12 weeks until the marathon

Another week of training complete.

I ran 5 miles on Monday morning and bike commuted on Tuesday.

Wednesday I went to speed training. My schedule just said 6 miles, so I figured I'd try to hit that mileage. I ran 1.5 miles from the train to the track, did 20 x 100 m repeats with 100 m active recovery, ran an extra 2 laps, then ran another 1.5 miles back to the store to pick up my race packet. All in all it was 6 miles. It was VERY hot and humid. On the train ride home, I discovered that I was literally crusted in the salt from my own sweat. It was both disgusting and satisfying.

Thursday I bike commuted again. For once, I was grateful for the wind. Otherwise the heat would have been unbearable.

Friday I ran 6 miles in the am. I feel very rushed in the morning when I have to run that far, but I was still glad to get it out of the way.

Saturday I rode my bike down to 63rd St beach and back (roughly the same mileage as bike commuting). I discovered that riding on the path on Saturday morning is much like a real-life version of the old NES Paperboy video game. I spent the whole time dodging various obstacles, from other bikers to runners to small children to dogs to beach balls. (As an aside, I have to say that while I really like biking and am disinclined to give it up because of this, I maintain that bikers as a general group are jerks to the other people on the path. I apologize to all the runners and walkers on behalf of the bikers, despite the fact that I doubt they are sorry.)

Today was the women's 5K and 10K. I ran the 10K and finished in 1:03:15. I did not go in with a particular goal, so I am completely satisfied with the result. I am particularly pleased that I passed so many people at the end. I finished very strong, which means I paced well.

I'm having a little pain today but I am optimistic that it will fade after my rest day tomorrow. I walked to the library and back this afternoon without a big problem.

The training plan really starts to ramp up now. Besides the long runs extending to distances I haven't attempted before, the midweek runs are getting longer. I think from now on I will be running home from work on Thursdays, if I can manage to work out the logistics of that.

Here's this week. It's kind of nice that I already have one workout done.
Monday: off
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: speed work
Thursday: 7 miles
Friday: bike
Saturday: 14 miles

I'm crossing a really important threshold this week. I hope I remain uninjured. But I think I will.