It's so easy, it's so easy...

Yeah, yeah, yeah! Ok, not always - running isn't always easy. That's why it's a challenge and rewarding I guess. I've been easing my way back into the groove. I got in 4 & 6 last week - that made me feel pretty good. Sunday I went out to try for 12 - I did make it - but talk about slow. I was still having some issues so just finishing was good - there are those days!
Sure makes a girl worry about finishing 26.2 in...let's see...4 weeks from Sunday - ouch!! Argh, I did make the commitment to just enjoy this one. The man friend asked me my goal and I jokingly said 6-1/2 hours (the cutoff for Chi town). He was trying to pump me up by saying lots of peeps would be happy with that - or to even finish and I remember those days, but it's hard to go back isn't it??
What is seriously realistic though?? I don't really have a clue. My best marathon is 4:09, my last marathon in super windy weather with stomach issues was 4:30 something (I don't remember it exactly b/c it didn't make me happy). My first marathon ever - that I trained for with no guidance, in the middle of a SW MO winter (for a Florida race in which it got up to 85 degrees), with a bad case of tendinitis was 5:47. I walked a LOT of it and was so dehydrated at the end I basically passed out - not too mention I really couldn't walk normal for a week. Am I really looking at a repeat performance of that?? I don't think so - I do know what I'm getting in to this go around, I know to hydrate and fuel. The weather should be nice and cool. I am just under trained. My plan is to try to run 16 this weekend and 20 next then do a slight taper with 15, 12, then race. That's increasing my long run mileage by 4 miles a week instead of 2, but I'll go slow as to avoid potential injury. Let's hope that's enough to do it. I just need to do better about timing myself to see where I really am.
My other question - to plan to walk or not?? I did the run/walk in St. Louis (my second marathon where I ran a 4:39 - much better than the initial 5:47). It's a great thing I think and it may be what I need to do to get past this hurdle. It's just a little depressing knowing I can run that far and intentionally walking. But, if you've read any of Jeff Galloway's stuff he says if you are going to run/walk it's best to do it from the beginning. So, maybe I'll try for a 10 minute run, 1 minute walk?? That's what I'll be contemplating between now and Saturday!

As anyone who's done an Adventure Race should know - you have to enjoy the journey. I intend to try. Going to take my camera, try chatting it up with new people, update my iPod play list so it's rockin', and plan on a sightseeing adventure around the great city of Chicago.

Speaking of updating my play list - I was thinking at the end of my 12 miler the other day about how weird it is what songs motivate you when you are tapped out. One marathon I got hooked on Gin & Juice (that's what I get for getting uncensored songs from friends, but it was fun), another race I listened to Tina Turner over and over and over, Copperhead Road is usually a hit, Kayne West's song Stronger featuring Daft Punk, Carry On by Manowar, and lately a little Alabama Mountain Music. When I'm sprinting or out for a fast run I love the harder stuff, like Metallica, Oomph!, Dragonforce, Black Tide, etc., but they just don't do as much for me for the distance runs. I think when I finally finish compiling my play list for the run I'll post it too - just for fun - before race posting and a post-race posting to see how they work for me! :-)