Month in Review: April & Go Time

April was a good month for running.

Miles: I ran 170 miles. More miles than I have ever run before.

Races: No half marathons but I did run the Shamrock Shuffle which I absolutely loved. I ran faster than I thought I could on tired legs. It made me excited to search for some short distances to run this summer.
Start line at Shamrock Shuffle

Cross training: I did better at including lifting and working on abs. There is still lots of room to improve there and will be my main focus for the month of May and part of June.

The best part of April- I finish marathon training, entered taper mode and can't wait to tackle the Wisconsin marathon.

In thinking about my goals for the marathon I recalled that my main goal for the marathon when I started training was to show up at the start line in the best shape possible and I believe I have achieved that. I have logged more miles than I ever have before, completed two twenty mile runs and feel injury free and excited to run. Nervous, a little scared, but excited.

I am a little hesitant to have a time goal because I really have no idea how the race is going to go. I know at some point it will become the mental game because no matter what shape I am in at some point this is going to get uncomfortable. I believe I can finish in 4:30 or less if I pace myself smartly and keep at it. But more than a time goal I want to enjoy myself and have fun and add this baby to my medal hanger.


I am a little concerned that the weather calls for showers and wind but considering most of my runs that have been outside were in wind and rain I can't really argue that I am not prepared for that. On the plus side it will be cooler which is nice because I am a sweaty beast. More so when running.

And because I love this quote:
Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself.

John Bingham, running speaker and writer 



Any last minute advice?
How did April go for you?

Comments

  1. No last minute advice from me! I haven't done races. Just what I read, don't change anything now. Keep mentally strong and finish healthy! Don't forget to smile during the run and think of how spectacular a thing you are doing.

    April went good for me. Really been amping up my training to get used to 50 miles or so for the Hanson plan. Finished with no injuries. It was a good month!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congrats on a great month! I love the smile and enjoy advice. I will have to keep that in mind towards the end:).

      Delete
  2. I'll be at Wisconsin too, and it looks like the weather is improving. High 40s/low 50s at the start, and sunny!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck! I hope the weather stays cool and dry. Fingers crossed.

      Delete
  3. Good luck in your marathon!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ive been following your blog for a while now and thought it was about time i made myself useful around here. I did my first marathon last weekend, with a longest prior run of 17.5miles. After googling "calf pain during taper" (turns out taper crazies are for real!) i came across this post...
    http://marathontrainingacademy.com/my-calf-muscles-are-ripping-apart-and-other-strange-fixations
    During the marathon i was chuckling and shooting my sto-fro gun left, right and centre thanks to this, instead of obsessing, and i definitely enjoyed it more than i would have. I hope it helps you as much and best of luck for Wisconsin.

    Bo :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That article had me laughing. I am glad I am not alone in my taper crazy, everything is super dramatic right now mode. Keeping the sto-fro gun at the ready for Saturday. Congrats on your first marathon!

      Delete
  5. You are going to rock your marathon! I love their logo and tagline. Awesome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let's be honest- any marathon centered around food is something I can get behind;)!

      Delete
  6. So flipping excited for you. We're going on holiday on Friday but I'll be thinking of you from the beach in Hawaii and promise to drink a cocktail to celebrate your run!!!

    My only tip for the marathon...imodium. A couple of them. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trying not to be super jealous right now....I hope you have an amazing time in Hawaii!!! Thanks for the cocktail in my honor, I think I will drink one in my honor as well;).

      Delete
  7. You are going to rock this marathon! 170 miles is huge, just huge! Wind is tough, but the hot weather could incapacitate you. So it's a good trade! Have so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yay, it's time!!! I'm so impressed by all your accomplishments and you have truly been an inspiration to me. I haven't run a full marathon before but my advice is to enjoy it!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog. I look forward to hearing from you!

Popular posts from this blog

Training Week 10/9/2017-10/15/2017....or lack of...

The forever taper

Wisconsin Marathon Race Review