Alright, sorry if you were thinking you were gonna get something other than my humble blog about training for a marathon!  I’ll try as hard as I can to be as riveting as the chant that inspired my title today.  If you don’t know it – here’s a video.  WARNING:  There are explicit lyrics.  I didn’t make it up – it’s just stuck in my head.  You’ll find out why, later.  PS…  I think Sandra Bullock is hilarious! 

So anyway.  I digress.  Today I ran 19 miles at a pace of 12:11 per mile.  You might be thinking “Oh, I’m sorry”, but for me, that was FAST!  Last week, I ran 17 miles at a pace of 12:08 per mile and the course was nearly completely flat.  This course today had rolling hills going out, some mixed in mid-way and then the same crappy hills heading back home.  So, I say:  “Yay me!”  12:11 was great!  I was tired, getting a little confused and a little achy in the hip by the end, but all in all, it was a good run.  I’ve never run that far before!!!

Preparation for the long run this week was a little different.  I got some Nuun tablets and have been slipping them in my water all week.  I’ve also been trying to drink more water.  I’ve been trying to get to bed earlier, too.  That’s a bigee for me.  I like staying up late.  I come up with all kinds of great ideas in the middle of the night.  I think I decided I’d run a full marathon late one night.  Hmmm…  was that a good idea???  Jury’s still out, I guess.  Last night, I had chili for dinner.  Not so great, but I did try to eat dinner earlier.  This morning, I had a couple big glasses of water, some wheat toast with peanut butter and a cup of coffee.  I planned to take a nap, but sleep was elusive.  I kept having to use the bathroom.  Thank you, coffee!  I felt pretty rested, though.  I’ve been doing my leg and hip exercises from physical therapy days and I’ve been using The Stick to massage my muscles.  I SERIOUSLY LOVE THE STICK!!  Love it. 

So, that’s how I got ready for the long run this week.  I am always thinking about the long run, but I do take my other runs seriously.  I ran 8 miles at my ‘marathon pace’ on Tuesday and did 5 miles of half mile intervals on Wednesday.  It was tough.  I alternated between my marathon pace and a minute faster than marathon pace.  By 5 miles, I was ‘wo out’.  I do both of these runs at the gym and the logic behind it was to give my knee a break from the hard concrete.  I also do two other ‘easy’ runs during the week.  I’ve been taking the dog with me to make sure they are the leisurely runs that they’re intended to be. 

Yes – I run a lot.  Five days a week.  A lot.  Sometimes I feel like all I ever do is run and rest from running.  I knew training for this marathon was going to be time-consuming, but I guess I really didn’t know HOW time-consuming.  Sure, the runs take up time, but then there’s:  reading about training, talking about training with anybody that inquires or who I think might be able to give me advice, planning running routes, getting ready to run and then resting after running.  WHEW!  Yep.  Training for a a marathon is time-consuming.  I’m in it for the long haul, though. 

Have I ever mentioned that I am kind of obsessive?  Yea, sometimes I go off the deep end…  a little…  My object of obsession now is the subject of ‘The Wall”  or “Bonking“.  I don’t think I’ve hit the wall, yet.  I’ve gotten really tired and felt like I’ve run out of steam, but in reading about the dreaded wall, I don’t think I’ve hit it.  When will I?  Will I?  If I do, what will it feel like?  If I do, how will I keep going?  Will I keep going?  U.G.H….  So many questions.  I read an article today by a guy named Michael Bane that listed 5 ways to avoid hitting the wall.  Number 1 was to run a training run of 26.2 miles.  The author’s logic was that if I am going to hit the wall, I should know what it’s like and how I will push through it.  My training plan DOES NOT include a 26.2 mile run.  I get to 22 miles and then start to taper.  That worries me.  No, I’m not going to try to run 26.2 miles as a training run.  Part of the ‘fun’ of training is to do the full distance for the very first time AT THE MARATHON. 

I’ve been questioned about my training schedule plenty of times and so far, I’ve kept to it.  I wish there was one sure-fire way to successfully complete a marathon.  Sadly, though, there is not.

I’ll keep investigating and figure out how I’ll push through it if I hit it.  Until then… “To the window, to the wall…”  Sandra Bullock cracks me up every time!  Maybe that’ll be my mantra during the race!