Week 13 (October 6 - October 12): When the mighty fall......they rise again even stronger! :)

Tuesday

- Everyone still recovering from Saturday.  Me, I'm aching and my left leg just couldn't sit still under my desk today.  No amount of stretching helped so I finally just had to get up and walk it off.

Our goal today was to complete 8 Yasso-800 meter runs.  I ran my Yassos a little faster with the 4min:30sec per 800m group since my Garmin Forerunner 201 continues to be MIA and my iPhone MapMyRun app doesn't track my pace well for these short intervals.

As Coach John pointed out after each 800 m we completed, we are definitely getting stronger and faster.  All I know is had I not been pacing with the group Tuesday, I mentally would have siked myself out of any decent workout because I was pretty tired still from Saturday.

Thursday Fun Run night at SRC

- Haven't been able to make the Thursday nights in a month so was glad to be back to a night I could meet up with a group of runners but run at my own pace (for real) lol... Sorry coach!!

Initially wanted to take it easy to save myself for our 22-mile this Saturday but ended up having to jog a little faster/push myself a little harder to beat the sunset that's making it dark by 7pm.  I did NOT want to be stuck on the Cow Loop trail in the dark:( plus it's getting cold in Fresno!!! Lows of 52s brrr ... Must find my winter running gear, oh wait I own none haha arg!

Saturday - the 22-miler (longest run before the race) - 6:00 am start ...it's still dark out!

When the mighty fall (in this scenario ME lol), I fell hard.  Lets just say that I'm glad all the things that could have gone wrong with my body - they went wrong today and not on race day.

Lessons learned: 

- I definitely need to stick to solid foods before the race/long runs.  Tried a smoothie type breakfast (PowerBar Performance Energy Blend) 30 min before run and by mile 3 ... It was out of my system :p. Thank you to Nelson for helping locate the nearest restroom as the 1st one had no TP in all 5 stalls due to races going on at Woodward Park that morning.

Mile 7-10... Views on Pill Hill

Down Pill Hill - overlooking the new Friant  incline..

By mile 10 I was feeling a little back on track and my stomach had settled but unfortunately not enough for me to feel safe to use my cliff shots and Gu gels... Made myself take at least one anyway so I wouldn't starve/pass out later.  Plus mile 13 would provide a pit stop at SRC if needed ... It's all about the planning:)

- Lesson 2 

If you know that your cohabitating furry canine friend that sheds  a lot and has sharp fur that pokes you from time to time... Make sure your socks are fur free before wearing.

*sigh* yes eventually (for me @mile 12) one of those pesky sharp hairs had worked its way through my sock and manifested itself as a sharp shooting pain between 2 of my right toes.  Luckily my first guess was right and after shaking out my sock and re-shoe'ing... Pain cured! Yay!:)  

Furry onlookers as I leave the SRC parking lot pit stop (only nine more miles!!!)

Fastforward to mile 16 - thank you to Tish and her daughters for their water and pretzel Aid Station!  Life savers!:)

Level 2's Ashley & Diane passing me on their way back to SRC... Hi!!

Mile 18 - maybe a second wind? I'm thinking I can actually finish this run today:) a far cry from Mile 2 when I was considering settling for 18 or 20 miles.

Mile 20 - on my way back to SRC whoo hoo... Home stretch and now loving my CEP calf compression sleeves that I was trialing for the first time ever.  They held my calves AND me together when I mentally struggling to put one foot in front of the other:).   

Lol did not like them at the start of the run even though the kept my legs warm... Found out later I had put them on wrong... Go figure 

Final stretch on Champlain heading to Fort Washington...I think I can!!!

Mile 22 - done and done! Chocolate milk and the cheers of my marathon training buddies - priceless:)
  Looking forward to the ice bath (what's wrong with me?! haha... it works)

Til next Tuesday...

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Run stats:
WEEK 13		Mileage	Duration (hr:min:sec)	Pace (min/mile)
Sun	6-Oct	rest	n/a	n/a
Mon	7-Oct	rest	n/a	n/a
Tues	8-Oct	7.02	1:22:47	11:48
Wed	9-Oct	rest	n/a	n/a
Thurs	10-Oct	4.73	00:47:21	10:01
Fri	11-Oct	rest	n/a	n/a
Sat	12-Oct	22.71	4:19:59	11:27
Total weekly mileage		34.46 miles!