MCM Week 13: Stellar.

And for the first time in a while since I started writing these weekly training recaps, I agree! I do feel pretty stellar about my training last week.

Tuesday: 5 miles. Took a sick/work from home day on Monday and was still feeling a bit under the weather on Tuesday and told myself during the day that if I had to take another rest day, I would. Later in the day I started feeling better and was sort of like “DAMNIT, I STILL HAVE TO RUN?” Got out of work and did 5 miles on the dreadmill because it was crappy out.

Wednesday: I had 10 miles with 2 miles warm-up, 2 miles cool-down and 8 x 800 Yassos on the plan with 400 rest intervals. (For those of you who that’s not in English for: 8 800-meter speed intervals with 400 meters of rest in between.) The warm-up sucked. The first 800 sucked. The first 400 sucked. The second 800 and second 400 sucked. During the third, I really wanted to quit but told myself I had to at least get through half of the intervals. I was able to pick up the 4th one because I thought I’d be ending, but those 2 miles home from the track were sheer torture. I got home with a total of 7 miles done and felt like I’d run an entire marathon. I had plans to finish it that night, but I had a meeting I’d forgotten about…

Thursday: So I made it up on what’s usually my rest day. Which isn’t usually advised, but I was going to get my mileage in, damnit, so I did 3 miles of extra intervals.

Friday: Had 5 miles on the plan, ran 4 instead with Ashley.

Saturday: Most definitely did not make it to early morning run club, but got a dusk run in and saw a little David Blaine action. Still think it’s creepy.

Sunday: Best long run ever? The first 11 miles sort of sucked, but the second 11 were pretty great. I credit a lot of the awesomeness of that second half to margarita shot blocks, which I definitely plan on consuming during the marathon. My usual fuel plan is: vanilla Gu around mile 5-6; margarita shot blocks around 11-13; vanilla Gu again around 18-19. During the NYC Marathon last year, I had some Gu chomps at mile 20ish and then half a banana at mile 21. I’m not positive yet what my post-20 mile fuel strategy will be, but I know it will involve something solid. A gel at that point is usually not even a little appealing to me.

In sum, I feel like I NAILED this week of training, and I’m happy to have entered taper with such a solid week of training behind me. Taper goal? Be half as awesome.

(What am I going to blog about when the marathon is over?!)

20 days until Marine Corps Marathon. 20 days of obsessing over time goals, last-minute preparations and just going generally taper crazy. Bring it on.