Getting over it.

This past week I've talked to a lot of friends & read a lot of blogs of people whom are MUCH faster, more knowledgeable, and far more experienced in this whole running thing than I am... and feel much better now on Saturday night than I did this past week.

Sure, what happened in Boston on Monday blows... but who cares?
Seriously.. in the grand scheme of things, who cares? 
Nobody but me.

Running is not my life (contrary to popular belief), running does not define me, it's not my job, hell.... I'm not even THAT good at it!

Basically, if running is the only thing going on in your life, your life fucking sucks.

My life is kinda awesome. 
My wife is the bomb, and my son is the best dude ever...
We have a great house, huge backyard and a fantastic, loving family around us!
We both have good jobs that give us the money to blow on stupid things like expensive running shoes and microbrews!
Running (as much as I love it) is kinda insignificant when I think about it. 
Wow, big deal... I had a bad day running, get over it Seth.

Anyway, I took this week off completely. 
ZERO miles from Tues-Saturday, and I plan on going out for a few easy miles tomorrow (Easter) morning.
I went from never wanting to run another step, to being 100% jonesing for a run pretty fast, which is a very good sign.  Next week will be a super low mileage week, then from there I'll start slowly building back and looking towards some Summer races.

To my friends who told me to take a chill pill this week... thanks guys.  I owe ya...

The Boston Massacre...

Day 2 of trying to digest my Boston Massacre...

Embarrassment, regret, self-loathing, let down, anger, exhaustion... I dont know how to describe what happened after mile 14.  I was running a great race, was right on my target miles (6:50-6:55), then the wheels fell off.

I'm still not sure what went wrong.  Although diet & hydration are probably major culprits. 
I'm doing my best to get over it, and honestly... laughing it off has helped.  With this image I should have no problem being an extra in the next Romero film...

1 week out..

"It's Monday, and it's raining.."  (The MovieLife)


Holy shit!  1 week from this exact moment in time, I'll be in Hopkinton. 
I honestly don't feel like I deserve this, lots of people work their asses off for years for the chance to run Boston.  In less than a year & a half of running I've qualified and will be running this historic, amazing race. 

Stoked.

Yesterday I did my last double-digit run as the taper continues...  12 miles felt very easy, as I kept the pace rather light (7:30-7:40), and the weather was beautiful.   Before mile 2 I ditched my long-sleeved and my pale (yet colorful) skin got some Vitamin D!

Saturday I decided to run a 4-mile road race in Augusta.  I was a bit scared my competitive juices would flow too much, and I'd end up trying to race the damn thing... but I talked myself into running it at a nice tempo pace somewhere between 10k-half marathon effort, and still cruised to a 3rd place overall, and won my AG.  

The best part was having Abe see his Dad run for the first time.  I always kiss him before I head out in the morning, and often on my runs I wonder what he thinks I head out to do.  Not that he even has a clue what running is, I'm just stoked he got to see me do it.  I wish he was able to be in Boston to see me cross the finish... but he and is Mum will have a much better time on the couch following me online.

Welp.. 7 days away.. let's hope I dont drive myself (and Brianne) fucking nuts...

2 weeks out..

Brutal wind made this a pretty tough 17 miler.  Started the run planning on going 15, but decided to test my wheels and did 9 at a rough est. of Boston pace.

mile 1 7:38
mile 2 7:40
mile 3 7:43
mile 4 7:38
mile 5 7:48
mile 6 6:55
mile 7 7:09
mile 8 7:10
mile 9 7:03
mile 10 7:06
mile 11 7:02
mile 12 7:03
mile 13 6:59
mile 14 7:43
mile 15 6:50
mile 16 7:37
mile 17 7:46

(Total 17.2 miles, avg. 7:20 pace)
This run went a lot better than last weeks 20, not sure why... just ran it nice and relaxed.  The faster pace felt pretty good, as my knee loosens up the faster I run.    Best part of the run came around mile 14, when Brianne and Abe drove by as they were heading out to visit her Dad... they pulled over and I got a kiss from my dude, and he was stoked to see me... I busted out a 6:50 mile on accident after that.

I'm visiting my pal Dr. Lawson at KV Chiropractic later today for him to literally beat the shit out of my IT-band and piriformis with some A.R.T. and his insane deep tissue massage gun.

Spent a great deal of my run yesterday thinking about Boston.  It;s fucking driving me insane.  I almost feel like I'm letting myself down, and failing if I don't sneak in under 3 hours, but honestly... with my fall/winter/spring of injury, weather, and of course... Abrahm, I don't think I'm in sub3 shape.  

3:05 would be a much smarter goal (and still a 5min PR).  We'll see....

Bad April Fools joke!