Looking back, looking ahead W16/W15

You know, I really need to do a better job taking my own advice. This morning's Group Run was canceled because temperatures were between 0 and 5 above and the wind chills were producing below-zero temperatures. Definitely a day to run indoors. So did I go to the gym nice and early like I should have? Nope. Slept in, walked dogs, went out to breakfast, went grocery shopping, had nap, walked dogs again, and then surprise surprise, it was 5:00 already!

I hit the indoor track at 5:40, just in time to see a cascade of pinks and purples melting into the horizon as the sun went down, and then I kicked into jogging gear and kind of zoned out. I felt a little creaky the first mile, but fortunately that didn't last, and I ran a little faster on the last mile. I found that counting my footstrikes (I counted every time my right foot hit the ground) every second or third lap made the laps go by quickly. (I also found out that I take about 270 steps to cover the 250 meters in one lap, so now I can calculate my stride length when I run. Nifty, eh?) I ran my fastest 3.125 miles this year, covering the distance in 31:25 for a very speedy (for me) 10:01 pace!! Ten-minute mile, here I come!

And then I came home and finished my little armada of awareness ribbons. There are 44 gold ones (lymphoma), 21 olive green ones (leukemia), and 14 blue ones (myeloma). They all have their little safety pins attached and everything. Now they get to hang out in a cookie tin until their big day three weeks from now.

But this IS supposed to be the weekly review post, so let's get on with it...

Today marks the end of Week 16, and tomorrow is exactly 15 weeks until race day. (AAAAGGHH!)

What was I was supposed to do in Week 16? Did I do it?

• Sunday: 3 miles YES! (Group run)
  
• Monday: REST YES! (Heh.)
  
• Tuesday: 3 miles YES!
• Wednesday: CROSS-TRAIN for 30 minutes YES! (Pilates)
  
• Thursday: 3 miles YES!
  
• Friday: CROSS-TRAIN for 30 minutes YES! (More Pilates)
  
• Saturday: 3 miles YES!

Now, see, all-green weeks should be the rule, not the exception. My times are improving by leaps and bounds, so I think this workload is agreeing with me.

Here's what I'm supposed to do in Week 15:

• Sunday: 3 miles
  
• Monday: REST
  
• Tuesday: 3 miles
  
• Wednesday: CROSS-TRAIN for 30 minutes
  
• Thursday: 3 miles
  
• Friday: CROSS-TRAIN for 30 minutes
• Saturday: 4 miles (this is where the long run mileage starts to go up)
  

Week 15 marks the beginning of the mileage increases. There will be an increase on at least one run every week from here on in until about two weeks before the race, when the taper starts. (The taper is the period at the end of your training when you cut back on your mileage before you race. It gives your body a chance to recover from all the training you've inflicted on it so you'll be rarin' to go when it's time to toe the start line. So goes the theory, anyway--I've never experienced a taper.)

I got two entries for my agility fundraiser from Steve, who also volunteered to build a jump for my raffle (a million thanks, Steve!), so that's another $30.00 that will go to LLS. I also got a donation from my friend Seth, who has met my mom a few times and knows how cool she is. Thank you, Seth! You two kept me from reporting a big goose egg for the week.

I have to get up really early tomorrow morning, so I'd better hit the hay. Good night, all, and stay warm!