The Best Laid Plans

When I started this blog so many months ago, I expected that I would update it once-a-week (give or take a day or two). The best laid plans, right?

Not only does this phrase sum up my blogging prowess (or lack thereof) and my ability to understand what my body could endure if put through the appropriate training, it also aptly describes much of my training over the past few months. See, before I ran the Sedona half all the way back in February, which seems like an eternity ago, I was running AND making it to the gym for cross-training. But something happened when I returned from vacation and to be honest with everyone, including myself, I think I have only made it to the gym 3 times since then. With that said, the runs have become longer-4 of the last 5 weekend runs have been "my longest"- and harder, especially the Tuesday night track workouts. Still, I know I've lost something in not going.

Unfortunately, it now seems that this is ability to skip workouts has crept into my running. Three weekends ago, in an effort to fully recover from a good old-fashioned cold and from the 18 miles I ran the previous weekend, I didn't run at all. I did feel refreshed, but also slightly guilty. I did, however, feel amazing that week and went on to complete my first 20 mile run that Saturday, which helped relieve some of the guilt. Recovering from this run was a bit tougher than I thought it would be. Last week's runs did not feel good at all. My legs felt heavy and even when I tried to push myself, they did not respond well. Then, I missed this weekend's group run due to a roommate's birthday party on Friday night. I had planned to go running at some point over the weekend, but I let the party affect me a little longer than I had hoped.

So now I feel guilty. I haven't been doing the proper cross-training; I haven't been stretching or icing as much as I should; I've missed two of the last four weekend runs, but....

What I've found about running and training for a marathon is that there's always a time for redemption. You miss a run. Okay, so what? Run the next day. Miss that. There's tomorrow. I understand that this cylce couldn't go forever, but there's still 28 days left until April 20th. I have a 20 mile in the bank. I have another coming up. Other than a few aches and pains that seem pretty natural at this point, I'm healthy. I feel confident that I can do what I need to do over the next 4 weeks to get where I need to be.

It may not be the way I planned, but approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes after I cross the starting line in Hopkinton, I will cross that finish line and know that it doesn't matter what I planned, I made it to the end.