On again, off again

After the 14 mile long run I was feeling encouraged. This week, I'm back to being unsure of the likelihood that I'll enter, much less finish, the race. I am so frustrated.

Last week I very happily plodded through my cross-training and mid-week runs. Saturday was my first (ever!) 16 mile long run. I thought things were going just fine until about mile 12, when, after walking a little bit to talk to one of my teammates, I just couldn't get going again. The outside of my knee hurt, a lot. I stopped and stretched. I tried walking on it for a while. I tried slowly jogging a few times to try to stretch the tendon back out and get going again. It just wasn't happening. So I sadly walked back to our starting area and made note of my miles for the day: 12.6 out of an attempted 16.

I am so frustrated, and more than a little bit disappointed. It's made worse by the fact that I also didn't run today because the outside of my knee is still a bit tender from Saturday.

I am going to try again this weekend, one last time. If I'm even going to attempt the race, this coming weekend has to work out. I'm amending the game plan: ibuprofen at the start and at mile 8. Timed 6:1 run/walk...as in, I will actually wear a watch, and will police myself from the very beginning, no matter how frustrated I get with the pace. That's the plan. If it doesn't work, I will go to the race to cheer for my new teammate, Nick, who just moved here with his wife from Michigan.

So, the saddest mileage update ever:

316.2 + 3.1 + 12.6 = 331.9

On to happier things! I'm going to go scrapbook for a while before bed. This trip to Detroit includes a LONG overdue delivery of my niece's first year scrapbook.