Less than 6 months until the Big Sur Marathon and I'm feeling pretty good about it. I'm already mentally and physically ahead of where I was for my last marathon back in 2009. I'm not completing my long runs in any record fashion, but I'm completing them and that is all that matters. This past Saturday I went out for 20 and in what can only be described as a classic C Payne adventure, I led myself onward for an extra two miles. I was fine with this though because I had mentally prepared myself to go 21 so that extra mile, although somewhat painful, wasn't too big a deal.
This week is thankfully much shorter in distance and my body needs it. Instead of 5, 10, and 20+ mile runs it's just 5s, 6s and 12. I never thought I'd be truly thankful to only have to run 12 miles on a Saturday but my knees, feet, back and hip are grateful for it (please no emails Mom, I'm fine so relax!)
It's funny how I can compare myself mentally now to where I was almost two years ago. That was the toughest training I had ever experienced because I had never physically put myself through that before and hadn't any idea what to expect. Now I know that I'm physically capable of running 26.2 miles and even though I might not be killing it time-wise, I can still finish the distance without breaking down (mentally or physically) somewhere in between.
Negative side-effects??? Besides the aches and pains I'm just physically exhausted. I finish a 3.5 hour run and I'm completely useless afterwards. Even mid-week when I'm only running 5-10 miles I have no energy by the time I get home, shower, relax, cook dinner and hopefully do the dishes. At this point it's almost 10:00 and time for bed!!! Marathon training is ridiculously time-consuming and I do not understand how people do this all year round.
These next six weeks are going to fly by though and then it'll be all over and I'm sure I'll get suckered into training for another one at some point; hopefully Boston or Chicago 2012. Until then though the training continues...
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