And It Comes to and End - Week 14

I got my packet this week and I am runner #18338! Wave 3, corral 1!
This is my last week of official training. After this week I start my taper.  EEEEK!  I cannot believe my race is this close. 
I have mixed feelings about this. 

1. First, I am in shock and totally excited that I am getting the honor to run.  It has been a long road.  Not just the training, but the getting the chance to even sign up for Boston.  As most of you know, you have to qualify at another marathon to even get the chance to sign up.  My BQ time was 3:50.59.  I qualified in 2010 (with a 3:45.22 chip time) at the Thunder Road marathon.  However, that was not my first attempt.
1. Thunder Road 2009 was my first attempt (12/09) but it all fell apart as I got sick during the marathon.
2. Then came Myrtle Beach 2010.  (2/10) It all fell apart as I watched the snow fall.  The marathon was canceled and once again my Boston dream was out of my reach!
3. And the Thunder Road 2010.... 12/12/10 it all came together!
4. But then they changed the September registration process.  No longer are you guaranteed a "Spot" in Boston if you qualify.  They only take the fastest qualifiers.  So I had to wait until week 3 of registration to even try to sign up.  Then I had to wait to see if I made the cut. I did so...
5. I made up my training plan and continued the journey to Boston.
2. Second, I am totally scared out of my mind and intimidated by this race!  On my race packet it says, "There are many races, but only 1 Boston Marathon".  How can I even think that I deserve to be a part of the field of runners that runs this race.  I still feel like the novice runner I was in 2004 when I ran my first marathon.  But I am not a novice runner.  And now it is time for me to set some goals.

I have to be honest.  I actually set my goals before I started training.  Back in December, when I wrote up my training plan, I wrote it up for a specific time.  That time was 3:42.  So all my runs have been geared to this.  I have trained for that time and (Hopefully) I have trained for the specific Boston course with all my up and down hill training.  That puts my mile splits at an 8:29 pace on a course I have NEVER even seen.
However... After discussing my grand plans with several runners who have run this race I have made a final decision for my goals.
I have worked hard to get here and may never have the chance to run it again.  I don't want to regret not enjoying this race.  Sometimes pushing the pace makes the race not fun and normally results in me getting sick.  SO.... I plan to go an enjoy myself.  I want to give people Hi-5s... I want to have fun... I want to talk and laugh with the other runners.... I want to finish and have a smile on my face..... I want to be able to walk back to my hotel.
So I have NO time goal!  Gasp!  I have no pace bracelet or no time in mind.  The goal is to enjoy myself!

So here is the last week of training!

Monday was a tempo run!
It was HARD!  I had 10 miles.  6 of those were at tempo pace.  I warmed up 3 miles with Michelle then started the tempo pace.  She had to get to work so she started heading back.  About 2 miles into my tempo pace I see someone coming toward me.  It is Jonathan. I was so happy that he turned around to run with me.  He did the whole tempo part with me and was very encouraging.  I think he thought I was going to die though... He kept asking if I was OK.  I was, but it was just a hard run.

Tuesday I swam 1700... really nothing to say about that! Just a recovery day.

Wednesday was circuit!  This is speed work with a twist!  Five 1/2 mile repeats with strength training in between.  And I was sore afterwards!

Thursday was a rest day!  From training.

Friday was my pace run!
It was the perfect day to run!  Goal was 10 miles at my marathon pace (8:29).  Michelle came and ran with me.  We finished up with 10 miles at an 8:21 pace.  A bit fast.

Saturday was my last 20 miler!
When I got out of bed, I heard the pitter patter of rain hitting my window.  Maybe it will stop?  Ha!!!  No such luck. I met several friends at 0600 to start my last 20.  The goal was 20 miles at a nice "easy" 8:45 pace. 
WaHaHaHaHa....NOT!
We first did the "BiLo" loop in the rain.  This ended up being a little over 6 miles. 
Then we met the rest of the group. 
Troy had 15 miles
Erin had 18 miles
Siobhan had 20 miles
So we all hung out for that amount of miles.  We discussed some mind tricks to stay strong during a run.  Erin said she puts everything into the amount of time it would take to watch a certain TV program or movie.  For example.... 7 miles = a TV episode of "Person of Interest" with the commercials. So at this point, we have less time running left than the movie "Hunger Games".
We all ran DOWN David Taylor in the rain!  Got on the greenway and ran to the soccer fields.  Still sorta raining.  This gave us around 10 miles and Siobhan said we were half way done.  So an hour and a half (approx) left or the time it would take to see 3 "Sponge bob" shows come on and go off.  And I felt really good, even though we had been running under pace.... in the rain.
We turned down the Toby Creek extension... in the rain. Took a gel and continued to run back. 
Got back to David Taylor and Troy turned off.  That means I have a little over 5 miles left.... or an episode of "House"...without the commercials.... oh, and by the way, it was still raining.
about 2 miles later, Erin turns off and heads back.  She only has to do 18 and we are around 17 miles.  Wow!  At this point, we are still going under the 8:45 pace but I am still OK.  Tired, but OK.  we hit mile 18 and Siobhan says, "Seinfeld, without the commercials".  I know what she means... we have about 18 minutes left (at the most).
At mile 19 we get off the greenway (totally uphill.... I pretended it was Heartbreak Hill) and run the rest of the way in.  The last mile was an 8:10.
Oh, and by the way.... it was still raining and I was soaked...and looked like I had been in a muddy cat fight.  I had so much "chub rub" it wasn't even funny.  My back, legs, and everywhere my clothes touched me was rubbed raw.
It is funny!  After all that I look at my average pace for this 20 miler.  The average pace was 8:29.  My marathon pace.  Interesting.

So now that I am done with my official training I start the taper.  And taper madness.  So I apologize in advance for everything I may say and/or do the next 2 weeks.