Crispy-fied: Marathon Week #3

I literally said to a coworker today, and I quote, “My brain is so fucking fried from this last month I’m surprised i can put my pants on today.”

This is where I”m at this week mentally.

Physically, I’m fine.  Minus a little pulled neck muscle getting out of bed on Monday (right? 14 mile run? No problem.  Getting out of bed?  Too much for Ol’ Bod), I seem to be holding up well.

Mentally, while the LAST thing I want to be doing after getting off work anytime from 8pm to 11pm is waking up early to get running, swimming, or biking, but it’s such a great way to enjoy waking time outside of work.  I’m a-ok and have no desire to skip training once I get up and going.  Sometimes paces have been a challenge, but I know I have plenty of time when I’m mentally stronger to really crush it.

I’m definitely in a better place than I was last year, begging the universe to just GET MY LAST RACE OF THE YEAR OVER WITH so I could rest.  I’ve got 4 in the next few weeks and I’m stoked for each one of them.  One I’m even frontloading with a 16 mile run and limping through in the afternoon with friends.  Bring it on!

Here’s training…

Last week:

Monday: Ladder Sprints 400m, 600m, 800m, 1200m, 800m, 600m, 400m (@ 8:15-8:30 min mile pace), 400m recovery
Tuesday: 30 min swim + yoga
Wednesday: 5 mile M tempo (9:30 pace attempt, more like 9:55…)
Thursday: 30 mins bike hills + weights (10 mins weights, but I’ll take it)
Friday: off (yoga/stretching)
Saturday: 14 mile long run (done!!! a painfully slow 2:45, but done and was even able to limp into work right after)
Sunday: off

This week’s plan:

Monday: 30 mins bike hills + crunchtime
Tuesday: 6x800s @ 8:30 min/mile with 90 seconds rest interval (12 min/mi)
Wednesday: 25 min swim, yoga
Thursday: hills (6×400 with 400m flat intervals)
Friday: off (yoga/stretching)
Saturday: 15 mile long run
Sunday: off

So, more of the same, working in some hills, and running the longest I ever have.  I am just conceding the 2nd weights session this week, something’s gotta give with the long hours.

Weight is about 175.  I’m getting tired of this mid-170’s bullshit, but I am taking solace in that my winter clothes seem to look and fit about the same as they did last year, when I was about 10 lbs lighter, so it may not all be doom and gloom.  Sometimes I think my frustration with my shape stems from adding mass to my upper body, but that mass keeps me gliding through the water like a fish when I swim, so function may have to triumph over form here.

Once I get through this crazypants period at work, I am going to figure out how to conquer this.  I am now eating the right things, but I think I’m overestimating how much of the right things I am eating.  I’m thinking about maybe breaking out the measuring cups.  Maybe trying a week of calorie tracking with the ratios I’m supposed to eat.  Maybe just really trying to tune into my hunger and deciding whether I am HUNGRY or just want something in my mouth (that’s what she said?).  Maybe keeping more interesting veggie snax around.  I need to do some thinking.  Right now, I’m just getting by so I’ll just keep doing that…

Other interesting tidbits:

-I have jury duty for the first time ever in Texas on 11/9.  Hopefully I don’t get selected (although it might almost be a nice break from work, it would NOT be nice for the folks stuck here without my help :P).  I’m going to bust out my Princess Leia costume (props to anyone who gets the reference).

-I’ve got 5 more work weeks left of the year (and one of them is the short Thanksgiving week).  I’m so freaking excited for 3 weeks off!  The idea of being able to do my long runs whenever during the week during the phase when I’m building mileage sounds AWESOME.  The only bummer is 2 of those weeks are without my Zliten since he does have to work.  Trying to think of fun by-myself adventures.  I know I’ll be reading a lot, hitting up thrift stores for some new wardrob-age, and cooking a lot.

-Our company party is actually on the last Friday of my work year (Dec 9th).  Hopefully I don’t get so crazy I get fired it’s a lot of fun!

-We went super lazy-tastic for Halloween this year.  I dug out my corpse bride set that I used for the wraith costume, and Zliten went as an obscure character from a book he’s reading that pretty much wears a robe and sweat pants (he’s a modern day wizard – his robe is his bathrobe, the hockey stick is his wand, and the skull is essentially his familiar)!  It was still a fun time, we still got very drunk (damn you hop skip punch and skittles vodka), and I actually got a bunch of compliments on my costume.  Next year, I’ll do something spectacular!!! I always say that though…

I think that’s about it.  Just looking forward to the weekend with a laser focus.  What is your one most important healthy eating tip?  What were you for Halloween?  What would you do with yourself if you have 2 weeks off at home by yourself?