9 is my favorite number

With 9 weeks to go prior to Akron, you can see us all getting in longer runs, longer workouts, and the murmer of excitement is starting! At the 2011 Akron Marathon, I was literally on the start line with only seconds to go prior to the gun when Creigh Kelly announced this would be the start of the 9th running of the Akron Marathon. I got a huge smile on my face as I thought, "9 IS my favorite number".

My week went by quickly and I was able to get in 106 miles. I am feeling healthy, and I believe my fitness is coming along well. After a true recovery day on Sunday last week, I did a workout with some of the lady Zips running 2 miles at 6:00 pace, 5 miles @ 6:30 pace, and 2 more miles @ 6:00 pace on monday with a longer warm up and cooldown getting in 21 miles on the day. Wednesday was a medium length run of 14, and Friday was 20k contiunous running 1k@ 6:00pace, 1k@7:00pace alternating every other K. Finally Saturday rolled around, and I woke up sick! I slept as long as I could, and hydrated as well as I could and then began my 24 miles...I ran 20. My ears were achy, my head was feeling like it might pop and my rational mind said, "if you keep doing this you might be sick ALL next week instead of just today and tomorrow". So who knows if I made the right call or not, but I layed down on the couch for 6 hours and watched some T.V.

I have started to hear the question, so are you fit? I respond the same every time, "I don't know, Im not letting myself test it"! I will test myself a smidge on Labor day with a 10k in Alliance, and then I will test myself on my home course on the 29th. If were talking about it before 9:45 AM on September 29th...Im fit and everything went well!(the race starts at 7:00 so that means I would have run faster than 2010) HAHA!!

I felt much better this week handling the miles than I did last week.

It's time to lace up...8 weeks to go!