I haven't written since that sad, sad DNF? Huh. Well, I suppose things could have gone one of two ways after that.
1. Throw in the towel
or
2. Rest, recover, hire a coach, and get to work.
(Really, if you know me there was really only one option on the table.)
Oh there's been fun stuff this summer for sure. In July I got to spend an absolutely breathtaking week in Ireland. I also did Ragnar again with my usual band of misfits (7 years and counting now!) But for the most part I've just been quietly putting my head down and training. Quite honestly, it's been really tough this summer with what I feel has been oppressive humidity that never seems to let up. I'm just trying to trust in my training though, which for the first time in a while has really been pushing me to a new level.
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| Dying in the humidity at ChiRNR. |
Yep, I hired a coach! Good lord it's been glorious to just get my mileage and workouts for a whole month in an email and plug it into my calendar. I've done a wee bit of shifting around to accommodate my schedule but for the most part I do what what I'm told- especially when it comes to the big "challenge" workouts of the week. I'm desperately tired and hungry 24/7 at a level I've never felt before, and I'm not even running as many miles as I've done in previous marathon training! The difference is that the quality of the running I'm doing has been amped up and I'm forced to do workouts that I would mostly likely not write for myself. I've done 65-70 miles a week in previous cycles but this time I'm hovering comfortably between 40 and 50. And STILL feeling wrecked.
Can you tell I love it?
I've had two god-awful training runs at the Chicago Rock n Roll Half Marathon and the Madison Mini but I'm still feeling confident that once the evil heat and humidity finally leaves the midwest everything will start to come together.
Also, I get to register for the Boston Marathon in just a couple of short weeks! (Fingers crossed I get in this year.)
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| Dying in the heat at Ragnar but my teamies are there. |
What's my goal for Chicago Marathon? I don't think I'm ready to tell.
