Week 15 of marathon training:

This is week 15, it’s hard to believe I’ve mad it this far, I have to say the time just flew by. I am feeling pretty good; I made all but one run last week. I had to work all day Sunday so I ran my long run on Saturday and worked on Sunday. My run on Saturday was extended to 13.1 so I could participate in the Phedippidations World Wide Half Marathon Challenge. I was invited to run with a nice bunch of fellow runners in downtown Atlanta, but I had to decline. I was really wish I could have made it, but with working on Sunday and trying to balance running and family time, family always wins out, and we had a real nice time picking pumpkins. So I ran my own route and did pretty good, I ran the 13.1 in 2 hours and 22 minutes, I was pretty happy considering I picked a real hilly course.

So this week:
Monday off
Tuesday 5 miles
Wednesday 8 miles
Thursday 5 miles
Friday off
Saturday 5 miles
Sunday 20 miles

Sunday is another 20 miler and my last for this marathon training program. I have to say I love the long runs, I mean the time I spend running a 20 miler, 4 hours + gives me time to really think out any issues I might have.

Goals for the week:
Let my family know I love them and spend some real quality time with them.
Get my runs in and finish strong.
Work on my pre race dinner, breakfast, run nutrition and hydrations.
Make a real effort to keep my form the entire time.
Stretch out, I am getting tight and I need to loosen up.
Save water and use less electricity.

Remember:
You can go through life with and do nothing or everything it’s your choice.

Things that don’t make since:
I have been following a story of a young girl who has brain cancer. She is just a little girl, so innocent and to have sure adversity, it just doesn’t make any since.
I plan on running my marathon in honor of her and the battle she is fighting. I am raising money for her trust fund and cancer research.

But tonight I learned that she lost her fight.

I’ve spent many hours training for my race, time away from my family. I have worked crazy hours and haven’t seen my kids for an entire day. I have been self absorbed in my little world; I’ve spent many hours sitting on the couch of doom watching football hoping my kids would not interrupt. How selfish I have become, hoping my kids would leave me alone to watch a football game. Don’t get me wrong, I do a lot with my family, but when I see a family that has had a loved one taken away I feel awful when I take my family for granted.

Please get off the couch, huge you wife, husband, kids, mom, dad and anyone in your life, let them know you love them.

Live Strong,

-Brian