Winter Blues

I have a confession. Every time I finish a marathon, I have runner's amnesia.

All of the misery associated with training seems to disappear. I forget the relentless obsession with planning workouts, timing my meals, and getting enough rest.

I guess the feeling of finishing a marathon outweighs all of this, so in the end, it's always worth it.

One thing I completely eradicated from my mind was how much running in the winter sucks. Luckily, we've had  mild weather the last few weeks. A year ago right now VA was preparing for a 15 inch snow blizzard. So, comparatively, 50 degree temps is January are a blessing.

The first week of marathon training was a bit challenging, as it did snow two days in a row.

However, I had the proper gear to see me through. Nano spikes on my feet, three layers of shirts, and a face mask to help alleviate the adverse conditions for my nose/throat.

The trouble really comes with the lack of daylight. It's tough to find a free hour throughout the day to get in a run; it's usually before or after work. And it's always dark.

Minor Incident

Last week, around 7 PM on Thursday, I was almost hit by a car. In all my years of running this has never happened. I was wearing a headlamp, and the car stopped when I was about to run across the intersection, so I assumed  he saw me. I was wrong.

If I had been LITERALLY one second slower this would be an entirely different post (or worse, I'd no longer be here to post). He nearly swiped me going by. The angry adrenaline from almost having my life ended kicked in; I started screaming at him and flailing my arms. I called him a blind crazy asshole and I dropped a few F-Bombs. People nearby at the bus stop all turned around to watch me.

The man then had the nerve to roll his window down and call me a crazy bitch. He also said something about run inside or something like that; I really don't know. I mentally snapped. He almost killed me, then he calls me a crazy bitch? In a blind rage I picked up a large stone on the ground and hurled it at his back window. Then I took off running again...

I'm not bragging or proud of what I did. For the remainder of my run I was looking out for police cars, as I assumed he may have reported me. Long story short - be extra cautious. Double stop at every intersection. Take the hit to your time. Your life is worth a bit more...

Jesus.

Upcoming Races

I've added a few more races to the calendar, as I knew I would :)

2/4/17 - For The Love of it 10K

3/5/17 - Reston 10 Miler

4/9/17 - Runner's Marathon of Reston (I am doing the half)

4/22/17- Blue Ridge Marathon

Cheers, be safe out there, and happy running!!!

India

Marathon # 5

Playtime is Over

Did I really run a marathon 7 1/2 weeks ago? It doesn't seem that long... Seems like I just finished a rigorous training cycle and I still should be reaping the benefits of well-deserved rest. But, I digress, my next marathon is in roughly 15 weeks.

Not just any marathon, but Blue Ridge, America's Toughest Road Marathon. Since I have completed this course twice, I can tell you it does live up to the hype. With 7,430 ft of elevation changes, and a narrow course limited to only 750 runners, it is the most unique racing experience I've participated in. 

Blue Ridge Marathon - 2014

 When I ran this in 2014 I was in the best running shape of my life. I finished with a time of 4:55 ( I was told to add an hour 10 or an hour 15 to my marathon time to calculate a strong personal finish - I've never broken a 4 hour marathon). My guess is I could have ran a sub four hour marathon on a regular course when I ran this race for the first time.

You take on 3 separate mountains, all of which are ridiculously steep. Historically the temps are higher than average for this time of year on race day. When you've been training in sub freezing temps it can really throw you off... Challenging doesn't begin to describe the nature of this event. 

But it is worth it. Every breathtaking view, the energetic volunteers (the beer, wine, and mimosas are also a plus from spectators), and the jamming after party... To top it off I'm an official blogger for Blue Ridge this year. Which means I'll be celebrating my finish from the VIP tent...with several other blogging fanatics and more than just a couple post race beers. I feel like I won the freaking lottery!

Training

I am trying a new training plan from RunKeeper. It's a sub-four hour plan, but I'm pretty sure they didn't have Roanoke in mind when they developed this. Either way it's much harder than the plan I followed for Richmond a few months ago. I'm still running 4 days a week, but adding in more speed work and consistent, timed repeats (miles, half miles, 30 second sprints etc.). This means I will be incorporating the 'dead mill', which could be a blessing on cold winter days. Here is the plan schedule:

https://runkeeper.com/fitness-class/running-marathon/10?calendarType=MONTHLY&menuSelection=SCHEDULE&startDate=01/08/17&page=0

Wish me luck, with a lot of dedication and little bit of luck, I'll be third time Blue Ridge Marathon finisher on April 22nd!!!

Don't forget - BRMFRIENDS = 15% off the Blue Ridge race of your choice.

Cheers!

India