Pre-San Fran Randomness....part 1

I can't really contain a thought for longer than 3 minutes as I try to wrap my brain around the fact I'm entering another marathon in 2.5 weeks, in less than ideal condition. Again. Remember when I returned from Boston and I said I would never enter another marathon ill-prepared? Hahahaha....people should remind me, and make me accountable, to the things I say.

Nevertheless, I'm actually not biting off everyone's head, as is usually par for the course, pre-marathon weeks. I know I have nothing to fear... aside from my heel screaming in pain for 26 arduous miles. And my body revolting the distance I haven't trained well for. Minor details to be worked out when they occur. Oh no, not "when", I mean to say IF they occur. Yeah, that sounds better....I'll just deal with these things IF they occur.

So here's a list of things swimming around my head to share. May or may not be running related, and may or may not be related to anything at all.

- I couldn't find my camera cable to download pics tonight and searched the entire house 15 times over. I blamed all people younger than me who reside in the same house I do. Its ok, they're used to it. I even told the nice woman at the grocery store I couldn't blog tonight because I couldn't find my camera cable. She was very unsympathetic. She wasn't sure what a blog was(yay, I got some milk....I have missed my Kashi Go Lean morning cereal). I finally found the cord directly under the chair in my bedroom. I didn't put it there, I'm kinda anal about keeping all my cords in one handy place.

- While combing the internet for running-related whatever, I came across an article which basically states you should never run longer than 2.5 hours (or about 16 miles) for marathon training. http://www.wellsphere.com/endurance-training-article/a-look-at-the-long-run-and-marathon-training/161956. This article follows the Jack Daniels plan of the long run never being more than 25% of your total mileage...and unless you want to run an 80 mile week, you can't run more than 16 miles. I understand the concept, but I don't necessarily agree with it even though I love Jack's VDOT training ideas. I also sat at a seminar in Boston last year where some big-wig coach (totally escaped my brain right now) told us if you want to not hit "the wall" at mile 20, you need to train past the 20-mile mark so you are mentally prepared for what your body is about to physically face and can plan accordingly. I like this idea and it's what I usually instill in my marathon training plans. I am not able to for San Francisco though. I haven't incorporated hardly anything I believe in for SF, but that's another story which we're blaming on the heel. Anyway, all this conflicting advice just brings me back to the theory that we're all an experiment of one and what I love about being "older" and having run so many marathons is that I know what works for me....and I love helping others reach their marathon goals by all my experience and knowing there is not ONE PLAN that works for all.

- My mountain long run on Friday turned into a little bit of a flashy swim. Start of my run in Idaho Springs, lovely blue skies

Clear Creek (above), the river running along the road I was running and the road (below)(Marcia and Katie and SHANA!!!....this is the exact road you'll be on for the race...and the river you'll run along :))

View from my car at mile 17.5

I was all over the map with this run. I wanted hills and concrete to emulate SF a little bit so I started in Idaho Springs, an old gold mining town, which is the finish line of the half I'm doing next month (along with a few bloggie friends :)) and run to Georgetown, which is another gold mining town, about 11 miles UP the road. 11 up + 11 down = 22. Perfect. Started out feeling great but it quickly got warm and the hills got steep and I got whiny and tired and my heel was screaming and I forgot my Cytomax and yada yada....when I got to a tad under mile 9, there was road construction; the road was down to one lane and I didn't relish playing chicken with traffic going both ways on a one-way street, so I decided I'd just go back down to my car and run a few miles around town to give me the 21 I was seeking. This would also allow me to stop at the gas station along the way and get some electrolytes. Shhhh, don't tell, but I stole about 4 oz of diet coke from the soda fountain. But it did the magic trick and I suddenly felt great and continued on my way down the hill (but oh man, I was soooo slow. ugh). With about 2 miles to go before I got to Idaho Springs, I notice the sky is suddenly getting dark behind me. Before I could get to my car, the black cloud opened up and just down-poured. And it brought thunder and lightening with it - nothing like a little lightening to get the legs moving faster and I ran as fast as I could to my car. Thank God for the road construction at mile 9 is all I can say about that....I'd still have 4 to go if Ididn't turn around eary. Anyway, I thought I'd wait the storm out cuz CO is notorious for fast moving storms, but as I sat in my car for about 10 minutes, the storm wasn't letting up and my legs were starting to cramp, so I bagged the rest of the miles and went home. I was kinda bummed because I was actually finally feeling well and anxious to see if the legs had 21 miles in them but running in lightening in the Colorado mountains isn't the smartest thing. Not that I'm known for doing all things smart...but lightening just scares me. Thoughts of doing another 4 miles later that day on my treadmill crossed my mind but it never happened. No reason other than my legs actually felt good and I didn't want to trash them so I could get in another 20+ miler this week.

- I'm attempting that 20+ tomorrow on my basement treadmill - I'm done experimenting with the long run on concrete to see how the heel feels. I already have 2 chick-flick movies picked out to watch on my treadmill journey: Elizabethtown and Sweet Home Alabama. Yep, I'm one of THOSE girls.

- I'm going to spend a couple nights in SF with a girlfriend I went to high school with. I haven't seen her since I graduated (a VERY long time ago). We reconnected on FB. She lives 4 blocks from the start line - SCORE! I'm then going to invade Katie A's house for a couple nights....she owes me BIG after that little Boston incident at mile 23 ;). How cool is that, though?? Friends(and mooching free places to stay) all via this crazy computer world.

-Speaking of blog stalking, a lot of bloggers are doing the SF full or half.....we need a bloggie hookup. If you're running SF or visiting or live there, email me and let me know dates you'll be there and if you'd like to get together for a blog coffee or something (runlikeagirljp@gmail.com).

- I think the monsoons have moved into Colorado this past week. I have never seen so much rain as we got on the 4th of July (my kiddos were in the street with fireworks nevertheless, in full rain gear). My last week's french-toast yard now looks so nice and lush. And I can temporarily turn off the dang sprinklers. Water bills in this town are ridiculous! Water here = liquid gold.

Ahhhhh, green (the backyard, de-french toasted!)

I've been seeing these rainbows daily with all this rain. I'm thinking it's a lucky sign for SF (from my backyard)!!

- I gave the legs a rest today and went to the pool to swim laps. I hate to swim. I used to swim in high school and college. I hate looking at the tiles at the bottom of the pool. If they'd just have a DVD player to watch sappy movies, I'd be set. I swam 1100M before thoughts of slitting my wrists set it, so I left. At least I swam the entire time, whereas when I go with Tara, we just talk and I get in like 400M.

- I desperately need something new to listen to for San Francisco. Ideas? Anybody? Please???

- I'm really not much of a dog person but the daughter's boyfriend has a dog I really love. Meet Remy, he's so cool.

Ok, I have a million other random thoughts about SF, and not, but it's past my pre-20 miler bedtime so off I go.

Happy Training!!