On My Own

I can't believe my first marathon is sooo close! I'm starting to make plans this week for when we drive up there, where everyone is staying, pre-race dinner, etc. and it's getting exciting/terrifying.

I think I mentioned a while back that I was running the race with a friend from Raleigh, we will call her M. (She was the one pictured with me here in Greece). M and I have been attempting to train for a marathon for almost two years now. Last year we were hoping to do the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, but ended up only doing the half. (She got the flu a few weeks before the race and I half assed my training.) So this year we were both pretty determined to get it done...so we decided on a race close to home & our families, the NC Marathon in Greensboro/High Point, NC and started training together/apart in January. My dad lives in Greensboro and the rest of my family is scattered throughout North Carolina and Virginia, so I was hoping that they could make it out to the race if we did it somewhere close.

Unfortunately during her training, M has become injured and so she will not be running the race with me. When she first told me the news, I was pretty sad about it/worried about running the race solo. But I figure if I can do all this horrendous training on my own, I can definitely run the race on my own! Plus, it's not like she intentionally injured herself, so I will have to make do!

So there's that. But fortunately, a lot of my family is going to come out to support me during the race! My grandmother from VA, my dad of course, I think my younger brother (who is in school at NC State in Raleigh), and my mom who lives in the Charlotte, NC area. Plus Matt will be there with me, and M and her boyfriend will be coming out to cheer me on! (I'm going to convince her to run miles 22-25 with me if we can meet up! I know I'm going to need some support at that point...)

I am very grateful to have family and friends that want to come out to support me in this! I love running races and seeing them along the sidelines, it definitely gives me a boost of energy and with 26.2 miles to run I will need all the help I can get!

***
Last night I completed last weekend's long run of 12 miles in 2:06:37 with an average pace of 10:33. I was actually pretty shocked that my pace wasn't slower, as it was the toughest run I have had in a while! I started out feeling okay, but my legs felt heavy and sore and my stomach was seriously not happy with me for almost the entire run. I had heartburn, I felt nauseous, I was tired, and I was cranky because of more seriously stupid wind. But, I kept on running and never stopped for a walk break, which I think is a true testament to my training. If this had happened a little over a month ago, I would have been walking every few miles, but I have been training hard and I think I finally got my fitness level up to where it needs to be to tackle long runs --even when they suck hard and I don't want to keep going.

Taper Schedule & Race Prep
Tonight I am going to do an easy 4, tomorrow an easy 5, another 4 on Thursday and a final long run this weekend of 8 miles. I am also focusing on seriously hydrating the next two weeks, taking my vitamins, getting a lot of sleep, and eating as cleanly and as healthy as possible.

For example, this morning for breakfast I had a green smoothie with two big handfuls of spinach, 1 chilled banana, 4 strawberries, 1/2 cup soy milk light, and some ground flax. (Although it would have been much more smoothie-like if I had a good blender, my food processor could be better.) I also had a piece of whole wheat double fiber bread with some chunky organic all natural PB. So far it has kept me full without needing a mid-morning snack!

I am so proud of everything I have accomplished so far, and I am really looking forward to setting even more ambitious goals post-marathon.