The Week Ahead...

Fresh off 2 PRs in a row, and with sore muscles everywhere, I sit in this office cube with a terrible case of cabin fever, and a desire to go outside and run. However, with the marathon less than 4 weeks away (!!!), that would not be a smart option. I'm learning that resting is just as important as tempoing and long running.

This week is one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) of the whole training cycle. I have a 5,10,5 scheduled for Tues, Wed, & Thurs, respectively. Sunday is the mother of all marathon training races. The 20 miler. And let me tell you, I am scared straight about this one.

Back in July, I signed up for the CARA Ready to Run 20 Miler. It starts at the north end of the lakefront path and ends at the way southern end, at the South Shore Cultural Center. Ironically, it ends just south of the Chicago Half Marathon course. I figured that I would need the motivation, the new course, and the aid stations to get through the long run.

How well I know myself. My legs have been pretty dead for the last couple of weeks, and long runs, which satisfying, usually feel like crap for the first 4 or so. Like, the "What am I doing, I must be insane" kind of crap. The last long run I did that wasn't a race was 3 weeks ago, when I ran my 12 miles on a Friday after work, then went to Ohio and Michigan for the rest of the weekend. I am so tired of running in my neighborhood- and mapping out a course that either takes me back to my house or goes by a park with *working* drinking fountains is nearly impossible. I know that if I didn't pay money to do this, and you have to finish the course to get the t-shirt, that I would be pretty tempted to skip it and lay on the couch watching football.

With that being said, I am determined to finish this training run. I have been running pretty fast (for me) recently, even in training. I am signed up for the 10:00mm pace group, and I should be able to hang with them for the whole race (that's my goal, anyway). I am more worried about the logistical nature of the race- parking at the start, for example. Since we go the length of the path, there is a shuttle bus to take us back. So do I drive, or have the bf drop me off at the start, and pick me up at the end? To make matters worse, the Bears are in town on Sunday. A nightmare. Not sure what I am going to do.

Once Sunday is over, I will be a lot less tense, and overall a much better person to be around. Because after Sunday... it's taper time! My longest run will be the following weekend, and it's only a 12 miler. So then I will have more time to sit around and think about the race. Great. Tapers are evil.

I will do my best to survive taper madness, probably by excelling at Wii. At least I can get a good workout in from the comfort of my couch!