Week 7: Challenges

Well, we're in to single digits now...less than 7 weeks to go. This week was a bit of a challenge as my husband, who hasn't traveled for work in years, had to travel this week.

Literal "scheduling gymnastics" took place to try to squeeze in runs here and there between driving the kids in the AM and pick up and extra curricular activities in the PM. Sometimes I had to "sneak" them in during the day.

I'm a bit behind in mileage as this week should have been a build week. As of today, I'm at 19 miles, with a medium long run and Moe's 1/2 marathon on Sunday. This still doesn't even get me to 45 miles for the week. I feel like I'm running all the time, but other folks are doing 60-70 miles weeks and I'm starting to stress. I feel like I'm playing beat the clock and I'm truly starting to hate my Garmin which seems to constantly tell me how far behind I am. I contemplate running without it just to run and have fun.

On Thursday, I headed to the trail later in the day for 7. I wanted to do 10 or 11, but just didn't have time. I pass some dudes from the fire department who were on a bike ride. The leader of the group was nice enough to tell me "on your left" and that there were about 5 guys on bikes. I thanked him and they made some joke about trying to catch up to me.

When next they come up on me, they ride next to me for a few seconds and ask me what I am training for. Whew, at least I look like someone training for something and not a total sloth out there. "Boston" I say. One guy says he qualified years ago and never went. He says he really regrets it. He asks me where and when I qualified and how my training has been going. The next guy says he ran it two years ago and that it totally lived up to the hype. Then one of the guys says, hey you are running a really good pace, good luck with the training. They all say good luck and move on.

As discouraged as I am, I take this as a sign to keep at it. After all, they didn't have to encourage me at all, they could have just kept going. The guy who regrets not going really struck me. How many times have I felt like this is way too much to take on with the family needs and work demands? That, plus the pressure of knowing I am not running enough or going to the gym enough.

I try to stop looking at my watch and enjoy the pretty day, the people, the babies and the sun, so absent from Austin for so long it seems.

This weekend, more scheduling gymnastics as soccer season begins for both kids...with Aidan playing 4 games in two days and Lourdes with one...here we go...

My expectations for Moe's are low...wish I hadn't registered in my own name...