Third time's a charm

Three weeks into marathon training and I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting somewhere. Two weeks off is a lot and at first I just felt like I was plodding along to nowhere on my runs. But this week was different.

Running five days a week was not hard on my body, but it's been hard on my social life. Who wants to hang out with someone who's all sweaty and gross? Thankfully I have gained one new running friend and it's worked out well that once a week we get to run together so I don't feel so anti social. Physically though, the easy pace combined with slowly building up my mileage and five days of running has been great. I feel like I've gone 0-60 in three weeks.

I was even exited for this weeks 11 mile long run. I was so un-phased by the distance I even went a little wild and crazy and had Indian food with a glass of wine for dinner. Followed by an english muffin, chocolate chip cookies and a large glass of ice water. A little out of the box from my usual Friday night dinner of pizza and water.

When 6:30 am saturday rolled around I hopped out of bed, collected all my running gear and tiptoed out of the bedroom. Step one: spray myself down with sunscreen. Step two: awkwardly stand around as it dries. I ate a quick breakfast, got dressed and threw on a baseball cap. I always make sure to wear sunscreen but lately I like the added protection of a hat. I grabbed my camera, a bottle of gatorade and threw my phone in my SPI belt and headed out the door.

The morning was gorgeous, cool and quiet. I enjoyed the quiet two mile trek down to Falls Bridge, and then once I had gotten onto Kelly Drive I watched all the other running passing me by in every direction. Young, old, tall, short, men and women all our running. Some with fuel belts, some with water bottles, some slow and some fast. But for a moment we can all share in the same thing. Running.

The father I run, and the closer I get to the museum, the more people crowd the trail. Short distance runners maybe but runners non the less. I stop every now and then to take a quick picture, a sip of gatorade and keep going. I expect that as I head back home I'm going to start feeling tired, but tiredness doesn't come. I don't even stop to walk when I get to the almost three quarter mile long uphill climb at mile ten.

Before I know it, I am done. I have finally completed a long run with out taking walk breaks. I would have been feeling on top of the world but my eyes are burning. I can barely keep them open. It seems that my sweat has dripped sunscreen into my eyes. Thankfully Boyfriend is at the door when I walk in, ready to get me a tall glass of ice water as I rinse my face. So now it would seem I am on the lookout for a new brand of sunscreen, only for my face. Previously I have been using Neutrogena Ultimate Sport 75+ for face. Specifically for my face and it burns my eyes! What kind of crazy is that?

Apart from the eye burning, the rest of my recovery went smoothly. One tall glass of chocolate milk, one toasted english muffin with peanut butter and banana, one quick ice bath, a shower and back to bed. I ended up sleeping from 10am to 3pm, with a short break to wake up and eat again. Some people would say I am sleeping the day away, but I just know I am the type who needs to make up for all these early mornings.

So week three is done. Today is all about resting, and eating, and on Monday week four begins. Here we go!

xx Sara