This week's been tough. I've been dragging and feeling sick, and my legs have been aching. I barely held on for four measly miles yesterday. Today I'm going to give my gams a break and do forty minutes on the stair climber rather than run. I want to have a bearable 18 miles on Saturday. I really hope I'm just sick and not reaching my own speed limit. I felt dandy after 15 easy miles in Texas.
It's been a challenge to set goals this time around. I had such a great experience during my first marathon; I worry that all the problems I avoided in Yakima (no cramps, no stomach problems, no wall) will hunt me down in Newport. I think a key reason why that first marathon went so well was that I had no real goal except to finish. So I had no reason to push myself too hard and bonk in the higher miles. Part of me wants to face Newport the same way and just run comfortably to finish. But I also want to see what I can really do when I push myself. Then again, I want to enjoy the race and not suffer through it, and not be forced to walk at the end. Aargh. It reminds me of the second half marathon I ran last year, which I never ended up writing about: the Haulin' Aspen trail half in Bend. I finished in under two hours and came in third in my age group, both things that I am very proud of. I also pushed really hard, particularly in the last couple of miles, and felt awful for the rest of the day – and it was a LONG day. No guts, no glory, etc., but I would strongly prefer to never feel like that again.
I guess I'll wait and see how the next couple of weeks go…
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I will have to read your entry on Yakima... I was thinking about running that one. My first marathon was easy... 2nd was horrid even though I trained much harder. =( Hopefully Newport will be much better for you though.
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