Well Week 9 didn’t go exactly as planned with mileage, but it was better than Week 8.  I honestly think I was still recovering from so many hills!  Half way through the marathon training plan and I’m feeling pretty good about things, but a little nervous.  I know the marathon is still two months away but I’ve been laying in bed awake at night worrying about breaking the 4-hour mark.  I really want to make sure that happens this marathon!

Monday:  4 Miles (Pace 8:04)

Today I decided to run the promenade around Canton.  My plan was to run 3 miles, but I was feeling pretty good and decided to add a mile and make up for some of the miles I skipped out on last week.  The evening air was warm and humid, but not as bad as it had been during the day.  There were lots of people out enjoying the evening.  I really do enjoy running along the water, much more than in my neighborhood.  I think that is because I actually see other people out running and the scenery in general is much better!

Tuesday:  9.5 Miles (Pace 8:30)

This evening I decided to run with Tin Roof Runners.  They normally run around 4 miles so I knew I would need to add some miles today.  I couldn’t decide if I wanted to run miles before or after meeting with them.  The heat index was over 100 during the day, so I decided to get in the extra miles after.  We started running late, it was a little after 1900 hrs. by the time we started running.  It was only a few of us.  I pretty much ran by myself and the lead runners turned well before I was ready to.  I ran the waterfront through the Harbor, Fells Point, Canton, all the way to the end of Clinton St. and back.  It was a good run!  It is amazing the difference the weather can make when running.  Last Sunday it was much warmer when the sun was up and I was struggling to get 10 in.  Today wasn’t ‘easy’ but it was much more comfortable.

Wednesday:  5 Miles (Pace 8:03)

Tonight was a special but sad run, I decided to write a seperate blog for this run.  You can read it here.

Thursday:  1 Mile (Pace 8:14)

I decided I would run hills tomorrow instead of today and take a rest day today.  Today was my Dad’s birthday so I went out to dinner with my parents.  After dinner it looked like it was going to rain so I quickly changed and logged a mile around the neighborhood.

Friday:  5 Miles (8:33)  Day #300 of the Running Streak

My alarm went off at 0530 hrs.  I hit the snooze.  It went off again at 0539 hrs.  I hit the snooze again.  The alarm went off again at 0548 hrs. I finally got up but didn’t want to.  As I started getting ready I was sort of anxious about running with November Project, not because I don’t like the group but because of the weird ‘ritual’ they start off with before running.  I talked myself into going, mostly because I told my friend Sarah I would be there.  Today’s morning welcome was especially weird in my opinion, it was a welcome with a Sponge Bob theme.  For anyone who knows me, knows I don’t like cartoons and I think I’ve shared before I don’t like strangers touching me so this morning really peaked my social anxiety.  November Project using the hashtag #hillsforbreakfast since they run hills, but they normally incorporate some other exercises into their workout.  Today they had portions of the hill you were suppose to sprint, skip, and sprint again, then other circuit exercises at the top and bottom.  When I do hills I just like to run so I didn’t do any of those things.  Really I pretty much decided not to run with November Project.  I was feeling really anxious after the weird welcome so I just did hill repeats on both sides of Patterson Park by myself.  I like running with people, but I don’t think I can get past the beginning of the workout with November Project, they are a great group thought.  If you enjoy a crossfit-type workout and don’t mind getting really close to strangers I recommend it, but I think I’ve finally decided it isn’t for me.  I did (6) 800m hill repeats, not as fast as I wanted to but it was a good run and after about 3 hills my anxiety started to subside.  I also decided to meet some friends in the evening for Floyo, it is yoga on paddle boards.  I am really glad I went we all had a good time and it was a good way to work on the core as well as stretch out!

Saturday:  1.5 Miles (Pace 8:37)

The weather today was more like a late September day rather than late August.  I had every intention to run 9 miles today, but by  the afternoon I was exhausted.  I have no idea why I was so tired, I went to bed at a descent hour and hadn’t really done much other than meetings in the morning.  I took two naps and finally convinced myself to run.  I was meeting some friends from high school and didn’t have a lot of time, so I ran around the neighborhood.  Not an exciting run but I got some miles in.

Sunday:  14 Miles (Pace 9:26)

I went to bed early last night and got a full 8 hours of sleep, maybe even a little more, but I was really tired all through the day again today.  My original plan was to wake up at 0400 hrs. to run, but decided my body probably needed the sleep more than the running.  I had meeting in the morning, then by the afternoon I was wiped again.  I took a nap and dosed off again.  I finally talked myself into running around 1830 hrs.  The weather this weekend has been great and it was in the low 70’s when I started my run.  Right away I was feeling lethargic and generally not well.  About 2.5 miles in I almost got sick, at mile 3 I made a pit stop in the Four Seasons and felt a bit better after that.  I ran into my friend Kristen, she was running with some other friends and we quickly made plans to run Tuesday.  I was starting to feel better, by mile 7 I was thinking I could do 19 maybe even more.  I felt pretty strong up until around mile 12, then my hips started to tighten up.  They felt like they couldn’t rotate with my body, at this point I pretty much knew my run was done.  I slugged through the next 2 miles and made it back to my truck. I was a little dissappointed I didn’t get in 19, but it could have been much worse considering how I felt when I started.  I think running everyday and following the marathon training plan is started to take its toll on my body.  I’m looking forward to a real rest day!

Total Miles: 40

-Veggie Fueled Runner