Tao of Pooh. Oh Bother.

For those that don't know my familial nickname as a child was "Pooh"--as in Winnie the Pooh. But only Aunt Boo stills calls me "Pooh."

I have 21 days until the Chickamauga Marathon.
I have the Silver Comet half marathon next Saturday.
Uhm, so yeah, I guess I am in the taper.

Ready or not I better be trained.

I am a little disappointed in my running mpw totals this training go around. For the most part they were in the mid 50 range but I was hoping/planning for them to be in the 60 mpw range.

Didn't work out that way.

And so, I worry that I am a little under trained.

But maybe not.

For my first marathon I think I only peaked at 40 mpw. For OBX and ING I did hit the 70 mpw range a few times but I also struggled (read hobble) a lot with over training injuries. Right now I feel pretty good but I also feel like maybe it has been too easy, like I didn't work hard enough. Like yeah, I know I can do 26.2 miles but I don't know if I can do 26.2 miles faster or even as fast as I have done.

So I worry.
I fret. That what if I have already peaked and now I am on the downhill spiral into slow, and next thing you know I'll be doing a half marathon with a walking stick?

So yeah, I am not too optimistic about a PR at Chickamauga or at Silver Comet. But ever the optimistic pessimist I am still hoping and aiming for a sub 3:40 nonetheless. And aiming for sub 1:40 at Silver Comet.

Okay. For shits, giggles and reassuring pats I need to do a check list real quick, bear with me:

So we have speed work, right?
Almost every week at least one run on the treadmill in the 5K-8 mile range @7-7:30 pace.
About 8 or so 12-16 milers.
And then there are the 5 long runs: The 21 miler, the 20 miler, the 23 miler, the 24 miler and the 21 miler (in the rain, ugh!)

I'm good, right? No? Yes?

What I am worried about: I have no runs at projected marathon pace. All my mid length and long runs are all about 45 seconds to a minute 15 slower than marathon goal pace (8 minute miles). Maybe recovery runs were at marathon pace. I don't know since I run those however I feel like.

SEE! I've been too lackadaisical about all this.

Oh, and then there has been my cheating heart doing all that biking and swimming.

Self sabotage?

I don't know. I don't know.

Okay, shaking it off;

Whatever.
Doesn't matter.
What will be will be come race day.
I will run.
And there might be terrible hills.
There might be horrible heat
Or humidity,
Or cold,
Or rain.
And, I've tried my best to prepare for all these possibilities.
But race day has always proven three things to me:
That there is magic.
That there is unexpected obstacles.
That no matter--however, whatever--I get through it. I get it done.

"Oh, bother," says Pooh.

I'll get it done this time too.

But really? I still hope that the planets will align and it will be that perfect race.
But no matter.
When I am done with it? I will still be happy however it all goes down just because I am done.
That's the beauty of 26.2.
Just finishing it makes you proud; even if it sucked ass the whole time.

So my last week of training finished up like this--no not ideal but it is what it is and I did my best:

Sunday: 6 miles general aerobic run. Then 2 cool down with dog. Puppy girl is lazy except when she sees another person or dog. Otherwise I pretty much have to drag her.

Monday: So fun. 5 or so miles easy. 36 rocking bike miles on the greenway. 20 minutes weights and then 1 mile swim.

Tuesday: Work day. No fitness.

Wednesday: Sad day where I bailed on my mid length run. Bad. Bad. Bad. 3 miles run of shame. Blech.

Thursday: 8 miles: 6 rolling and then 2 easy with slow puppy girl. And then 7 hours of hard landscaping labor hell. Dirt. Yuck. I'm a princess and I do not like yard work or dirt.

Friday: 21 unspectacular disappointing miles. First 8 or so miles was in the pouring rain. Then the next 6 or so I was getting splashed by the water on the roads and the humidity was just yucky and then the last bit was just bleck. Finished in 3 hours and eight minutes. I wanted to quit every single second of it. Then I had to go help set up for the garage sale.

Saturday: Did a garage sale. Mentally and physically draining. Had optimistically thought I could rally afterwards for a run but after all day on my feet and haggling I just wanted to crawl into bed. Which is pretty much what I did. But fabulously enough I got rid of stuff and made dollars--so, absolutely worth it.

Le totales:
Sie Run: 45 miles
Sie Bicyclie: 36
Sie Swim: 1 mile
mwah.
Now? Le taper.