Mel On...Training Update

So this week I taper off my long runs a bit.  I was so excited to see only 10 miles on my calendar.  (I’m somewhat following Hal Higdon’s Novice 1 Training Plan).  I was even more excited when I realized that I can now classify 10 miles as an easy run….it’s only 10 miles…Can we say #winning!!!

For some reason though, I thought my long run next week would be 14 miles.  Instead, it’s 15. Thanks, Hal.  Why do you play with my emotions so??   I don’t know why this number scares me, but it really, really does.  It’s going to take me like 3 hours to run that far and now I’m going to have to add songs to my playlist…and aaaagggghhhh….

BUT, running like a madman all week does allow me to eat like this:

and still drop weight.  So I can’t complain too much.  Actually, I really should have considered this whole running thing a long time ago.  It’s the perfect sport because it requires a high amount of calories and carbs.  And quite frankly, guess what people?  I LOVE CARBS!  Rarely do I find one I don’t like, and if I listen to Hal, 60% of my diet should include these delicious indulgences.  Ok, maybe not in the form of dinner above, but still, you get the picture….

Running also develops these things called muscles in your legs and butt.  Who knew?  It’s really quite exciting stuff.  I can say these things because I’m in a good mood.  It’s my rest day and I’m not all hopped-up on Motrin with ice bags on my knees and I can make it up and down the stairs to go to the bathroom without crying like a baby.  I've also shrunk 3 ½ inches off my rear (BUT DON’T TELL AMANDA, she needs no encouragement….I guess she does have a method to her Booty Busting Boot Camp madness).

I’ve also spent the day reading though one of ole Higdon's books.  He really is a great writer and one hell of an athlete.  However, there is a fine line between motivation and devastation. The book is awesome if you are a super-athletic-god-of-all-things-running type.  I mean, when he’s talking about runners who are all like “you can achieve a lot with slow workouts… being quite happy to train at a 7:00 pace, nearly two minutes a mile slower than his race pace in marathons…”  WTH HAL.  You are all talking about people finishing marathons at a sub 2:20:00 and my BEST HALF-marathon is 2:30:30.  OIY.  Where is the book on completing a marathon in a sub 7:59:59 just so I finish?! 12 min. milers need love too, Hal…