NYC Marathon Training Week 12

Miles: 40.3 Money Found: $1.13

This was definitely the highest mileage week of my plan. And considering I can still walk, have all my toenails, and didn’t try to sink my running shoes into the Everglades, I’ll say I’m doing pretty well. Add to the pure mileage aspect to the fact that I’m operating as a single parent again this week, I’m damn impressed. My longest run this week — and EVER — happened on Saturday: 20 miles. I can’t say it was pretty, or great. But it was done, and mile 19 clocked in at one of my faster miles that day – so I call that one a win. I had lots of time on my feet and inside my head this week, so here are 12 things I learned.

1. It is MUCH easier to tell yourself you are going to run 3 loops around your neighborhood than to believe you are going to run 20 miles. Even if each loop is 7 miles long, and you begin at 4:45 a.m. It is only 3 loops.
2. Photobombing your friends’ houses at 6 a.m. helps, too. (Guess who’s house?!?!)

   

3. I ran 6 miles, and killer negative splits on Thursday in the pouring rain. I labeled my running journal entry Hot, Wet, and Awesome.  Who needs a date to use that title?
4. Some people believe that found money – coins especially – are signs from spirits encouraging you from the other side.  I completely believe that. Especially after last week’s Running Crap Fest, this week I found change everywhere! I take these as little signs to keep going.
5. Read the plan carefully. Friday actually said “3-4 miles or rest” — I missed that second part. Which meant, I ran Friday night after work, and then again 12 hours later at 5 a.m….for 20 miles. On the bright side, that’s almost marathon distance right there.
6. Mackelmore’s songs are pretty funny.
7. Watermelon NUUN is the bomb.
8. Dancing to OutKast on mile 13 is a completely sane idea.
9. I unexpected broke into tears somewhere around mile 16. I think I was just upset that I hadn’t publicly fallen at all this week.
10. Singing Soul Man at the top of your lungs on mile 18 in the middle of traffic is perfectly acceptable behavior.
11. My neighbors are awesome. They took the kids for a sleepover Friday night so that I could get my 20 miles in on Saturday before the sun came up. They even sent me over breakfast and chocolate cake when I finished!
12. 3 Advil, 2 beers, 1 ice bath = recipe for recovery.

    

    

Well, that’s it. Five more weeks to go.