Dopey Challenge Training Update: Week 22

Can you believe in just SIX weeks I'll be finishing FORTY EIGHT POINT FREAKING SIX miles of races in FOUR days? Me neither!

This is the part of training where I realize how absolutely insane the Dopey Challenge is. I will line up for my first marathon AFTER I've run a 5k, 10k, and a half. I'm pretty sure I should be chaperoned when signing up for races from now on.

Here are the fabulous numbers:

Total since start: 338.7 miles
Longest single run: 20.03 miles
Highest mileage week: 36.7 miles

This upcoming week will be the closest mileage and schedule yet to the Dopey Challenge:

Thanksgiving: 5k
Friday: 4 mile walk
Saturday: 10 mile walk
Sunday: 23 mile run

Luckily, it should only be in the mid to upper 30's this weekend so it won't be too terribly cold. By the way, that's how you know someone is suffering from serious marathon sickness: using the word "lucky" to describe spending hours of strenuous activity outside in 30 degree weather.

Last weekend, I finished my first 20 miler. It took nearly 5 hours, it wasn't always pretty, but I finished upright and smiling. I never, ever, ever would have thought that I was capable of moving my body forward for 20 miles. Even though I was exhausted when I finished, I couldn't stop smiling. Accomplishing running goals is the best kind of high :-)

Part of last week's 20 mile run was on the Ma & Pa Trail (in Bel Air, MD) and because it was a little chilly (mid 40's), there weren't a lot of people out. I wore shorts, a short sleeve tech shirt, and a long sleeved tech shirt (my Wine & Dine half shirt). I actually wore my hair down to help keep my ears warm. For the entire run, I carried my Nathan hand held water bottle. The next day, my right arm and in between my shoulder blades were SO sore! It's amazing that holding something that weighs less than a pound can cause so much soreness!

Seriously, this was a beautiful run.

I know it doesn't look it, but this is a pretty ridiculous hill.

Again, another strength-building hill! Notice the positive re-framing :-)

The last few days of fall.

This weekend the long run was only seven miles. It also ended up being one of the fastest paces I've kept in a distance longer than three miles- 11:13 minutes/mile. Had I kept this up, I would have finished a half marathon distance in less than 2:30:00; which is my 2014 goal. I can't wait for my next non-Disney half so I can push the pace and work toward a new PR.

Final thought for this week- on Thursday I'll run my third Turkey Trot in as many years. It's amazing that this has become a yearly tradition. I almost can't remember what Thanksgiving was like before running :-) Well, I can, but it involved copious amounts of food and lots of laziness :-)

Below is my "costume" for this year's race. Depending on how cold it is, it will either be a tuxedo t-shirt with a long sleeve under it, or my tuxedo t-shirt with a tuxedo sweatshirt over it. Either way, it will be pretty classy.

Is it weird that I own TWO tuxedo shirts?

Happy running! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!