I’ve got two weeks before the Halloween Half Marathon and I felt compelled to share with you all where my running stands today.
I had been running a bit more since before I left for Chicago and am finally starting to get my confidence back.* While I did have the one good nine miler, I also had two pretty craptastic runs before I left and I will attribute them to stress.
I ran a four and a half miler on the Tuesday before my trip and felt short of breath and tired. It was supposed to be a five miler and I just felt too pooped to go on. Lame. I followed up that hot mess with another four and a halfer that felt like I had never run in my life.
Lame – 2, B.o.B. – 0.
It’s amazing what stress will do to your running. Especially if you are the type of person who lives in their head. To say that I am an over-thinker would be an understatement. It would be akin to saying “runners kind of like to talk about running.”
Enter Chicago.
The Redhead and I ran a little two miler on Saturday** and then I hopped in with her for that amazing four miler.
Upon my return I felt rejuvenated and refreshed and am so happy to report that I had a great five mile run on Tuesday and a nice six mile, albeit hot, run Wednesday night.
My eight mile “long run” (yeah, I am back to 8 miles being long) didn’t go so great last night, but it’s my own doing. I decided to drastically cut back the carbs after Eat Fest 2009 and felt really sick after my run. Serves me right. I need more carbs than I allowed. I am chalking this run up to stupidity.
My hopes for the half are that I have a good time and don’t feel any pain. I really don’t expect a PR. I just want to build up that endurance again so that when Gasparilla arrives I am ready to kill it.
I am off to Detroit today for the Detroit Marathon. I’ll be back on Sunday and hope you all have great weekends.
*Thanks again for all the support during my injury. You have NO idea how much it meant to me.
**I leave you with this photo of my FIRST run through a corn field. Not as fun as it looks on TV kids.
Corny…
You will be back up to speed before you know it because you're awesome! Have a great time in Detroit!
Chicago first, then Detroit? You're quite the marathon travelor
Detroit? Wow! Thanks for the reminder yesterday that it's only a training run – I needed that! Keep the running up girl and eat those carbs!
What's with the cornfield? Wouldn't the um.. corn.. hit you in the face while running? LOL
I think just having fun with the Half is a most excellent idea! That's what I'm planning to do with my Half in two weeks. I'm sure I'll finish, but probably not with the time I'd like to finish. Dude! LOL @ the cornfield picture! I ran through a cornfield back in July during my visit to Minnesota. All the Minnesota peeps thought all of us Florida peeps were crazy for getting so excited about cornfields! But, you're right, they're not all that, but they are kind of creepy at night.
Okay, 8 miles IS long to me. 😉 You're getting there, girl… slowly but surely. You're gonna kick that half's ass… i have no doubt!!
Such a good plan – to just finish the race and enjoy it. So glad you are running again!!
8 miles is a long run in my book. Keep at it girl! YAY for halloween half!
Have a good weekend–in your warm FL–Yes, I just saw a salt truck this morning in the W-V. blah.
You have a great plan for the race! Hope you fun in Detroit this weekend.
I sooo live in my head when I run, and if I am at all stressed out or "not feeling it" it can totally destroy a run. Good job on pulling through! And have a safe trip! 🙂
I am so happy to hear that you're running again and I know that you'll be killing it sooner than later.
Us runners seem to be so critical of ourselves when coming back from an injury or lay-off. It's like we should be back to 100% after the first half mile.
All I can tell you is don't be so critical of yourself and remember why we run in the first place.
My nephew says hello 😉
Safe travels.
Ron
We need to reaaaalllyy catch up on our running-convos (a.k.a. talking and catching up while running).
I hope you at least did a pretend-you're-running-from-a-killer scene while in the corn-field. Ok, well, maybe that's just me.
Come back safe! Say 'hi' to Martin Lawrence for me!!
Have fun in Detroit! And way to go with running again! Miles are miles, no matter how fast or imperfect. 🙂 You got it!
Have fun in Detroit this weekend. I'm so jealous of you heading off to all these fun marathons!!
Watch out for the Children of the Corn!!! I've been on the lookout up here in Iowa.
Good to hear you are getting the mileage back up!
I think you have exactly the right attitude about the half . . .just have fun with it! 🙂
Hope you have a great weekend in Detroit!
Ironic isn't it? Running is largely a solitary event. Yet, most runners can't either stop talking about running or blogging about it.
Keep kickin!
Yay for returning to running!!! So happy for you!
Have fun in Detroit – if you have a chance to spend time in Ann Arbor, eat at Seva. Totally worth the 20 minute drive. Delicious and all vegetarian. But my carnivore Hubs loves it too; it's just yummy!
Detroit? Haven't they turned that place into a parking lot yet?
Seriously – hope you have fun this weekend! At least it's not supposed to be cold is it?
Everyone has already said everything about coming back from injury, so I won't say it again.
Have fun this weekend – even if it's in Detroit!
Enjoy your weekend and the event in Detroit! I'm running SF with a goal of enjoying the moment too 🙂
Hey…take it easy on your way back to running. You don't want to aggravate anything. You're doing fine, B.O.B. You'll be ready for the half and will do great. Enjoy your time in Detroit!
ahh the corn fields…oddly I lived in the midwest my whole life and never did one of those mazes!
We're going to have so much fun at the Half and as for the cornfield… I am so proud to have been a part of this moment. It had to be done!!! 🙂
Just getting caught up here, a little backwards. 🙂
Nothing like a little marathon excitement to find the mojo!
I am wearing a costume (sort of) on my Hallowwen Half Marathon, are you??
Good luck! Recovering from a injury is UGH!!
I love the last pictures, but I can imagine that would not be fun… Were you visiting Ghost baseball players or being haunted by children?