I’m on that roller coaster again.
It’s like I have a good week and then a bad week and then a worse week then an okay week then…
Ugh, last week was bad. I was coming off a great week and hoping that it would carry over. But, it didn’t.
I’m blaming no one but myself. I haven’t been following my plan as closely as I should. Even though I know that leniency is okay and life prevents you from following a schedule to a tee, there should still be some consistency. And there hasn’t been with this training. Totally. My. Fault.
I didn’t start my week until Wednesday at the track. Coming off a 3 days of nothingness, I didn’t have high expectations but still fared pretty well.
The next day, Thursday, I joined my run club for an Adventure Run at our local RoadRunner Sports shop. It was way harder than it should’ve been…
That beer stayed full. I couldn’t even drink it.
And then the Worst Run of Marathon Training Award goes to…… Saturday!!!
It was absolutely awful. My legs felt so heavy and I was just tired.
To be honest with you, that’s how I’ve felt this entire training. Tired. I think I severely underestimated the commitment it takes training for a marathon, being a mom, and working full time. Holy shit, I’m tired.
This run sucked even more because a girl from my run club is pacing a race soon and wanted to maintain a 9:30ish/mile for 13.1. I told her I’d be her guinea and I completely effed things up for her. I felt so bad and she of course was super nice and told me that we all have those days. I honestly was surprised I had even offered because I usually don’t like running long runs with others. I’m always so worried I’m messing up their pace and that anxiety messes up mine and it’s just overall bad news bears. Why I had offered to be her running buddy, I don’t know, but I feel horrible that I ruined her training run.
Anyway, while I was running/slogging, I told her that I was hoping the reason I was doing so bad was because my extra energy was being sent to my sister who was running HER FIRST MARATHON that very morning.
I’ve written about my sister before and how inspirational she is to me; she is the reason I run in the first place.
About 10 years ago, her running career took an abrupt break though, when we were in a pretty terrible car accident, one that left her with little feeling in the left side of her body due to three broken vertebrae.
Yet, after months of therapy she regained enough strength to walk again and months after that, run! She’ll never be able to be the runner she was before but she doesn’t let that stop her from doing what she loves.
She finished her marathon on Saturday in 4 hours and 58 minutes! Killing her goal of finishing under 5! When I got off the phone with her, any woe-is-me feelings about my run that morning vanished. I was so freaking happy for my sister–all that mattered was that she had accomplished a life long goal and accomplished it like a total badass.
That was my week and here’s hoping 14 is my lucky number! One more month for MCM!
ETA:
Total mileage–19.22
Soda count–2 Big Gulps, 2 cans
–How was your running last week? Did you race this weekend?
–Do you have someone that inspires you?
oh this made me tear up… so awesome for your sister!! And yeah, we all have ups and downs in the training cycle. Best thing is to “just keep going” (my mantra) and better luck next week! can’t wait to meet you at MCM 🙂
I can’t wait either!!! 😀
Working full time, being a mom and training is hard! That is all there is too it. I’m with you, this past week was bad. I starting feeling sick the Friday before, got in a 6 mile run Saturday, then I had to leave out of town for training for two nights during middle of the week, followed by birthday party prepping Friday, birthday party Saturday and finally a 5k yesterday (yesterday being the first day I didn’t feel sick). Trying to do it all is just hard! But we do it. I think of you when I don’t want to and it helps. Like Mar on the Run said, “just keep going.”
Wishing you a better week! And looking forward to our race!
You def had a busy week! I’m so excited for our race on Thursday!! ❤
Congrats to your sister!! That is awesome! Giving up a little energy to send her way was really nice of you 🙂
Working FT and training for a marathon definitely soaks up all my time … I can’t imagine adding in being a mom on top of that! I think you are awesome!
Aw thanks!! It’s constant busy-ness but you get used to it?? Maybe? Kind of? lol!
Wow congrats to your sister, that’s amazing! And I had a crappy 13.1 miles this weekend too so don’t feel bad. Mine was in a race so that’s kind of worse, at least your results aren’t posted online for everyone to see forever 😦 I am clearly trying not to be mopey but it’s not working haha
Oh Kristen! Big hugs!!! I’m sorry you had a bad race 😦 I think we all have one bad race we wish we could forget. Use it for motivation to rock the next one! ❤
Your sister is incredible. Congrats to her!!!!!
There will always be bad weeks in marathon training. Just keep at it.
She is pretty amazing 🙂
Congrats to your sister!
Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It may have been a bad week, but you got it done. And you are training for a marathon, of course you are tired! 🙂
Right!? Why am I so surprised about it lol!!
Congrats to your sister! I actually had a good week of running but I have felt the exact same way all training, exhausted and not a lot of motivation to do this marathon. We may have to slog it out together!
I haven’t felt this way the entire time but def as of lately. It bums me because I’m super really excited about this race–it’s my dream race! And I want to enjoy every part of the experience, even the training. But it’s tough!
I can’t wait to meet/see you!!
LIke everyone else–huge congrats to your sister! That is fantastic!.
Now, as for you, girl, you really are just getting pummeled, it seems. And I think that now that you’re sister has finished her race, it is time for you to be your own inspiration. You are a mom, you work full time, and you are training for a marathon. That is kick.ass. Don’t forget it. You are an inspiration to everyone around you because of what you are doing. So take care of yourself, be careful with the soda, and get it. FOR YOU. Not for anyone else.
I ❤ you. Thanks for being your awesome self.
Congrats to your sister!!! Last week I had an off week, and yesterday’s 5 miler was not fun. Hoping for some good runs for the remainder of the week.
It’s Wednesday!! Hope you’ve been having a good running week so far!!
Gotta love those ups and downs of training. I too tend to have them but unlike your weekly jaunts mine seem to go up and down each day. Yargh! It will all work out in the end, right? High five to your sister! What an inspiration!
The hope is that it does work out at the end lol! Looking forward to running/meeting you soon! 🙂
I seriously don’t know how all of you do it-working full time, being a mom, and running. People like you are MY inspiration! 🙂 I’m sure you’ll get into a groove soon enough where things all of a sudden start going more smoothly before you even know it! That is really inspirational about your sister too. Big yay for her! 🙂
That’s so sweet! I really think this heat training has gotten the best of me. It’s my first time summer running and oh boy! I hope it only works in my favor come fall.
It has to be normal to feel exhausted and need to slow down a bit in this kind of training. It has to be! Thanks for linking that story about the car accident…so inspirational.
My sister is pretty amazing. I think about her a lot when I’m going through my funks.
Hoooray for sis! So awesome! I got some inspiration on my race this weekend when the charity it benefits had photos of the kids with cancer along the course. Helped me keep going!
That would def help keep me going too!!
And, I need a tissue now. Wow, congrats to your sister and congrats to you for getting through that week. I’m on week 10 out of 12 of my training plan and am just exhausted ALL THE TIME! It’s so challenging to work, be a mom/wife, run etc during a training cycle but you are doing what you can do!
It’s seriously tough! It helps make finishing that much more enjoyable lol!
Congratulations to your sister, that’s so wonderful!
And hang in there with training–it will be so worth it, no matter how fast or slow you go.
First, congrats to your sister, that is SO amazing! Second, just do the best you can with your training, you ARE getting out there, just not always when you had initially planned. Working full time, being a parent, running, commuting, all those things drain you–I totally sympathize with you, but you CAN and WILL do this!!
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