Grandma's Marathon Training: Week 10

This is it - the last cut back week before the really really hard weeks start. I'm glad it was an easier week, because my body has been letting me know it's tired. So I'm listening, and while it's Saturday morning, I am done training for the week. On to a couple needed days off before 50 miles next week. Eek!

On the plan:
M - 4 easy
T - 9 tempo
W - 4 easy
Th - rest
F - 8 tempo
Sa - 12 easy
Su - cross

Reality:
Monday: Rest. I was feeling REALLY decent after my birthday 18, but it was windy as hell, and the motivation to get out there was sorely lacking.

Tuesday: 8.5 at 9:59 pace. I set out that evening to run a few and then finish up with Chris from the running club. I was thinking I'd run fast for the first few and then finish up easy, but we kept it pretty steady the whole way. It was a gorgeous chatty run!

Wednesday: 8 at 10:51 pace. Sarah ran 8 miles!!!! I was so stinking proud of her, and she stayed steady and strong the whole way.

Strength class was kettle bells and traffic cones (seriously). This workout kicked my ass. It was a lot of lower body focus, and I knew I'd be feeling it later.

Thursday: 5 miles at 9:29 pace in the rain. My only problem with this one was that I waited too long to start, thinking the rain would let up. I ran with a smile on my face, knowing strength class would catch up to me later (I've learned it's better to get the run done quick before my body realizes what I did to it the night before).

Friday: 11.25 miles at 10:28 pace. At strength class, Chris and I decided that getting our long run out of the way Friday night would be ideal. It was gray and windy and gloomy all day. To say I was hoping she'd bail on me was an understatement. She didn't bail. We ran Grant Woods, which is hilly as hell for around here. And we ran until we ran out of light (and motivation). I warmed up at about mile 6, seriously, and we spent those first few miles bitching about how bad our inner thighs and hammies were hurting. BUT. We got to see a beautiful sunset and surprise a couple deer, and it turned out to be a lovely run.

Saturday and Sunday I am resting. My shins are mad. My hammies are mad. I'm giving myself the weekend off. I had a beer on the couch last night and went to bed happy knowing there'd be no early morning wake up for me. I slept until 7 today! We are going to a birthday party later, and I'm looking forward to NOT worrying about what I'm eating and drinking and how early I need to wake up Sunday.

Week total miles: 32.75