Looking back, looking ahead W9/W8

Oh my goodness, both the weeks in review are in the single digits now! We've just wrapped up Week 9, and this is Week 8. Hold me, Internets!

I also did my first eight-miler ever yesterday with four of my TNT teammates. It went surprisingly well. My medial right knee spoke up a little during the last mile, but on the whole, I felt good. We ran a very sedate 11:52 pace per mile, finishing the distance in 1:35:00 flat, but hey, we got 'er done. I also tried some Hammer brand gels and was surprised at how good they were. I had a Tropical, which has 25 mg of caffeine, and a Banana that actually tasted like banana (first ingredient: banana puree), and I also swiped a taste of someone else's Raspberry--wow, really good. I even liked the lemon-lime Sports Beans I tried, which was a pleasant surprise since I don't even like jelly beans.

After the run, we all stuffed ourselves with delicious food from the local bakery and drank several gallons of coffee. Good times, good times...

And now for the report card: What was I was supposed to do in Week 9? Did I do it?

• Tuesday: 4 miles YES!
  
• Wednesday: CROSS-TRAIN YES! Pilates class with Sabatino
  
• Thursday: 6 miles YES!
  
• Friday: CROSS-TRAIN YES!
• Saturday: 4 miles NOPE--my right hamstring was really hurting so I iced it 3x instead
• Sunday: 8 miles YES! (Wooooot!!)
  

Eighteen miles this week despite the dropped run on Saturday--sah-weet! It's just as well I gave myself a day off before the long run anyway.

What's my schedule for Week 8?

• Tuesday: 4 miles
• Wednesday: CROSS-TRAIN
  
• Thursday: 6 miles
  
• Friday: CROSS-TRAIN
  
• Saturday: 10 miles (Group Run)
  
• Sunday: 4 miles

Hmm. I predict Sunday will either not happen or get bumped down to an elliptical workout. We'll see how I feel.

OK, it's late. Have to get my beauty rest!