#marathon prep

I feel so good about this run. Several weeks ago, I was struggling to do 4 miles in one go. It’s given me more confidence for the weeks and months to come.

Here I am going into the final week of the taper, with the previous week tapering like a pro. Or an amateur, depending on your take of what makes a good taper. Or a sick #runnernotrunning incapable of any activity.

I only managed a grand total of 1 day of running last week. I've had the last 5 days in a row off from any exercise due to this cold that seems to be hitting a new low with every passing day.

Normally I breeze through colds, back to running within 1-2 days. This is my first cold for the year though so it's probably hit me harder than normal. Ugh.

If this was a normal part of the training cycling I probably would've tried to run through it as much as I could. But there's always a delay with doing it that way, the worst could be over within 1-2 days but that remaining 10% could linger on for 2-3 weeks. By opting to rest instead, I'm aiming to have this gone as soon as I can.

I'm a little annoyed I didn't get in a final workout before the magical 10th day before race day, but whatever. This training cycle certainly hasn't gone perfect. I have managed to put in some decent miles and have had some good workouts though.

Fall colors are finally coming out, #seenonmywalk yesterday.

All I can do now is aim for fresh legs, and a cleansed chest, and hope that my mileage and workout paces will pull through on marathon day!

Sinusitis

Today I went to the Dr’s and was diagnozed with sinusitis. He gave me a prescription of antibiotics for 10 days. Amoxicillin, particularly. I’ve already taken 2 today. But this may not be good: 😬 

When antibiotics are taken for an illness rather than a skin infection, athletes may blame the decrease in pace (or increase in effort at the same pace) on the illness rather than the antibiotic.

However, even athletes taking antibiotics for an infection of the skin have reported slower racing and training paces.

What is your own experience with racing when on antibiotics?

Personally after reading some information on the interscares, I feel like taking them is a risk. Not to let opinions of others affect me, but basically here’s where my head’s at: 

If I take antibiotics, then from what I’ve read, the marathon is 100% out. 

Evening Cardio: 40 minute walk at fast pace

Supposed to do a ruck with 15lbs, but since I had a lifting session straight afterwards, I modified and ditched the vest. Because I didn’t over do it, my lifting session went great!

Going to be on a periodic fasting schedule to try and drive up the repairs on me. Two days water, one day eat, three days water, one day eat. Always feel better physically when I do so. Breaking the fasts with gelatin, broths, whey, tuna, jams, peanut butter, soft bread.

Goal is to try and give my innards a break so that I’m not hurting before, during, after the thon. Secondary goal is to try and reduce weight before the run. Lower the weight on the day, easier the run is for me, and on me.

Keeping up cardio through rowing machine, calisthenics. No more road work. Protect legs and feet for day of run. Need to build up shoulders and stomach.

Feet still broken. Not much I can do about that. Supplementing calcium and vitamin D.

Need to source painkillers for the day. Typically I take one low dose codeine every hour of the race. I’m out of all opioids currently.

Need to source new kinaesthetic tape. New knee and ankle braces. Running in army boots this year - figure it will help with any novel breaks during the run, like a hockey skater can keep going with their own boots on. Comfortable for me anyways; this year’s training has been in them since my running shoes kicked the bucket.

From today:

- reconsidering my route for marathon based on how hard the ground was; hundred times round the track it is

- knee swelling up much earlier than expected; cannot tell if temporary or arthritic, so need to train with brace

- still occasional mild heart pain and dizziness, but consistent with effort and temperature

- feet cut up more than expected, must continue stressing for calluses; unsure if this is because I wore boots and poor gripping socks instead of running shoes

- additional weight was no big deal, highly surprising; all consequential training should be weighted

- need to really increase frequency of outings; should be up to mid-pace half marathons now - 10 km runs on Wednesdays / 50 laps of track any speed on Saturdays or Sundays through June, eat and recover inbetween. Increase speed in July. Increase distances in August.

- Need whey. Go to shop, get whey, today. The reason I need whey is because of the issue of aggravating the Crohn’s, which seems to be causing everything else.

Back to Duolingo, good start,slowly getting there again 👌 enjoying good weather and long runs (I want to do 10k next year)