13.1 --- Halfway There!

I just finished the last of my 30 miles for the week. I tried something new..... I had my long run on Friday of 13.1, THEN ran 4.5 today instead of taking the day off. I have ALWAYS taken the day after a long run off, but this week, it didn't work out since I had to "work" by running with my half-marathon group (I ran 3.5 miles of their 4 miles) and then the Couch to 5K group (2 miles) this morning. And you know what, it wasn't bad! I felt some fatigue in my legs and had to work harder than usual to maintain my pace in the beginning, but it wasn't terribly painful or anything, especially after I was warmed up. (In the first half-mile, my right hip ached, but then it stopped.) The miles with the Couch to 5K included a 5 minute warm up, jog 90 seconds, walk 60 seconds for about 25 minutes, then a 5 minute cool down. I actually felt really good when I finished. I read somewhere about a training program that has you do a 5-mile tempo run the day after your long runs to teach you to run on tired legs. I can see how that might be beneficial (or on the other hand.... overtraining!).

The 13.1 yesterday was a bit of a different story. We didn't get started yesterday until we had dropped the kids off at school, so it was 8:30 a.m. Our cool weather has left us, so it was already hot and humid. I felt ok for about the first 7 or 8 miles, then it became a bit of a struggle and we found ourselves taking more and more walk breaks. I had company for most of the miles--- one friend was with me for the first 4 and another through the first 11. I did the last couple on my own and they were tough! I was really fatigued and feeling the heat. (It was about 81 degrees by then.) Time and miles both seemed to be going by very slowly.

I also had something unusual---a cramp. It seemed at to be at the bottom of my rib cage on the right and then later kind of extended around my ribcage to include the front. I guess it was my diaphragm? It wasn't intestinal, it seemed to be related to my breathing. It hung around for about four miles and only stopped at mile 11 when I had to stop by my car and refill my water bottles. I guess taking that little break helped.

I've got 31 miles to run in the coming week, including a 14-miler next Saturday. Then it's a slightly lower mileage recover week (with 27 which still sounds like a lot!). But, mileage-wise, at least I'm half-way to 26.2 with 13 weeks to go!