Running is hard!

I have a week until Napa to Sonoma Wine Country half marathon and I feel like I am struggling to do the miles. It has been a rough week with horrible stomach issues during my 5 mile run…so bad that I had to have my daughter pick me up a mile from the house (and that’s all I’m saying about that!). Then my long 8 mile run (which should’ve been 10 miles) was like running with lead legs. Already hot and humid at the beach at 0730, the first mile was a very slow 11 mins. I don’t know if I have ever ran (run?) such a slow mile that wasn’t on an uphill trail. Dang, I need to get stronger. The next few miles I struggled to keep my pace under 10:30, then at the halfway point I decided to run 9 mins and walk a minute. Nine minutes is soooo long when your legs feel heavy and you’re dripping sweat. Ugh!

I didn’t fret too much over running so slow because “they” say that you can’t run your long runs “too” slow. I eventually finished my looonnngg run and I was glad I did it and that it was over.   A crappy run is always better than no run. Well…except when it’s literally a crappy run!

I share this with you because we have all been there. I have been running on and off for 30 years (took time off during nursing school and pregnancies) and it’s still hard…still rewarding, but hard nonetheless! My daughter often tells me how her friends, or the moms of friends think I am “amazing” (her word, not mine) because I run marathons. I then proceed to tell her that I am hardly amazing (to which she says “I know” :-/), I just run, anyone can run. I am disciplined and I actually like running, both necessary to be a runner. Really I am just another mom trying to be healthy and stay fit. It doesn’t come any easier for me than anyone else. I am not winning (or placing) in my age group, not even close, but that’s okay. I keep running.

Training…

So back to my Napa training, or lack there of. I was on the fence about actually going through with it for a couple reasons.

1. I haven’t trained as much as I would’ve liked. [Seems to be becoming an issue with me lately. I think I miss running with my dog 🙁 ]

2. We are going on a family road trip in a few weeks and didn’t want the added expense of a mini vacation to Napa.

In the end I decided on doing Napa and making the best of it. The weather is suppose to be 90 degrees on race day. I’m sure that temp is at peak time and not at 0700.

My plan is to eat healthy, get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water this week. I’m working an extra shift so my run days are Monday and Friday. This should be a taper week but I’m going to do 6 miles on Monday and 3 or 4 on Friday. Then race day will be my “long” run. It’s all good! 😉

Are you training for an upcoming race?

Do you ever wish you prepared better for a race?

Thanks for reading!

Keep running my friends!

                                         Denise