Week Eight....  We continue to work on the upside of last week's slump.  Some of us have climbed out a little farther than others.... those still climbing have the rest of us to help pull them up.  To say marathon training is a roller coaster is a TRUE STORY.  We have all hit some mental struggles the past few weeks.  I tried to pull rank this week as team captain (not sure I have that official title) and remind everyone to BE KIND to ourselves.  We are all moms with busy teenagers adolescents, and toddlers, we all work full time jobs, we lived the last year in a pandemic, and we are all over the age of 40 (some of us approaching mid-4o's, and clearly Lou isn't a 40 year old working mom but his plate is very full too).  Yet here we are, training for a marathon.  

This weekend..... This weekend we all planned a long run but we were sidetracked by the weather.  It has rained all weekend, hello April showers.  We all have access to treadmills but just not the same.  It is spring and we want to be outside...... but to be outside in the spring rain is a little tough.  Yes I know the theory - you need to train in the rain because it could rain on race day.  I love running in a summer rain but right now, it is a cold 30 degree spring rain.  None of us have a ton of outdoor running rain gear.  I invested in winter cold weather gear but not rain gear.  I am still a bit of a bigger girl (I giggled typing that) and wet clothes leads to chaffing.  Not fun.  So we let go of the long run this weekend but Liz and I still managed back-to-back days of six miles outdoors with one of them being in the 30 degree rain.  It actually felt pretty good.  We called it a day before the wet socks lead to blisters so we can stay on track this week with mileage.  We will find a spot to add in another long run or two.

 This week we did learn a few things.  Liz has had some struggles with late in the day runs.  I majorly struggled with a morning run and it wasn't even that early - it was 9:00 am.  I hadn't fueled right the night before and tanked by mile three.  It was awful.  I fueled mid run and did finished my planned six miles but not as easily as Liz.  Liz did great on her six but struggled earlier in the week with an afternoon run that I sailed through (ok sailing is a stretch but I didn't struggle).  We have decided I am an afternoon runner and she is a morning runner.  We make a challenging team, LOL.  And then there is Michelle.  She is seriously rock steady no matter what time of the day it is.  Let's all be Michelle ;)

 We welcomed April this week - our miles will really climb now! 

Six miles in the spring rain, check out that radar! 

 We did have some smiles this week.  Changing up the wardrobe to bright fun colors helped!

 Lou and is training partner Eleanore logging some miles.

  Necessary running gear.... GU, wicking shirt, body glide, sliced oranges and a water bottle with a special 13.1 Garry Bjorklund half marathon sticker.... patiently waiting for a 26.2 Grandma's sticker :)

    We had two wardrobe malfunction training bloopers this week.  I will share mine with pride.  I was three miles into a six mile run and I felt my running leggings "let go" with a small hole that popped open in the upper thighs.  Yep, heavy thighs burned a hole right through my leggings.  In fairness, I have had these for awhile ( they are my favorite) and they probably are worn out and should be retired.  Of course my first thought was... good Lord, I am still heavy enough for my thighs to create a hole in my pants.  Instead of beating myself up too much (refer back to the first paragraph, be kind, we are here everyday training).  I laughed, snapped a photo, called it a day before too much chaffing happened, and went home to order more leggings.  If anything, this running group and our stories have certainly brought some laughter to our lives..... and maybe some health and wellness too.

I am going to leave this week with some cheesy motivational quotes....... no more slump, let's drop the hammer and RUN RUN RUN.... See you next week.....