meltdown in run form...and i guess all in all i am much happier to have it now...than on race day...and to feel crappy and slow...and still pull out 9ish minute miles feeling like sh*t...but still the run in this form is no fun...

however, as i posted on FB thursday after said run...sometimes even the bad runs are good for something...and they are...for me it's about metal toughness...i could easily have cut the run short...stopped...walked it in...but no...i didn't...i did what i set out to do...and that was a good thing...

so even a medium crappy run can get you one step closer...

just a note to self

3.40 = Boston

you can do this...