Week Seventeen Made Me Gleam

Wow what a fantastic week of training, I feel completely rejuventated. Now don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I want to ramp up my mileage any time soon, but I think I should just continuously taper, like forever. Aside from my right calf still being tight, my body feels rested and (hopefully) ready for Sunday. I am leaning more and more towards wearing my calf sleeves and since I tested them out for the 20 miler I think that should help. I have had no hip/butt pain and I hope it stays that way.  

Monday- Rest.

Tuesday- 5.3 miles around Fairport.  

Wednesday- 1 hour spin and sculpt class at the RAC. 

Thursday- 3.2 miles around Pittsford with Molly. 

Friday- Rest.

Saturday- 8 miles around Fairport with Molly.

Sunday- Rest.  

Total Miles: 16.5            Planned Miles: 21        

Total Marathon Miles: 321.5

After Girls On The Run Thursday, Molly and I got a run in together around Pittsford. Molly had taken a bit of a running hiatus and it was her first run in about ten days. She pulled through like a champ and even though we didn't go very fast it was a really fun run filled with lots of chit chat and marathon planning. Plus we were both proud that we had run farther then the girls that day, because in the previous weeks that wasn't so true. They had been kicking our butts.  

Friday night I hung out at my sisters house and helped them with the kids while they did yard work in the rain. Guess who had more fun?!

We did!!

I woke up Saturday morning for my long run and "We are the Champions" by Queen just happened to be playing on the radio. It was cold, super cloudy and looked like it was about to poor at any minute. Molly met me in Fairport for our last pre-marathon long run together. I showed Molly my usual 5 mile route, since she is moving to Fairport soon. Welcome to hill land sista. Since we had 8 on the schedule and I usually turn around at the canal, we decided to just add the extra 3 by going out a mile and a half and back. It worked perfect and she really liked the route. 

At noon Rob and I headed to Watkins Glen for the Fly By Night Duathlon that takes place on the race course. My parents decided to come watch and stayed for the weekend at the KOA nearby. This was Rob's first race of 2013, what the heck has he been waiting for?!? Actually since we are trying to save money for the wedding we have both cut our races back a lot this year. We went to the campground and hung out with my parents for a few hours and then headed over to the track. We met up with the Tuckers there and had fun entertaining each other...

Hanging out near the garages.

This race was so cool, transition is actually on pit road and we got to see them multiple times because their bike loops go around the track. It was hard cheering for so many people and paying attention to who was where. Rob wound up taking 8 or 9 minutes of his time so he was excited about that. 

Scott and Rob strategizing in transition. 

After the race ended we headed back to the RV for a late dinner. Usually sleeping in the top bunk of the RV can be uncomfortable and I usually wake up with a stiff back, but I think we were both pretty tired so we just passed out. Rob locked his keys in the trunk Sunday morning as we were packing our things and my parents thought it was funny that we don't have each others car keys. Maybe we'll have a key exchanging ceremony as part of the wedding, haha. After we got on our way we stopped at one winery, actually it was a meadery, did some tasting testing and bought a couple bottles to take home. 

Monday is usually a rest/yoga day, but I had to get a run in since my Thursday schedule is different this week. I had made two running dates and instead of canceling on either one I combined them! So I picked up Evan and we went to Molly's place to run around the city. I couldn't believe how different everything looked in spring, compared to the last time I ran that same route when our training started back in January. It was quite chilly, in fact I busted out my tights, good thing I never really put them away. Another great run and even Molly was on the happy train this time. We did so well that instead of walking in her complex as a cool down, like usual, we ran in!  On the way home I treated Evan to Tom Wahl's for an orange float. I didn't really care for this and wish I had gotten my usual strawberry milkshake. So much for watching my intake leading up to the marathon. 

Today started off great too! I got to school and in my mailbox was this...

5 miles stand between me and the marathon, wow! 

18 Feels So Good!

Yesterday's 18 mile long run was pretty much flawless! I was nervous after the 16 miler because I wasn't able to do it consecutively and I had a lot of pain. I had lost some confidence that I wouldn't be able to do the distance. Molly and I planned to run together and she found a route that covered a lot of the route of the Rochester Marathon. We were on the canal for a while but because of that it was relatively flat. Katie also decided to join us for a little bit more then half of the run and since we haven't seen each other in a while we had a lot of catching up to do.

We met at Fleet Feet at 8:30 and I picked Katie up since we would be close to her house and she could just run home. The weather was overcast and windy and a bit chilly. But it was pretty comfortable as long as we stayed moving. Most of the first part of the run was on East Ave heading towards Fairport and so we were on and off sidewalks and grass. Everything was going great, our pace was very comfortable and we were chatting away. Our first pit stop as at a Burger King so we could go to the bathroom and get some extra water for Camel Clancy (Molly) who now wears a Camelbak by the way, so she is legit!

Photos may be simulated.

Then we kept heading towards Fairport and jumped on the canal, right ahead of a lot of people participating in a walk for dislexia. I was worried that the canal would be pretty boring but there were plenty of other walkers and bikers to smile and say hello to.

Something like this! 

The canal was okay because it was sort of broken up into little chunks of landmarks that made it interesting and more manageable. When we got to Bushnell's Basin we said our goodbyes to Katie and I went into the Hess to grab another Gatorade.

It wasn't this busy. 

Molly and I jumped back on the canal and headed towards Pittsford, this time playing music out loud for a new distraction. We paused near the Great Embankment Park to stretch and to take more rocks out of my shoes. That is one of my biggest pet peeves with running on that portion of the canal because it isn't paved.

I always dress up for my long runs.

We got to the village of Pittsford and I took more rocks out of my shoes and texted Rob that we were still alive and had about 4 miles left. Molly and I were both in really good spirits still and aside from Molly's Garmin battery running on empty all was good! Earlier in the run I suggested that, since the original route was closer to 19 miles, and since the canal can get boring, we jump off the canal a bit earlier and head towards Fleet Feet via Clover. When we got to Clover I was in need of a short rest and stretch and Molly was trying to beat her Garmin's death so she kept continuing on.

I caught up to her at Monroe and we finished together! When we hit 18 miles or a little bit more, we decided to walk the rest to the store. We were both so smiley and happy at what we accomplished and when I thought about how much of Rochester and the suburbs we covered it was unbelievable. The weather held up and only sprinkled a couple drops of rain, our gear held up and aside from being pretty hungry at the end of it it was pretty perfect!! 

I was just so excited!