dome ain't got no roof

what is the deal??? 

it is so #@$&* COLD out there!!! holy cow. you know we are stuck in deep-freeze when cars are driving around with a foot of snow on top and it is not coming off. frozen solid to the roofs. brrrrrrr. 

well, i ran 8 miles today, total time was 61:27, so average pace was 7:38. my foot was feeling a little twingy again today. monitoring it closely.

i have been worrying a lot lately about my next marathon. it is now less than two weeks away and i know i have not adequately prepared. i have had too many weeks in a row of inconsistent training. i know i would be able to finish, but i am not sure that i would be able to finish well. it will probably be one of those crash and burn races, where i hit mile 18, cramp to death, struggle through the last 8 miles in pain, and then struggle through more weeks of inconsistent training as i try to recover.

so after thinking about all of this, i have seriously been contemplating the idea of switching to the half marathon. the race information states that runners are able to transfer between races, so it wouldn't be a problem. and i don't have to re-register or fill anything out, i just show up a the half-marathon start and i am good to go. this is good because it allows me to make the final decision on race-day. i would like to run the full marathon, as it is my favorite distance by far of any race. but i am not sure if i want to sacrifice my body for a mediocre marathon if i have the chance to reserve the distance for my spring and summer races...by then i will have had a chance to put in the proper training and will be fresh and ready to go for some of my goals.

i got michael phelps' book for christmas and i am almost finished reading it. it's called "no limits" and although it is entriely about swimming, it easily relates to running or any other sport, and it is really inspiring to read. i bring this up because both he and his older sister suffered stress fractures in their backs just as they were peaking in their careers. michael's sister swam through the pain, which kept getting worse, and it eventually sidelined her from the pool and ended her career. michael, on the other hand, saw what his sister went through and decided to take some time off to heal properly. once he healed, he worked hard to regain his fitness and came back in the '08 olympics to be better than ever. so when i read about this i started thinking of my foot...it keeps getting better, then i run too hard and everything comes right back. i am capable of running this marathon, but i don't want to do any permanent or even temporary damage. my foot is not strong right now and i don't want to start out the new year with a big gap in my training.

6.5 miles. cut short because of my foot. treating it cautiously to ensure it will hold up for the race. i think my decision is official...i am switching to the 1/2. 

oh boy, foot pain is back. not unbearable, but uncomfortable. and annoying. i ran loops around liberty park. not laps. when i think of laps, i think short and fast. loops are loooong and leisurely. so i ran loops. most paths were clear, but there were a few snowy patches that were super slick and slushy. wet. wet. wet. but the temps. were much nicer today.

i am so glad there are other race options besides the marathon, otherwise i would be out major bucks. i used my enitre christmas bonus for this race so i am glad it is not going entirely to waste. just a little waste and a little heartache that i won't be marathon racing. 

 i watched the end of "spirit of the marathon" again today. i am not sure why. but it's fun to watch the race at the end. it gives me chills every time. a good motivator, i guess. 

 now it's time to get started on this school stuff. i have to get back into "study mode" for the next 4 months. this could be difficult. FOCUS!!!!!!!!!!