I’m at that point in training where I’m just ready for it to be over. My legs are tired. My body is tired. I’m tired of feeling like I have to run.
I mean, I do enjoy running. Really, I do. But the pressure to complete a (super long) long run and a certain number of miles each week has been draining.
Yes, I know. I signed up for this. I wanted this. I chose my training schedule. I could have chosen an easier one, but wanted the challenge.
And a challenge, I got.
Week 15 of training wasn’t as strong as I was hoping for.
I didn’t do my third and final 20-miler on Saturday. The weather wasn’t that great, and instead I logged 16 miles on the treadmill for my long run. I didn’t do any cross-training (the yoga I was planning on never happened), and I’ve been slacking on the foam rolling.
MCM Training – Week 15
Monday, Sept. 28 – off
Tuesday, Sept. 29 – 4 miles – treadmill
Wednesday, Sept. 30 – 6 miles – treadmill
Thursday, Oct. 1 – off
Friday, Oct. 2 – 4 miles – treadmill
Saturday, Oct. 3 – 16 miles – treadmill
Sunday, Oct. 4 – 7 miles – outside in the neighborhood
Total – 37 miles
Cross-training – none
I celebrated my cousin’s birthday with dinner and a night out at the Russia House in Dupont Circle Saturday night. We had vodka flights (reliving my 20s), so the morning after was rough. BUT I still managed to meet my friend, Rohelia, for an awesome 7-mile run near our neighborhood.
It was an evening run (so I had time to sleep off the hangover), and the temperature that evening was perfect. The scenery on the path we took was gorgeous (lots of trees and leaves starting to turn). I thought it was going to be painful, given the state I was in the night before, but it was actually a lot of fun, and I felt great afterward.
Goals for this week: Tapering begins, so my weekly mileage will go down. I want to do a little speed work this week, and if I can manage it, some yoga and jump romping.
Less than a few weeks until MCM. Crazy.
I complain about how tired I am from the training, and how I’m ready for it all to be over. But I know once the race is done, it won’t be long before I’ll be itching to put myself through this misery again.
It’s kind of like drinking. There are weekends where you imbibe too much, and the next day you think you never want to have a drink again. But then a week (or even just a few days) later, you’re back in the game and ready to go.
Yeah, perhaps not the best analogy. But you get the idea.
Running the States 
Keep it up. You got this. After putting in this much training you only have to endure a little more and then you can bask in the glory and take a break.
Thanks, Kevin! That’s what I keep telling myself… I’m almost there!
I wasn’t hitting quite the same volume but I started to burn out towards the end of my current plan for Chicago and was real happy when the final big week was over…it made made the first week or so if the taper period more enjoyable at least!
Cheers!
Yes! Very excited for tapering this week. 🙂 Congrats on completing your training, and good luck this weekend in Chicago!!
Funny article Nathasha. I love your honesty. Keep moving and picture coming up the final hill to the Marine Corps Memorial and that Marine putting your medal around you neck, 2.5 weeks to go. I’ll be coming in from California and will be there somewhere in the crowd. Semper Fi!
Thanks so much! It’s going to be amazing. Safe travels from California. Oorah!
Completely agree with all of that! Also I’m glad to hear of another person who runs those long runs on the treadmill. And I know I’ll be thinking about other races after this is over too. The only reason is because I always want to attempt a better training cycle. Not even a better race but better training. It’s this constant chase. Good luck on race day!
That is so true! I always aim for a better training cycle, too. I try to train a little harder and a little smarter. I’m definitely with you on that. Good luck to you, too! 10 more days!!