My motivation for training has hit a wall. I'm tired. Part of it was Saturday's exhausting 12.5 miles which included a 5.75 mile relay leg in the triathlon. Part of it adjusting to running and working full time, something I haven't done for quite some time.
I can't afford any down time right now with a marathon staring me in the face in ten weeks. I gave in today and took a day off. It's been even tougher for the Czarina. She's been busy entertaining Masha and Natasha who returned to Riga on Tuesday. Her training has been sporadic at best.
The deal for me is getting some serious long runs in over the next ten weeks. That means two and a half hour runs every weekend. I'm not worried about total miles, just a single punishing run to condition my body to what lies ahead. I also need to get to a track once a week for a tempo run. I could do the same on the trails but I like the rhythm that running on a track for two or three miles brings. You know exactly how far you have left and how much resources you need to muster.
I want to arrive in St. George knowing that I've given myself a reasonable chance at running a Boston qualifier. Technically that's 3:45 for me since I turn 55 this year. That's almost a half hour slower than my slowest marathon. But right now running 8 minute pace for 26 miles (a 3:30 marathon) seems beyond my reach. The competitive part of me wants to believe I can still run that fast.
I've got eight months of uninterrupted training under my belt. I don't want to do anything that jeopardizes my health, ie; an injury that could derail the whole thing. Now if I just grind my way through this stale point and get to October 2nd in good health and ready to run.
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