THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

9:49 average pace.  Ran with my sister in the Austin half-marathon.   It was moderately hilly.  She did a great job, and fought really hard through the last mile when she was ready to quit-she didn't--and even mustered up a quarter-mile kick at the end when I told her to empty the tank because it was almost over!  Great job for only 4 months of training!  I really enjoyed it.  The course was beautiful--it was nice to run a race without racing.  Ate lunch, and then 8 1/2 hour drive home.  Nice weekend but hard traveling.  Not sure if I'll run or not tomorrow.

8:22 average pace.  Lotsa wind.  Off to a work week.  Yuck!  The weekend was so tiring already...Oh yeah, my cheat day yesterday :)  I had a butterfinger blizzard in the car on the way home.  Helped ease the pain of the long trip!

7:50 average pace.  Good workout today.  Target was 3x2 at target marathon pace(7:25)with brisk .5 mile recoveries.  Went well.  I felt comfortable during the marathon pace miles.

2 mile warmup 9:17, 9:00

2 at MP 7:22, 7:20

.5 in 4:07(8:14 pace)

2 at MP in 7:15, 7:15

.5 in 3:54(7:48 pace)

2 at MP in 7:07, 7:12

2 mile cooldown in 8:27,7:52(sped up a little at the end to make sure my average was under 8:00 because I am a dork)

one circuit of strength drills with some new leg lifts to strengthen my hips

8:50 average pace.  Nice and easy, listening to music.  They have laid a bunch of rock on the road by my house and it is irritating to run on--too much big rocks.  I can't wait until it snows or rains and washes some off.

Let the long runs begin!  This run was bad at times, good at others, first real long run in many months, but I am getting into the meat of marathon training now.  The target was a progressive long run with 12 easy, and then the last 6 progressing into marathon pace with 2 at 7:45, 2 at 7:35, and 2 at 7:25.  Well the first 12 went REALLY easy, as I was not feeling it, but surprisingly at go time in the last 6 I exceeded my goal.  I didn't have any gatorade so I got this brilliant idea that I would run into town, get a gatorade at the gas station, and then run it to my house and stick it in the mailbox at the end of the drive so I could circle back to it.  Didn't work.  I ran 4.7 to the gas station, got the gatorade, started running, and quickly realized that my hand was too small to carry it comfortably.  I tried, but it threw my gait off and so I had to ditch it a mile later, and so ran the rest of the run with no fuel or water or anything.  This made me feel a little paranoid that I would bonk, and in mile 16 I felt bad as if I was going to, but the feeling passed.  Mile 18 I was nauseated, but felt light on my feet and legs were loose, so the finish was nice and strong, although I was feeling VERY fatigued..  Quit running as soon as I hit the 18 mile mark, let out some kind of loud battle cry(don't know why it just happened) and walked the quarter mile home to cool down. 

Splits 9:35. 9:28, 9:19, 8:46, 8:44, 8:27, 8:46, 8:32, 8:28, 8:39, 8:14, 8:14, 7:40, 7:38, 7:15, 7:23, 7:10, 6:59

8:18 average pace thanks to unmotivated shuffling at the beginning

Top of my foot where I have been battling some extensor tendonitis was angry today.  It is fine as long as I don't put shoes on!  Doesn't hurt to bear weight or run or anything it is just the shoe pressing on it that drives me crazy.  Decided to let my foot breath and skip the run today since I already have almost 60 miles for the week, and 10 with the tribe tomorrow will put me at 70.

8:41 average pace.  10 easy with the tribe,started to sleet just as we were finishing up.   Just in time!  Foot feels almost as good as new-only noticed it on the downhills, and only a tiny bit.  I slept with cottonballs spreading my toes last night and it is the miracle cure for tendonitis on top of the foot!  Did 10 minutes of abs with Denise Austin after.  Now I am off for a busy day of housecleaning and getting ready for Nick's 10th birthday part this evening.