You haven’t heard from me in about two weeks but I’m still running and either I’m adjusting to the heat or it’s cooling off a bit.  I’m still running two days a week while the boys are in swim class.  One of those days, I turned into a “hill” day and I run over the pedestrian bridge that crosses Bluebonnet 9 or 10 times on each side.  Those days are not fun and I feel pretty close to throwing up when I’m done.  On the days I don’t run, I’m on the treadmill at home and I changed the program to incline intervals.  (Someone please tell me Memphis is flat……)  

This past Saturday morning we were on the road for 6:30 a.m.  My plan was 9 miles and since it was pretty foggy and cool, I thought I would be OK.  Wrong…too much hill work and running during the week, I guess.  It caught up with me around mile 6, my legs turned to lead and every step took effort.  I continued on, thanking God for keeping it overcast with a light breeze but around the 7 and ½ mile mark, I came REALLY close to walking.   But a little voice in my head said only losers stop and walk this close to the finish, it also said that a St Jude patient can’t just stop when they want too; they have to keep going.  So, I continued on, wondering how in the world I’ll be able to run 26 miles.  I’m getting worried, the training has been fairly easy up until now but I know that one day soon, it’ll be time to increase my long run mileage and I wonder when I’ll find the time and the energy.  An hour and 40 minutes later, I was done and when I say done, I mean DONE.  I made it back to our driveway and sat down (actually, collapsed may be a better word).  I did manage, with the help of Paul, to make it to our back patio where I sat for a while, drank a Powerade and thought about eating pizza.  My legs continued to ache the rest of the day and then I developed a terrible headache (I know I’m not drinking enough during my runs).  I’ve tried to work on it but I just can’t take in fluids while I’m running, it throws my stride off, messes my breathing up AND I spill it all over myself.  Paul made it all better when he took us out to eat pizza later that afternoon.  That was the BEST pizza I’ve ever had, and well deserved I might add.

Sunday morning, we were on the road with our bikes for 7:30 and planning for a 20-22 mile ride.  Great idea for Paul, bad idea for Marci.  That terrible ache in my legs returned in full force AND that light breeze I mentioned during Saturday’s run felt more like hurricane winds while I was on the bike.  Riding is hard for me, it’s getting better, but it’s still hard.  At Paul’s “request” I rode for as hard and fast as I could for a mile….well maybe a ½ mile.  It was an uphill stretch and I shifted my gears the wrong way, making it much harder to pedal.  I’m still learning…. At one point, Paul asked me if riding was easier than running.  It may be for some people, but not for me. We did finish the ride in an hour and a half and neither of crashed…although, I ran off the road once while trying to drink and ride.  Another bad idea!

While I’m training for this marathon, I’ve decided to concentrate on this event only.  I will skip the upcoming Rocketchix Triathlon here in Baton Rouge as a competitor but I plan to participate as a volunteer. 

I am Flash and I’m running on faith that there are folks out there reading my posts and considering making a donation to my team.  Thanks!    

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