The Icy Cold Road to the Boston Marathon 2014
January 26, 2014
Boston Marathon Training 2014, Week 4
Just as I suspected! 5K Chilly Chili and 22 Mile long run is DONE and I couldn’t be more HAPPY! Completely the opposite of my feelings this morning. This is the cycle though and thankfully I am always able to remember how good it will feel when it is over. This is why I keep doing it. If it was easy it wouldn’t make me feel proud, accomplished, and healthy.
About 11 miles into my run, I stopped in Stingers Pizza Pub in Manlius for a glass of water. I’m sure they all must think I am crazy. Oh yes… I casually walk in.. ask for water.. and pretty much tell them I was just passing through from Cazenovia.. running home. I know most people think I AM crazy for doing what seems to be excessive running. I wish I could explain just how SANE I am from running (I’ll attempt to explain in a later post).
It’s been a tough training week.. 2 speed workouts and I just added in weight training. I am tired and my thighs are shockingly sore from the downhill long run. I will probably need a few days to recover but I’m feeling really good! It hurts so good.. yes.. I just quoted a 80’s song and I’m not proud Have a good week everyone!
January 14, 2014
Boston Marathon Training 2014, Week 2
Another fumbled long run down! 17 miles through the hills of Green Lakes and another mad dash back to the car. My husband had a meeting and I was just minutes from making him late. I actually texted him while running to tell him I was on my way. Twice I ran off the road, slipped on ice and finally ran into a border collie and his people. (Do NOT text and RUN!)
On the plus side (heavy sarcasm) Easter Sunday is the day before Marathon Monday! OH MY! What am I going to do? I am rethinking my choice to leave the kids at home (which I decided they were safer home because of last year’s bombings). Anyone have any advice on this? Does the Easter Bunny come on Saturdays? Should I bring the kids?! Remember I said last week that I won’t take anything special from the kids…. that one bit me back huh?
Basketball with the girls starts this Saturday so I should have another close call for my long run. A lot of my Mom friends ask me “How do you fit it all in?”. Now you see… I don’t! It’s just a constant juggling act that I manage week to week. Behind the scenes it’s UNorganized chaos but worth every bit of stress.
Speed tonight should consist of hills in the rain, a welcomed workout compared to last weeks freezing temperatures! Super!
January 7, 2014
Boston Marathon 2014 Training has officially commenced! Week 1
I started this Saturday with a freezing cold long run 2 plus hours… about 16 plus miles …but I really have no clue the exact time or distance. (In case anyone thinks I can just go out and run 16.. I can not. I have been doing longer runs on the weekends since Chicago Marathon last October.) Anyway, I was out on Rt. 31 in Baldwinsville when my watch died and I had less than 30 mins to get back to Onondoga lake park so I could make it in time to the 11 am Disney on Ice show with the family. A little over the 2hr mark I was just about a 7:10 -7:20 min pace. All I could think about was missing the show and the girls would have to go without me. This is not acceptable.. I take time away to run but I would never take “special” time away from them to run. So I hauled it back to the Willow bay area at Onondoga Lake park. My mantra was simply “The pain does not hurt.” Ridiculous really, but I had to get back as fast as possible and I couldn’t let my mind stop me. I made it to the show with mins to spare. Thankfully Aaron D Wood had them all packed up and ready to go. With a fast tempo workout tacked on to the back end of my long run, I’m counting the experience as a win instead of a near monumental FAIL!
Today is .. or was my first speed workout for the official training period. At the last minute, I decided to opt out of my Tuesday night speed work outside and hit a class with Kevin Collins and the Y runners at the OCC track. It went good and I felt pretty good. Of course NOW I feel like I gave up on my Tuesday night Y runner crew and I have decided to go brave the cold and go for a 2nd round of speed work for the day. Huh… I always thought it was mental toughness that I had but maybe guilt is why I won’t give up on this running lifestyle Oh well.. whatever works! Be careful out there today!
Jennifer Wood