Will it always feel this way?

This week I managed to get in a little over 24 miles. This is the longest I have run in a week so far. The first long run was 9.39(a weird number, but just how the route worked out) on Tuesday. I felt like I could run a mile or two longer but I did not have time to do that and still get to work on time. My pace was 12 minute miles. I did make one mistake in that I ventured off my regular route in order to add miles and so I had just mapped out the extra online but did not know what it really looked like. I turned a corner onto one of these new streets and was faced with a steep long hill. I had wanted to make this a flat, long run. Oh well, I finished it. I ran a shorter run in the middle of the week, but it seemed longer due to the higher temp and humidity. At the 4 mile mark, I knew I did not want to run any further than I had planned.

Today, I met my friend to run the entire 10-miler course. It already felt warmer than I prefer at about 71 degrees. When I ran a portion of this course 2 weeks ago, I felt great about it. Today, I was already feeling strain at about 3 miles into the run. I am so glad that I have run the entire course before my first try at the 10 miler because I was not prepared for the hill in the part, just before the 5 mile line. I finished in 2 hrs, 4+ minutes with three water break stops.

Also, I discovered some hot spots to take care for on my feet. I certainly do not want blisters. I am also experimenting with different undergarments to deal with a chaffing problem. My friend tells me Vaseline is my best bet. I guess I will feel like a greased pig before each race and long run.

Whenever I stretch into my new longer runs, I am wiped out for the rest of the day. I am ravenously hungry and I feel like I could sleep for hours in midday. I try to eat healthy choices with good protein, fruits and veggies. Also, I try to have long runs on days when I can catch a nap and not have to do any long stints of sitting. I am wondering will it always be this way when I run after all long runs?

Dragging, training, and soreness with YIKES less than 8 weeks to go!!!!

I slept in a bit this morning ('til 5:45 instead of 5:15 AM). However, I did not feel like running, I felt like crawling back into bed. I donned my running atire and then laid on the couch for a minute trying to convince myself to run. After dragging myself off of the couch, I drove to my usual running spot. My feet and right knee are a bit achy.

Today I ran speed sprints which were not easy. Actually the speed work was not bad, it was the recovery that seemed long and hard. Overall, I was more sore today from running speed sprints during my 5 miles than when I ran the slower 8 mile long run a few days ago. Tomorrow morning's run will be short because I am meeting a friend early Saturday morning to run 8 miles of the 10-miler course. She is an avid runner of 30 years whose PBs include mile paces in the 7 minute range. It makes me nervous to run with her. Add to that, I am nervous about running the hilly Langhorne Rd. section of the 10-miler and it makes me anxious just thinking about it. Oh well, I have got to attack these hills sometime...might as well be now.

I haven't figured out how to work in training and running time in the warm weather once I go back to school. I don't think I will have time in the mornings to run long runs while still having time to get ready for work and drop my son off. I am getting 2 longer runs in each week and they usually take me 1.5-2 hours each. I either have to run really early (before 5 AM) or run in the evening after dinner or the boys bedtime. I don't know if I am up for long runs in the afternoon heat, but the thought of running after dinner doesn't seem like a good choice either.

Cooler weather, new shoes, training for the 10 miler and goals

There are only 82 days 'til the 10 miler! Every time I think about this upcoming race, I get butterflies in my stomach. Some friends of mine who are runners, some of which have run this race before, have offered a variety of advice. I am sorting through their advice and what I am researching as well. In addition to the physical preparation left in the coming weeks of training, I still need to tackle the mental battles of the training and the race. My mind is my most challenging battlefield.

I am up to 10Ks in my long runs and totals between 12-15 miles per week. I miss running on the trails where the miles are clearly marked. However, because I have been running early in the AM (starting between 5:30-6 AM) I do not feel safe running alone on the trails through the wooded areas. I have been sticking to a fairly busy and well-light road with sidewalks. I like the relative coolness of the AM runs (this morning it took me 45 minutes to lose the red-faced look & feeling from the 73 degree 10K run.) I like the summer sunrises before 6 AM but I will also be glad to get back to the 45 degree and below winter days! I am very thankful for these past weeks with many days of temps below 90 degrees.

My dh got me a gift certificate to the local running shop so I could purchase new shoes. I have began running last August in a pair of leftover, many years old cross trainers that I picked up at Sam's Club. Months later after a couple of 5Ks, I purchased my first pair of shoes just for running--a pair of men's Reeboks for $17 from Sam's Club. Now I have a pair of Asics Gel-Nimbus 10. They are very nice although it took me several days to get over the sticker shock. I have NEVER paid that much for a pair of shoes before. I know I need good shoes for running.

My goals to accomplish prior to the 10 miler:
1. Drop another 8-15 lbs(from my current 179) to make it easier on my joints
2. Run the race course in its entirety at least twice
3. Run a 5 mile race on July 19th in 58:00 or under (This will be my first race as a 45 year old---seems like the 45-50 year old women run faster than the 40-44 year olds ---go figure!)
4. Learn to pace myself better in the first 1-1.5 miles
5. Figure out what nutrition works for me best on race mornings
6. Run a regular 10:30 mile in longer runs--I am currently struggling to break the 11:15 mark.