Ker-flop!

These last two weeks FEEL like they have been a big ol’ ker-flop of failing of adhering to plan.  However, it’s not all bad.

We joined a tri team this year and got some official team schwag!  Wheee!

Training:

• Normal run Monday, Tempo Tuesday, then initiate mid-week taper week.
• 3-4 miles on Wednesday and Thurs, 1-2 miles Friday and Saturday.
• Run 13.1 miles hard on Sunday.  I’m not going to be upset with myself if I don’t make it because I’m training for a marathon, but I’m going to go for a PR (sub 2:08). About 30-35 miles total.
• Continue with 15 minutes non-running per day (bike, swim, strength, stretch, walking, etc).
• One weights session (two preferred), but no weights Friday or Saturday (and no heavy weights).

Early last week, my hip started to hurt.  Not enough to cut the streak, but enough that I cut most of my runs short to try and preserve myself for Sunday’s race.  I still was able to get 26 miles total, which isn’t too far off.

I did well with including short cycles, stretching, swims, or walks most days.  Weights didn’t happen though.

I didn’t quite hit 2:08, but I got close, and I raced hard, with my head on straight, and put up a legit effort.

Racing real hard on Sunday also tends to mess up my next week, plus, my chiropractor popped my hip REALLY hard on Monday, and she asked me to lay off running for a few days.  So, I really haven’t done much this week and I’m having another one of those arguments with my brain.

Irrational brain: “Your hip isn’t too bad, just run on it, maybe it will feel better”

Rational brain: “And maybe it will nag me for the next 6 weeks… that’s never happened before, hmmm?”

Irrational brain: “You haven’t run for 4 days, you may actually die from this”

Rational brain: “And I ran every day for 28 days before that.  Life will go on”

Irrational brain: “OMG we’re so behind, how are we going to be Woodlands ready?”

Rational brain: “One unplanned week of low/no mileage is not going to tank a marathon.”

Irrational brain: “You haven’t run a 20 yet this cycle and you’re running out of time to get 2 of them in”

Rational brain: “Actually, I’ve run two 20 milers and a 26.2, plus a 17, 16, 4×15, 14, 11, 2×10, and lots of other miles in between.  Even if I skip this weekend to heal, I’ll have 3 more weeks to get in long runs.”

I know in my rational brain that I’ve trained sufficiently for a marathon.  It really depends on whether or not my head shows up March 5th.  The way to make sure I FAIL at that is to push through a minor injury and equate running with (unnecessary) pain and burn out quicker.

Also, I’m doing things like sleeping 11 hours last night for no real reason.  My body is craving some respite.  So, I’m going to force rational brain to win out and rest as much as needed, so this week is like…

• Make my hip feel better.  Run when I’m ready/when the chiro says its ok.
• Cycle, swim, do weights that don’t make it cranky, and/or stretch every day from now (Thursday) until the end of the week.

That’s it, that’s all.  Hopefully I can sort this out this week and be back at 100% by next week.

Food:

Breakfast.  Like errryday.

• All Most lunches and dinners are healthy take out my normal pre-race lunch and one meal after the race Sunday.
• Continue tracking my food, attempting a -500 calorie deficit, and sticking to my macros EXCEPT for Friday and Saturday (eat what I burn, push the carbs a little more).  Post-race, I’ll give it a go to keep a deficit but that’s optional too.
• Continue to track weight.
• No booze after Wednesday.

I actually did pretty well here.  I’ve gotten accustomed to the -500 calorie deficit, and it felt decadent to eat up to maintenance calories two days before the race.  I splurged and got a sandwich one lunch, and we got italian one dinner.  I was within my calories both day, so I’m calling it a-ok.

I haven’t hit the scale every day, but a few times a week for sure.  Sadly, it’s not moving much, but I am feeling like I look better in clothes and things are a little less jiggly. If I’m remembering correctly, that is usually the first step in things going the right way, so hopefully the scale will follow soon.

• Continue tracking food and trying to hit the -500 calorie mark and keeping an eye on macros.
• Weigh a few times a week
• I am “on notice” with the booze – I went a little crazy early in the week.
• Transition to cooking food rather than relying on takeout so much.

Same ol’ same ol.  I may have had a few more glasses of wine this week than I’d like consoling myself over my running break, so I need a few days off of that (even if I’m still not running).

Better late than never (from two nights ago).

Life:

• When I put my laundry away, set out 3-5 things I’d like to wear over the next week.
• E-cig only twice next week and not any for the three days leading up to the race.
• Continue to wash my hair at least every other day (and always on bad allergy days).  Keep laundry basket out of bedroom and wash it once it gets full.
• Gaming during downtime at work, coloring at home.
• Exchange my Christmas gift at the outlet mall.
• Clean out workout room and build shelves.

With life, I did so/so.  For some reason I was feeling less fancy and didn’t really think through outfits for the week and just chose stuff at random.

I picked up the e-cig more than I wanted to.  Life goes on.  We’ll try again next week.

I neglected to color last week but I’ve already rectify that this week.  We’ll get to the shelves… someday.

This week, I’m pulling back the goals a bit and just going to give myself a break and not try to do anything really productive or crazy.

• Get 8+ hours sleep every day this week (so far so good minus Tuesday night’s 6 hours).
• Grocery shop and batch cook for next week over the weekend.
• Do something fun over the weekend that isn’t just the G-rated version of Netflix and chill.

I feel pretty draggy this week, and I know the worst possible answer to that is to load up my to-do list.

On that note, off to take over the world, or fall asleep trying…