Impromptu Half Marathon

So my coach sent me my training plan early this morning and at first it didn't look too bad.  I decided to go through and count up the time for each session, to make sure I have enough actual time in my schedule, and this could be entertaining.  I have at least an hour and a half workout every single day this week.  Then my coach added a fun twist to this week.  I'm supposed to run 17 miles this weekend, but funny thing, there is a half marathon in Xenia this weekend.  My coach is encouraging me to run the race, then add my extra 4 miles to the half marathon.  The really awesome part about this?  The people running the half marathon course added a thing onto the FAQ section saying that anyone could run more miles than their race distance, just keep your bib number on and cross the finish line so that the aid station people know you're part of the course, and the race officials know where everyone went.  

So quick run through for this week:

Tomorrow: 15 mile run

Tuesday: 1 hour lifting, 90 minute bike

Wednesday: 1 hour swim, 90 minute run (hill work)

Thursday: 1 hour lift, 90 minute run

Friday: 2 hour swim, 90 minute bike

Saturday: 3.5 hour bike

Sunday: Half Marathon + 4 :)

The really awesome part?  Saturday and Sunday I should have suffer buddies the whole time!  Thursday and Wednesday could be interesting because they are hard runs with hill work and speed work, but it'll all be a-okay.  

I'm kind of excited about the fact that I can see a half marathon on the training schedule and 1) consider it a training run, and 2) know that I will actually be ready for that run. I won't be going for a PR, but I do like the fact that I can just go, "oh, ok, half marathon..no problem"

Yay!  Time for sleepy time.  On a really fun positive note, I am down to one job!  This is great because I get to go from 70 hours per week to about 45 hours.  This means that I get two days off each week so I can get stuff done around the house, and I actually get to sleep!!!

Yeah sleep!!!!!

What NOT to do with an 8lb medicine ball

Well this sounds promising now doesn't it? So We have all kinds of stuff laying around the PT desk area and being the small child that i am, i want to mess with it all.  One of these things was an 8lb medicine ball.  Well, I Play soccer so I'm constantly messing with this with my feet, so what do i do? I try to balance this 8lb medicine ball on my foot. That's not too bad, except for the fat that i messed with it for about 15 minutes nearly non stop.  The next day my lower shin and ankle were really sore but i couldn't figure out what the problem was until i was about 8 miles into a 14 mile run.  If i had been alone i would have bailed on the next 6 miles in favor of saving me some pain, but i had my running buddy Ali along for the run plus Red drove all the way to Mason to bring us running goodies and water. So quitting was no longer an option.

So I ran my 14 miles and thought my foot was trying to disconnect itself from my leg, but I had an awesome cheering section every 4-5 miles with Red and Zoey, plus I had Ali keeping a constant chatter going and keeping me entertained.  I only really noticed it when we were on super flat parts, or when we weren't holding a conversation.  We finally got back to the club and headed home.  As soon as I got home I realized that pulling my toes back to just walk wasn't a thing and that I needed to drag my foot on the ground to keep it from hurting.  I was getting kind of concerned until I realized that if I sat still, used my crutches to navigate (yes I still have my crutches from my freshman year in high school), and iced my leg that there wasn't any pain.  I figured if I still couldn't walk properly Sunday morning then I would go to the doctor.  Well, come morning, not only could I walk just fine but the pain was WAY down.  That's what icing off and on for 6 hours will do for you, plus having Red there to get up and down to take care of anything that would require me to get up.  I've been told I'm spoiled, I prefer the term "Well Loved".  That's what my Grandma calls all of her grandchildren.  We're not spoiled, we're all just very well loved.  I have now carried that over to my married life :D

Now that I can walk properly again I'm looking at my training for the week and trying to figure out how on God's green earth this will all get done.  I have 16 hours of tri/marathon training, plus 23 hours of client training, plus an hour of regular training, plus random hours of consults and meetings at the gym, plus another 24 hours working at the hospital.  My organizational skills have increased exponentially, mostly out of necessity, not out of a desire to become more organized.  It's all going to get done one way or the other, so there isn't much sense stressing about it.  Now to get ready to start my day with sleep because I'm getting off night shift here soon, then train, grocery shop, and clean while Red deals with the furnace people. 

*Update on Grandma-ma*  She is still infuriating doctors, but in a good way.  It seems that her first bouts of chemo are already showing some promising results, but it's still too early to tell how well everything is working.  She picked up her wig and even though the color is a bit off, the style isn't too terribly off so it's not as shocking.  The initial sight is a bit interesting, but since things are still kind of similar then it is easy to get used to.  Grandma is still a happy grandma and still working like crazy! 

Hope everyone gets to enjoy the good weather today!  I can't wait to ride outside here soon! :D