{rest}

guys... marathon training is hard.  

like, no matter how many times i do it, i forgot how hard it is. 

this is the past 4 weeks on my training plan.  I almost always use Hal Higdons Novice 2 plan for my full training.  And these weeks, they were my peak mileage weeks.  I am fairly certain, after my PR at the MO' Cowbell half marathon,  i was burnt out.  i knew i had met my sub 2 hour half goal, and i needed a mental break.  

so, week 10?  

i did nothing.  as in zero miles, zero body pump and zero yoga.  

and you know what?  i didn't feel bad about it.  

photo from pinterest.  {thats not me!}

now, on to week 11.

this week's mileage should have been 5, 8, 5, 18.  I had scheduled the Rock n Roll St Louis half-marathon as part of my training on my long run.  tuesday, i ran 5 on the treadmill before body pump, wednesday, ran 8 outside at my favorite park.  then, BAM... my next 5 miler hit and i just didn't have it in me.  I made it barely a mile on my treadmill (it was raining) before i gave in.  I knew i still had my 18 miler on Sunday during the RnR half.  Long story short (and there will be another post with a race recap of that one) my sunday run was a flop.  I didn't feel good the 2 days leading up to the race, and as the race went on, i knew i wasn't going to be able to finish.  i ended that run with 14.35 miles (i did a little before the race).

i struggled with this one.  i felt like how was it possible that two weeks ago i PR'd a half marathon at 1:57:XX and then ran a 2:18:XX.  I struggled to remember that i spend a good chunk of that extra time standing in line at porta-potties.  and that sometimes, we need to listen to our bodies.  

i push my body.  i run lots of miles.  i don't give it the amount of sleep it needs.  and sometimes i fuel it with pizza, chicken wings and 2 am hospital cafeteria food.  yet, it still performs.  i am lucky that my body is capable of doing what i ask of it.  With some aches and pains, but generally no injuries or back talk.  So, these few weeks were a test for me.  

and a reminder that it is okay to rest.  

and speaking of... i went out again that week and conquered that 18 mile distance.

and then ate some bacon.