Swimming Laps

I've been woefully negligent in updating my blog.  Truth is, I can't blame my server this time or travel...I really don't have a good excuse.  Call it the doldrums of training or the heat of summer (supposed to hit the century mark today), but I've been a total slacker.  Oh well.

Let me see if I can catch you up to speed.

After my travels to Korea (I still owe you guys one last post), I hit a little speedbump with my training.  Either I couldn't get out of bed or if I did, I didn't sleep well enough to get a good run.  Then, Memorial Day Weekend came along, and yes, I ran...but it was hot and I certainly didn't push myself hard enough.  If I were in a pool, I wouldn't be drowning, but I wouldn't be swimming laps either - let's say I was "treading water" with my running.  With roughly a month to go until the Missoula Marathon (admit it, you guys thought I'd never get there), treading water just wasn't going to cut it.  I needed to get back on track.  And fast.

That's what this past week has been for me.  I've worked hard to rededicate myself to my training schedule and reestablish my wounded work ethic, in addition to putting in the necessary miles.  Sometimes it's more than the miles - it's the attitude with which you run that's important.

Sunday marked the first 20 mile run in my training, and thank God, it was a (slightly) cooler, overcast day.  I set out from my apartment for the Mount Vernon Trail thinking I might run a loop or wuss out before I reached Mt. Vernon, but no, I made it all the way!  After a few weeks of slackerdom, I had no idea that I would actually reach my destination.  Now, I'm not saying that I ran it fast (slow would be the understatement of the year), but actually finishing was quite an accomplishment.  In all honesty, I still had some "gas in the tank" at the end of my run, which is a very good sign!

I have one more 20 miler before race day, and I can use that run to work on my speed and pacing.  I need to figure out when I should use my energy gels, where I should conserve energy and when I should go all out. 

Running this race "blind" (without having seen/run the course before) will have its fair share of advantages and disadvantages.  The disadvantages are easy to name.  I won't know what to expect; I won't have landmarks; I'll be traveling across the country to the race; I'll be running at altitude...the list goes on and on.  But a major advantage is that the course will be new to me, and I will be exploring the whole time.  Anyone that knows me is well aware that I'm infinitely curious, and that may be a big plus since I've never run this course before.

This weekend, I'm running the Lawyers Have Heart 10K in D.C. Saturday morning, then running 13 miles on Sunday.  I am really looking forward to my runs this weekend.  You know you're wired differently when 13 miles seems like a Sunday stroll to you.  I guess that's just being in the marathon mindset.

Over the next few weeks, I will begin developing a packing list and do my final shopping for race day.  My plane ticket has been purchased, hotel reservation made, days taken off work, etc., so it looks like I'm actually going (you know it's not real until you are standing in the airport wondering what you've gotten yourself into)!  I still haven't found the perfect shirt for the marathon, I need to buy energy gels, new socks, possibly a lightweight pullover...you know how it is.  If given the opportunity, I would buy three possible outfits for the race, but I'm going to try to use some self control.

I'm rambling now...but you can see that I have a lot to do before I'm sneakers on the ground in Montana.  It should be an interesting few weeks - stay tuned.

Happy running!