Boston training Week 3, where mercurial weather is plentiful.

I feel like week 3 of #omgbostontraining was about what I have come to expect from a marathon training cycle.
A little good, a little bad, a little shit.

The week started off strong with me feeling obnoxiously good about a couple key workouts. Like, the kind that almost make you want to puke (but you don't, and therefore think you are impervious.)
I got through those in fine form was actually able to take it outside at the end of the week.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a 50 degree day in February.

Last Thursdays run, basically no snow.

I was feeling really good for this workout but it was scheduled to be easy, with a progression run the next day and a long run the day after.

Capris and DRY roads in Feb?! Fuck YES.

I purposefully kept the pace well in check (and it retrospect, I shouldn't have. I should have gone balls to the walls screaming "screw my plan!!" because going easy did not pay off.)

Easy run equals looking at the pretty sunset.

Anywhoo. The next day came and my run absolutely sucked. I was hoping for  pretty solid progression run but it was weak and blah. Lame and dumb. Stupid. I figured it was just an off day and went about my business.

Saturday was long run day and, unfortunately the weather had been crap all day on Friday.

WTF snow, WT actual F.....

The roads were clear enough to be safe but there was enough slush to make things yucky (and wet) and it was quite a bit colder than it had been (although 35 in Feb is really nothing to get hystercal about.)

Gross roads. Cold enough for tights. Dumb.

All that being said, the first 9 miles of my run were just the worst. I was still blah, I was getting splattered with slush and gravel by he passing cars and life was just *so hard* and *so challenging*.
I did a full system check and, discovering that I was neither sick nor injured I decided that I really needed to just suck it the hell up.

THIS. Because, seriously.....

The last 6 miles of my run were just fine. Back to normal. No problems. Apparently my body realized that I wasn't taking its shit and it got on board with the plan of slapping one foot down in front of the other. Jeesh... Too bad the first 9 were an actual death march to hell. GAHD.

Not thrilled. Really, not that excited.

 Anyway, I got home and recovered well like the true athlete that I am.

What's the point of running if there isn't any beer and cheese?

I'm not sure why the blah's came out at the end of the week. It usually happens a couple times during a marathon cycle so I'm attributing it to that. My winter allergies had been out of control and my sleeping hadn't been 100% perfect, I had been waking up in the night with a dry cough (I say had because as of this week I am better- a few allergy pills and I seem to be getting a handle on it.) Either way, one lousy week is ok and I still managed 40 miles which was exactly to plan.

I am far from a marathon expert but in my experience a lot of shit goes down in the 18, 12 or (if you are me) 9 weeks that you train hard for. (yeah, yeah- I'm training for more than 9 weeks this time *sigh*) In the end, one bad workout doesn't matter one bit. You won't even notice a lousy week come race day. Since a marathon takes a few hours and training takes a few months I try to make the best of it and let the crap roll off my shoulders. The beer and cheese really, really helps with this! 

Next week is a lighter week for a few reasons and then the countdown really gets real!
(I was asked today if my "training week" differs from the traditional Mon-Sun runners schedule. No, it doesn't, I am just lazy and can't be bothered to post a blog until the following week is almost over!)