The Long Run

This week marked my longest run before my tapering for the Nike Women's Marathon on October 14! I was dreading this run a bit because it is a 22 mile marathon in itself. The run took me four hours exactly to complete. That is my goal pace for all 26.2 miles. I wasn't too angry with myself for the slow pace because long training runs can be slower since they are training your body to just keep going, not necessarily run for time. It is actually better to not push yourself too hard during a tough long run because pushing too fast too soon can result in injury. 

I began to feel a slight twinge in my knee around mile 16, but tried to push through. I was a bit scared by mile 18 because the pain was exactly like last year when I sustained a knee injury after my first marathon. I ended up taking the last three miles extremely slow to be careful not to exaggerate the injury. I definitely felt a twinge all yesterday and this morning. After icing, foam rolling and doing my physical therapy exercises and a Leah Kim yoga workout with Nike Training Club my knee is feeling much better. Luckily I have one more day to rest before my tempo run on Wednesday. I am going to continue my preventative treatment until then and all the way to race day.

I was also excited to see my run on the Game On World site at Nike. I have kept Roseville on the map and am doing pretty well in their challenge. It's exciting to be able to compare my running stats with others around the world. I have put in a lot of miles over the last few months and it is exciting to see them paying off in a tangible way. Another interesting stat I gleaned from the Nike Running site is the measure of when I run. I never thought I would see this stat, but I have become an EARLY MORNING RUNNER! This is huge for me. I never thought that I would be able to say this but I actually enjoy getting my run in early. It's challenging and exciting and I have loved seeing the changes in my body and lifestyle over the last month. 

This week also marked the day of testing for my first degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. I am excited to report that I passed! Now all that is left is my demonstration testing in Reno the week before the Nike Women's Marathon. This is a HUGE accomplishment for me and a bit remarkable. I had to make a commitment to this for the past two years and I am so proud to say that I succeeded. 

This past week has been a week of firsts and achievements for me. I am excited to see what the next chapter of my life brings. October is a big month for me and it is quickly approaching. With only a few weeks of training left I plan on giving it my all so I will be able to crush my goal on race day. 

Stay tuned this week for an exciting book review and giveaway!