Monday: 6m easy 8:20/pace
I’ve been waiting for it to happen. Waiting patiently for the week of training where it felt hard, unachievable and where tears would roll. Up until now marathon training has been going almost too good to be true. Every pace, every workout, every strength session, better than the last. Recovery has been second nature, I’m sleeping like a dream, eating well, foam rolling, early AM wake ups, all on point. Then came Week 11.
It took long enough and now hopefully it has passed and I can move forward. But not before giving you guys an inside look cause all the instagram pics and happy-go-running status updates aren’t always as they seem.
This was my highest mileage week ever. I topped it off at 58.9 miles and finished the month at an all time high as well, 218.6. The picture below is actually from a long run 9 days ago, not last week. It’s the only one i found of me smiling. Like hey, look at me the distance isn’t killing me at all right now.
The mileage really wasn’t getting to me, it’s mostly everything else that happened on top of it. I had sinus headaches all week and the allergy meds I was taking made me super tired and loopy.
Then Tuesday at Crossfit, I basically took a swan dive into a box and skinned up my shin pretty bad, on the first box jump 😦 You know how people say “the mind gives up before the body?” Well, not always, cause my mind and right leg were on top the box and lefty just wasn’t recovered or ready to jump. Stupid, unbalanced, left side.
I felt the skinned up, bruised to hell left leg days after, especially while running. Every step was a reminder that my shin was sore. I was barely holding onto goal paces during speed work. I couldn’t get my head into the run and wished each day was a rest day.
But when the rest day (Wednesday) came, my legs were so tight i think it hurt more not to workout that day. Exhaustion set in hard this past week, every easy run felt labored. I needed a 1-2 hour nap every day before heading back to my evening shifts at the gym. Probably because of a mix of the allergies and workouts.
she naps with me often
I drank about half a bottle of wine one of the nights because i was super stressed all week for no reason. The wine did not help the anxiety. I slept awful almost every night, not sure if it was because of sore muscles or the naps, but either way i was getting about 5-6 very interrupted hours a night, which is NOT good for me.
Then just as the week was ending I had one last hard run left. 16 miles. The weather called for rain/thunderstorms all morning so i decided to head to the gym for the treadmill. Not fun, but neither is running in wet weather for 2.5 hours. Even though it was only misting at the time, i figured i’d still be soaked and wasn’t into it. Of course, it never rained. 16 miles later, i probably could have ran outside.
Next on the list was a haircut and dye job. You try running for 2.5 hours and then sit in a chair with patience for five more. It’s tough and to make a long story short i love the cut, hate the color.
I’m basically a redhead on top and a grey/green (ashy blond) on the bottom (you can’t see it, but after one wash it happened). And i’m not looking for compliments, I asked for this:
So yeah, I came home and cried and complained about everything. The exhaustion and allergies, the missed box jump, the shitty sleepless nights, the not-so-great runs, and finally spending ALL THE MONEY on hair that I don’t even like! And then crying because i have nothing to cry about! These “problems” are hardly problems, I was just overwhelmed because everything was happening all at once. Week 11, you bastard. I had to remind myself I’m allowed to be upset and frustrated by all those things, ate candy and took my mind off of all the adulting with some video games.
The next day I had a run date with a few Ragnarian’s along a trail in Arlington. This was a big turnaround for my week. I got to run in a new location and catch up with friends. The best part was running finally felt easy! It was fun again and i relaxed for the first time in over a week.
Steve, Me, Normailed, Nick
Steve was nice enough to have us over his house after for a cook out, beers and hot tubbing. I needed this. The tub was so relaxing, the food was great and I needed beer! It was a super cool secluded house too, felt like a mini-vacation spot.
So, i guess one Instagram picture was honest. The one with the woods in the background. “Keep me outside, keep me happy.” I meant that. I’m a solar powered machine and I need nature to stay happy.
I cropped that picture from this one, because I look like a third wheel. Haha.
Monday’s easy run went well. It felt similar to Sunday’s. Effortless and so fun. It just goes to show that when you have a bunch of crap runs, a good one is just around the corner. Most of the time I run for those days, but I wouldn’t notice them unless I knew what the hard ones felt like.
Bye Week 11!
Last Week
Monday: 10m interval (6 x 1m repeats @ 7:13/p)
Tuesday: Crossfit, 9.5m easy 9:20/pace
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Crossfit, 10m tempo (MGP 8m @ 7:51/p)
Friday: 7m easy 9:00/pace, strength circuit: 25# single arm db snatch + weighted box step ups + butterfly situps
Saturday: 16m long 8:25/pace
Sunday: 6.4m 10:00/pace
Total Miles: 58.9
How do you get through the tough weeks of marathoning?
What’s your happy place?
shesgoingthedistance.com 
10/04/2016 at 9:21 AM
I remember one morning (and a few after that) waking up to run during marathon training and having to tell myself out loud in my PJs either I could go back to bed and quit or keep going. It was so strange, I didn’t realize how tired I was until I heard myself say the Q word in that moment, but giving myself the option out loud was like a wake up call. Yes, it’s hard and you want to quit but you are choosing to keep going and you can do this! Marathon training sucks like no other sometimes, but the good runs make it all worth it. Glad your week turned around at the end!!
10/04/2016 at 9:28 AM
Girl I have those weeks. And pretty much have weekly mini-meltdowns because of stress, school life, haha. You still look fab but ugh that sucks about your hair. I wanted to dye mine but I was like ugh all the money and if it turned out badly then my poor ass wasted so much money. That pool looks fabulous and usually there isn’t two bad weeks in a row so hopefully this week is better, lady! Also highhh mileage girl.
http://www.breathedeeplyandsmile.com
10/04/2016 at 9:34 AM
I’ve said for a while that the great thing about running a marathon is that it is a metaphor for life – the ups and downs, hard and easy parts, and so on. The same is true for running in general – not every day, not every run is great. It is important to work through the crappy runs as it is to celebrate the good ones. Because both teach us things!
And Cameron is correct – I bristle a bit at you calling it ‘doing the girl thing’ to be upset at all of this stuff … it is NORMAL. We are all so quick to marginalize our feelings – having crappy runs, a lousy day at work, someone getting your order wrong, a bad haircut (yes, even with my ‘little boy’ haircut it happens) and so on. It is OK to lean on our spouse about all of this crap, that is what they are there for. We should never think ‘oh these aren’t REAL problems’ – sure someone else has it much worse, but it is important to validate and experience our own emotions.
That said, I am glad you have seen through to the other side of this down week … and can get back to looking forward. But remember that feeling down is a normal part of life – without valleys the peaks are just a plateau.
10/04/2016 at 7:19 PM
I thought crying yourself to sleep was the norm for all of us lol. Totally kidding, but I have those tough times as well. We all do, you’re not alone. For me a change of pace always picks me up. You did exactly as I would have done, a group run to chat with friends and super easy pace is always a great way to change up things. Keep working hard, this is all normal but it will be so beneficial in race day.
10/05/2016 at 3:49 PM
I have had many of those moments where you want to cry (or do cry) and then feel bad because they aren’t “really problems.” I told my husband once I felt spoiled – like my parents got me a pony, but I want to cry because it’s the wrong color. I think we’ve all been there. Plus – a haircut/color you don’t like is definitely worth being upset about!
I love your reminder that a great run is just around the corner. As I work to get back to long distances again – I will keep that in mind.
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