Training: Week 10

Week 10: Sun: REST; Mon: Spin and Strength; Tues: REST; Weds: REST; Thurs: Taught spin and 20 mi run; Fri: REST; Sat: REST

Week 10 began with us flying back from Florida late Saturday night and I planned on getting up early Sunday morning for the RCA Ten Mile Challenge representing DC Road Runners.  With my blisters still nagging from Saturday morning's 15k race in Tampa and knowing I had to get in 20 miles per my training schedule that day, I decided to skip it.  (Jim ran it and did great!)  I didn't end up getting out there for my 20 miles and with my mom staying at our house, I decided to take a rest day.

Monday I headed to RCSC for a Spin class with my neighbor Andrea and then did the strength circuit at the club.  I took Tues and Weds as rest days.  Thursday morning I taught a spin class at RCSC and then that afternoon headed out on my first ever 20 miler!  I ran 8 miles from our house down to the white house.

horrible self shot!

I then over to the memorials and at mile 10 stopped for bathroom break and refueling and then headed home.  It was a great run with so much to see.  We are lucky to live in such a great running city.  The way home was almost entirely uphill and I hit a lot of stoplights heading of downtown as it bordered on rush hour- it shows in my splits!  I saw this really cool street sign on my run and it made me smile.  I had to stop and take a picture.  It was just too fitting!

Overall, my 20 miler went awesome.  I gained such a confidence boost from that run.  I felt like I could have pulled out the extra 6 miles AND I had taught spin that morning.  It made me feel ready for race day and feel that a 4:00 goal is completely possible.  I couldn't believe that this was my final long run before the Marathon.  It's been an amazing journey and I was ready to begin my taper.  I took the following two days off for rest to let my body recover from such a long run and the elevation gain that I completed with it.  Runkeeper told me it was my greatest elevation gain to date, on my 20 miler no less...go big or go home I suppose!