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| After 13.1 miles on Sunday |
Well…”training” isn’t exactly as it sounds. Since this whole stupid back issue, I’ve dwindled. Running doesn’t really hurt my back but the chiropractor encourages decreased running. So I’ve been running…a little.
I am still planning to run the Richmond Marathon at this point but there’s one little problem. My right leg. Since it’s the left side of my back that’s hurting, I’ve apparently been completely overcompensating by running mostly on the right side of my body.
It was weird…I noticed that my right leg was super stiff and my calf was insanely sore after I’d been running the past few times. I had no idea what was going on. Then, yesterday, ran 13 miles and realized what I was doing. I was putting all the pressure of my strides on the right.
My leg started acting up big time. I tried putting more onto my left side but my body just naturally shifts it to the right right now. Ugh.
ALSO — I realized that running in 10 million different kinds of shoes probably wasn’t helping. I’ve been testing out shoes for review lately so have run quite a few miles in Altras, SKORAS, Reeboks & Mizunos. I’m back to training in Mizunos only right now — because they are my go-to.
Nevertheless, I ran fast yesterday. I randomly ran 13.1 miles and — get this — PR’d my half-marathon distance. What’s up with that?
Dare I say the little bit of speed work I have done has made me faster? Additionally, I often try to focus on pose running and lean forward more to run than I ever have in the past. This combo must have made me faster.
I ran a half-marathon yesterday in 1:47. My PR is 1:51 — though I have never actually trained for a half-marathon so I’m sure I could be faster if trained. That being said, I feel like I most definitely need to run at least a 1:45 in my next half-marathon.
Anyway, getting off track…my right leg. If my right leg keeps acting like this, I feel that it will be pure misery to get through the second half of a marathon. 13 miles is one thing but 26.2 is a whole different ball game. And look at this beautiful course — I hope it’s just like this:
Perhaps I should just throw in towel…but it’s marathon magic and I love. Richmond does offer a half-marathon option so I can do that if worse comes to worse. But man will I be sad.
Just read marathon recaps today from Ashley, Monica and Katie (Hi, 2:48!!) so I’m feeling the energy! I know that Richmond will be a blast even if I only do the half. I have a bunch of friends running it so that’s fun.
I’ll be running a half-marathon this weekend — and I’m planning a 20-miler for the next week. Then it’s three weeks till marathon day. I guess that 20-miler will be my deciding factor…
Also, I’m planning to spectate for the Marine Corps Marathon though I’m hearing rumors that it could be cancelled due to the government shutdown. Oh man, I hope not! Does anyone know?