Mississauga Marathon Training Week 17

And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain

Here we go! Second last week!

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Last tempo run of the cycle! 10 minute warm up at 6:00/km, 20 minute tempo at 5:12/km and 10 minute cool down at 6:00/km. This felt good and easy on the treadmill. 6.8k, 40:00

Wednesday: Steady 12k around both community lakes chatting away with Paul discussing race plans and feeling sad that he won't be able to race on Sunday as I'm sure we'd run together. 12k, 1:12:12

Thursday: Another easy run around just one lake. I ended up alone but that was fine. I enjoyed the run without looking at my watch and the pace felt easy. 10k, 58:39

Friday: Rest

Saturday: This was scheduled to be 16k race pace, but my husband had to work so I ended up switching out Saturday's and Sunday's runs. I just ran easy again without looking at the watch and the pace was the same as Thursday. 6.34k, 37:13

Sunday: Race pace 16k! I started out nice and early which was good because the marathon starts at 7:30. I was up at 5:15am and ate and relaxed and then headed out the door around 6:15am. It was so cold that I couldn't wear the shorts I hope to wear on marathon day or the shirt, but I wore both on my 33k run, so I'm not worried. I got on pace right away with now problems and spent the next 16k doing my best to slow down! I was under my targeted 5:41/km pace in every kilometer except one when I hit 5:43. I decided to walk to take my drinks and GU as this is the strategy for race day and it obviously didn't slow me down. I finished the run strong and easy (man, if only I was running a half - I would ROCK it OUT!) and decided that I'd be finding the 4hr pace bunny on Sunday come hell or high water. 16k, 1:28:47

Total KM: 51.14, Total Time: 4:56:51, Average pace per KM: 0:05:48

So this week, expect a few more posts than normal. I will be writing one on race plans and asking for advice and on my race goals - of course! I value any and all input you can provide!

SIX DAYS!!!

Taper madness? Doubts? CAN I EVEN RUN THIS FAST?

So.

Here we are.

Nine FREAKING days away from my first marathon.

(a marathon is a distance of 42.2km or 26.2 miles).

I’ve been training since January 1, 2012.

I’ve been training toward a very specific time goal. All of my tempo runs and steady runs and LSD runs have been paced to hit that goal. I ran an easy run :10s slower then the targeted marathon race pace yesterday and it felt fine for 10k in windy conditions. I ran the last 10k of my Sunday 23k run at race pace in windy conditions on paths (much like the end of the Mississauga Marathon) and felt okay. I ran the Chilly Half Marathon at the start of March at a pace :06s faster than my targeted marathon race pace and finished feeling like I could have run longer.

So why am I so afraid that I won’t be able to finish in 4:00:00 (3:59:59)?

Why do I care so much?

Finishing in 4:07:06 (what McMillan suggests is appropriate considering my 1:57:10 finish at Chilly) is still amazing for my first marathon. Why can’t I let go of the four hour goal? Why am I so freaking stubborn?

The thing is, many people have suggested that for my first marathon, I should go in with a goal to “just finish”.

I call bullshit on that goal.

I DON’T WANT TO “just finish.”

I didn’t run over 855km to “just finish.”

I didn’t spend every Wednesday night away from my husband and son and miss bedtimes for my kids on Wednesday and Thursday nights to “just finish." I didn’t run 33km in the freaking cold rain to “just finish.” I mean, I’m going to finish the freaking marathon, so why not go for a goal time?

I just need to get some swagger back, I guess.

What I Ate Wednesday

Another day of Tuesday eats. I really tried to document what I ate after my long (23k) run on Sunday, but I totally forgot! Let's say it involved a new protein bar that I loved (chocolate vector) and movie theatre hot dog and popcorn (Alasdair and I went to see the Lorax!). Oh well. I'll do my very best to capture my day in eats on marathon day (a mere 11 days away - eek!)! I totally missed the veggie meme on this day.

Breakfast #1 - it was a rushed morning so I only had time for yogurt mixed with fish oil before I booted it to the train.

Once I was at work, I enjoyed my homemade oatmeal, banana and chocolate chip muffin and a banana.

I spent 9-12noon in a meeting and I drank a coffee and all of my water and ate half a cheddar tea biscuit. I also had an un-pictured yogurt before my later than usual run (1:30pm).

Once I was back from the gym, I was glad to have more a snacky lunch then a sandwich or something. I ate the two homemade turkey bacon and thyme mini quiche I made on the weekend.

I also enjoyed this bunch of grapes and about 10 baby carrots

Dinner on Tuesday is always crazy as my husband has both boys alone and I don't get in until 6pm. We decided to have left over’s for him and Alasdair while Fegus ate a scrambled egg, toast and fruit and I had a homemade bacon, egg and cheese mcmuffin (with real bacon! YUM - Ken can't eat pork so we normally only have turkey bacon) and a hash brown.

I spent the evening on the couch with the computer clearing my inbox of over 500 emails. That kind of work deserves a treat. The chocolate was actually pretty nice which is a change because I usually find Easter chocolate waxy.

And there is my day in eats. 1620 Calories, 206 Carbs, 76 Fat, 51 Protein.