Week 7
Monday
I was supposed to run 2 miles easy. I ran 2.5 miles at 10:22 pace. Just 4 seconds faster than I was supposed to run.
Wednesday
This was supposed to be a 6 mile run with a 4 mile tempo tucked inside. I knew that was not going to happen. I had limited time and no way to measure my distance or speed other than effort and guess. I even thought that the run would not happen at all. Since I did not sleep much on Tuesday night because of being at camp and being eaten alive by mosquitoes, I was up early on Wednesday and could get a run in. I ran 4.66 miles at a medium pace.
Friday
This was not a scheduled run, but I was up and had the time. It helped me get my thoughts together for the preaching that morning at camp. I ran 2.32 miles.
Saturday/Sunday
I pushed my long run from Saturday to Sunday this week. I actually have more free time on Sunday mornings than I do on Saturdays right now. Only about 45 minutes more, but it makes a difference.
I woke up at 5:00 and was able to have a good breakfast and get everything ready to go by 5:45. Actually I had two breakfasts. Since I woke up at 2:00 in the morning, I figured it would be a good time to start with an early fueling. I had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for first and second breakfast.
I ran my 4 mile loop with a water bottle. Then I swung by the house to start my 8 mile loop and grab the CamelBak filled with Gatorade. I carried 2 gel packs which I ate at miles 6 and 11. I then dropped off the pack and picked up the water bottle again at mile 12 to finish off with a second running of my 4 mile loop. While making the second exchange of the pack/bottle, I took the time to change into a fresh pair of socks and powder my feet.
Somewhere between miles 7 and 8 I started getting emotional with the thought that I am just a few weeks away from being a marathoner. It is quite exciting, or insane, I am still undecided.
You find out in the evening after a 16 mile run about all the body parts that needed lubrication that you missed.
Biking
I only rode one day this week and it was a big one. I rode on Saturday for just over 19 miles. I started out the ride with a big goal of going into some villages that I had only driven through before. I knew they were far apart, but was not sure at the start that I wanted to try it. Because I did not know any distances, I did not really know what the point of no return would be. I knew at some point it would be faster to get back home by going on with the loop as opposed to turning around. After I had been riding for what seemed like close to 30 minutes, I looked at my watch to find that I had only gone 10 minutes down the road. But I had covered a lot of ground. That gave me the encouragement to press forward with the big loop. It was not until I got home that I found out that somehow I had hit the lap timer on my watch and had really been gone 22 minutes when I believed I was only 10 minutes into my run. Had I known that, I probably would not have tried for the longer distance. It was a mistake that worked in my favor.
Week 8
Monday: 6 miles easy, 10:22 pace.
Wednesday: 6 miles easy, 10:22 pace.
Saturday: 5 miles easy, 10:22 pace.
Week 8 is a cut back week. It comes at a great time. We are packing everything up this week and getting ready to move back to the US the following week.