I think I’ll remember my own LIFE

So, I managed to run into the gym Friday afternoon to change and just kind of ducked my head as I ran in.  Unfortunately, there was one guy there that I KNOW saw me on Thursday and was totally smirking at me but whatever.  I changed into my running clothes and ran back outside. 

I was supposed to run 2.5 miles…but what a joke.  Seriously, it was embarassing.  Anyone who saw me would NEVER believe that I had managed to run 4 miles two days earlier.  Sigh.  My legs were so tired and just felt like complete dead weights.  I finally said screw it after about 1.5 miles and went home.  I figured it seemed stupid to make my legs even more tired when I had to run the 6 miles on Saturday. 

So I woke up Saturday morning around 5 and walked Oscar (geez…even on the weekends I wake up early).  I managed to fall back asleep for another two hours and then woke up and was lazy for an hour.  I went and ate and was lazy some more.

I finally went for a run in the rain around 11:30ish.  Now, I didn’t rock the 6 miles…but I did finish them, and at the super slow pace of 12:55/mile but whatever.  My legs still felt like rocks and I was actually just happy I finished the whole thing. 

I also started thinking about my goals for the half marathon.  When I signed up I put down an expected finish time of 3:30.  Which is my cop-out goal.  When I ran the last one, I finished in 3:42 and that was with me having to stop and poop every mile and feeling like CRAP for the last 7 miles.  So seriously, I should be able to shave off 12 minutes from that time barely even trying.  Right? 

So, my “secret” goal (I guess it’s not much of a secret anymore?) is a finish time around 3 hours.  If I run an average 14 min/mile, I would finish in 3:05.  I think I should actually be able to do that as well…but I don’t seem to perform well under the pressure of a clock, so I’m still keeping it as my unofficial goal.

My stretch goal is to finish in 2:50 which is an average 13 min/mile for the full 13.1 miles.  I know 13 min/miles are not fast, but 12-13 min/miles seem to be my comfort range, I’m just not sure I can maintain that the full race.

However, this race I plan to start by myself (I’m not going to try and run with K or Figgs in the beginning).  I’m just going to go at my pace and I’m content starting at the back of the pack and running at my speed.  I know I started out WAY too fast last time (trying to keep up with Figgs), and even though that had no impact whatsoever on my lovely GI issues, it still would have impacted how I ran the rest of the race, and I don’t want that to happen again. 

So there you have it.  They’re written down for everyone to mock my slowness.  :-) 

Anyways, next week’s schedule:

Monday: Weight and XT (Upper and lower body plus cardio)
Tuesday: Run 3.5 miles
Wednesday: off
Thursday: Run 2.5 miles
Friday: Weight and XT (Upper and lower body plus cardio)
Saturday: Run 7 miles
Sunday: off

So, hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!  Tonight is my night to party