This is it! I’m officially on my LAST training week of Phoenix Marathon. WOW.
Last week was a tough, tough week health wise. We were all sick and dad was out of town the entire week and this mommy was exhausted. I tried my hardest to make it all about resting and recovering for me. I’ve been soooooo sick and the taper crazies have been at an all time high as paranoia over whether I’ll get better by Saturday lingers in my head. My kids were also sick last week and either one or both of them stayed home from school the entire week. 😦
Luckily, it looks like we’re all on the mend. Fingers crossed that we all continue on the healthy train.
Okay, last Sunday and Monday I did nothing but Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. My knee was still being funny and that along with my cough was stressing me out big time. Monday, I was off from work because of President’s Day so I was able to just hangout at home with my kids (who were also sick that day).
Tuesday, I mustered up energy to meet up with my run club for my usual 5 miler. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be considering how awful I felt. It might’ve been just what I needed to make me feel better 🙂
Wednesday I was supposed to go to track but I was just not feeling good. It had been a long night with my kids, my daughter especially, who was sick and wanted to sleep with mommy. I took a rest day and planned for a run on Thursday.
I was able to get in a pretty decent 4 miler the next day. Again, I felt good despite lack of sleep and a stuffy head.
Fridays are my usual rest days and my husband came home from his work trip 😀 I was SOOO excited for him to be home. I don’t function well without him and then on top of that, being sick made him being gone that much more tough to handle.
I managed to get a decent night’s sleep and my run the next morning, Saturday, was planned for 6 a.m. (sleeping in for me!). I met up with my run club and talked with a few friends. I was wanting to go 8 miles and most of my buddies were shooting for 6. I erred on the conservative side since I still wasn’t feeling good and oh boy, was I glad I did.
Those were tough 6 miles and they did nothing for my confidence level. My legs had the same heavy feeling they had when I ran Lost Dutchman the week before. I just felt sluggish and each mile felt like eternity. My average time definitely felt a lot worse than what it actually was: 9:33/mile.
But I got it done and I celebrated my last long run of the training cycle by heading straight to my daughter’s last soccer practice 🙂 Technically, next week is her last day but because of mommy’s marathon, we’re missing the official last day.
Goooooo team! (My daughter’s in the pink–total mommy fail for not having her in uniform lol!)
On Sunday I had big plans to go to a book signing. I’m an English teacher and I am always looking to see what authors are visiting the valley. Well a couple of weeks ago, I got an e-mail notification from one of my favorite bookstores that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was doing a signing of one of his young adult books! Basketball? Books? YES!!!
I got to the bookstore early despite having been assigned a group letter (I was C and yeah, it went all the way to Z!). My buddy and got in line and then one of the bookstore people asked if I’d hold the Group Letter for my group: my first official pacer job! 😀
I take being a pacer seriously 😀
Two hours of standing later (yeah, that def wasn’t conducive to my tapering), I finally got to meet the big guy!
Yay!
It was so awesome. If you’ve been a reader of mine for a while, then you know that I’m a pretty huge basketball buff. Getting to meet Kareem is definitely a top moment for sure!
All in all, a decent week. I’m finally feeling better and I plan on just resting as much as I can as the big day approaches. I’m trying to have the same relaxed mentality I had for Fiesta and RnRAZ when I went in without much stress and ended with great results. I think it’s harder this time because this is THEE race I’ve been training for you know?
Total Miles: 15 miles
Water Intake: B+ (I did good this week! Only missed 2 days and not by a lot!)
–How was your running week?
–What athlete would you like to get an autograph from?
Very cool. And remember, trust the taper…. 🙂 You will do great!
Thanks sue! ❤
Holy cow one week left- where did the time go?! I’m glad you’re feeling a little better- what a bummer that your last weekend run wasn’t the best. But brush it off, because besides that you’ve had an awesome training cycle! My fingers & toes are crossed that everything comes together just right on race day 🙂
Super cool that you got to meet Kareem! I’m not a sports fan outside of running, so I’d have to be a total runnerd & say I’d love to have my Paula Radcliffe autobiography signed by her 😀
Love it! I’d totally geek out too if I met Paula 🙂 I’d DIE if met Michael Jordan and got to legit take a pic with him
Best wishes on your race, and pacing!!! I always feel yucky during taper, so don’t worry and trust your training!! ❤
I keep trying to remind myself of that lol! Thank you so much for your encouragement ❤
You bet!!!!
Your excitement is supercute.
Don’t stress too much. Remember, you’ve already done most of the work. Hope you’re fully well by the time the marathon rolls around.
Thank you! i sure hope so as I’ve been feeling worse instead of better 😦
We are so close. Just get the rest in, fuel up, and germ warfare (as in, wash hands). You’ll be find. Same thing after so that you don’t get sick then!
Ugh!!! Suz, I feel worse!!! I’m freaking out 😦
Great job – don’t let the cold shake your confidence! As the coaches say here “they hay is in the barn”. 🙂
I was lucky enough to meet Shalane Flanagan last year on a whim and got a picture (I literally stopped her while she was running but it was right after Boston so I didn’t feel guilty) and met a triple Olympian this weekend who signed my swim book. So amazing to meet these athletes! I’d just LOVE to meet Hal Higdon because I’ve actually interacted with him on Facebook and have learned so much from him, but I think meeting Meb would just be the icing on the cake. Feel better soon!
That’s so awesome you met Shalane!!! I’ve seen quite a few people meet Meb and take pics so he looks like someone who would be nice and let you take a pic with him. Now we just need to see what races he’s doing 😀
awe sorry to hear about the sickness going around. Hopefully it clears up and you feel amazing for your Marathon.!
and soo cool that you got to meet Kareem.!!
I had my first full week back into running. So I”m glad about that. 🙂 and I would want to meet Steve Nash.! he’s my favorite basketball athele
That’s awesome you like Nash! I saw him around a few times here in Phoenix but never actually got to meet him 😦
Awe.!! Still cool that you got to see him.! I’m jealous. Lol
Wow, it’s so close!! I am so sorry you and the kids were sick, but glad to hear you are all on the mend!! Just remind yourself when your confidence has been shaken, your training is the culmination of all your workouts, not just one or two…you have done the work, you ARE ready! Now, you just have to get to the start line and wait for us all to cheer you on!! You will be great my friend!
Thank you so much for being such an awesome cheerleader! <3!
That’s awesome you got to meet Kareem! The day before the Beat the Blerch half I waited in line for hours to meet The Oatmeal at his book signing and my legs were killing me – but it was worth it! Meeting celebs is so exciting!
That’s so cool! That sounded like a super fun race!
My running week tanked. I put miles off and then hurt my back so only got in a few walking miles. Glad to hear you are on the mend!
Aw man! Bummer for a dud running week–I was on the mend, then took two steps back and am worse than before 😦 Here’s hoping things look up for us!
So freaking cool that you met Kareem!!! I would like an autograph from Ray Lewis please. 🙂
I really hope that you’re feeling better today and I’m sending all the good healthy vibes your way for this weekend. You’ve got this!!!!!