Week 34 (12/11-12/17):
Monday: 4mi @ EA
Tuesday: 1mi @ WU + 0.75mi * 3 @ HM Tempo + 2 * 0.5mi RI + 1mi @ CD
Thursday: 1 mile @ WU + 6 mi @ Tempo + 1 mile @ CD
Friday: 4 mi @ EA
Saturday: 6 mi @ EB
Sunday: 11 mi @ LR
Monday: Really and truly back to running post fall. I remember my cuts were still weepy and scabbing over that this point but not the run itself. I know I was a bit to fast for the scheduled pace since after two days of not running I had energy to burn.
Tuesday: Intervals!!! Back down to 0.75mi intervals. This went well as per usual and was enjoyable.
Thursday: This went well. It was much less exciting then last week's run. It had snowed overnight so I ended up having to only run the side of the park I run on Thursdays where the sun hits. The other side is wooded (thus why I carry pepper spray) so I wasn't risking the snow. I struggle to consume my scratch gummies in the cold (around 30F they start to harden becoming inedible) so I grabbed two gels I had gotten in Stridebox. The first one was good. It was CarbBoom Vanilla/Orange. The consistency was thinner than Clif or Gu which I like and the flavor combo was pretty much a creamsicle. The second was from a company called Science in Sport and it was more liquid-y than gel consistency. It got thrown out after an attempt to take in some because it tasted like Wawa's 'Orange Drink' from the late 90s which essentially a little carton that they donated to children's sports teams along with lemonade, iced tea, and milk that looked like watered down orange juice and tasted like "something". I continue to have nightmare's about it. I actually found a group that liked it when trying to find a picture for this post. The description is accurate. "this is a group for the few but proud and probaly less than 10 people who love the watered down orange flavor of that delicious simple drink. water, sugar, and orange is all you need." Again, I can't describe this nightmare accurately enough.
Friday: I actually did this run in the morning because I was going to see Star Wars in the afternoon. It also ended up snowing in the afternoon so it was a good choice.
Saturday: Snow from Friday hadn't cleared so I ran the 0.5 loop around my block. I did this about 10 times because once I strayed slightly because I saw this pair of dogs I had seen on past runs that I really wanted to pet going for a walk with their owner. I got to pet them and they were very nice. One was a big great dane who was definitely taller than any dog I've ever met, even other great danes. He was maybe 3'5"? The second was also a bigger dog with wiry hair who looked like a mixed breed. He would have been pretty big if he wasn't next to the great dane.
Sunday: My scabs on my hand finally fell off meaning I can walk around without a bandaid taking up most of my hand. I did all 11 miles and it felt good. I felt strong and I feel ready. That was my last 10+ mile run so now I really wind down. I have my next longest run at 9mi on Thursday then 7mi on Sunday and Tuesday (26th) and then it's all four and three mile runs.
In other news. Unless I get some more purple summer running clothes I may come up short on having either a purple top or purple pants for each race of Dopey. I have two purple tops a pair of purple galaxy print capris, a pair of blue and purple galaxy print capris for summer purple. I have two pairs of black galaxy tights with purple in them, a pair of purple 'space dye' or whatever the pattern is called fleece lined tights, and definitely four long sleeve running tops that are purple if not more. I also have one purple running jacket and a purple windbreaker/rain jacket. I also have purple headbands so all together I should have something purple each day even if it's just my shoes or headband. The local running store (where I get my local running group clothes) is having a sale on Friday so maybe I'll see if they have any purple shirts I can pick up. My one pair of shoes is almost done so I'll start wearing in a purple pair which should have about 20mi on them by marathon weekend. Not sure if I'll wear the new pair for shorter or longer races, it will depend on how they seem to be wearing in.