My Long Runs

I love to run long distances. I truely enjoy running for 2 hours most of the time. Training for Ironman has been difficult for me in that respect which is very unusual. I have been stuck at one and a half hours for 4 weeks. The first time I did that time, it didn't feel good but it didn't feel bad either. I did that distance again the next week and felt great (Runnin' of the Green day - I raced for 38 min and still felt great). The next time I did it, it felt like I was trying to kill myself. I did that distance again two weeks ago and it sucked. Last week was my easy week so instead of a long run, I got to do a swim/bike/run workout on my long run day. This week I had scheduled an hour and forty-five minutes. I haven't been feeling great this week and actually took 3 days off in a row (shocking) this week because of my headache/dizziness/viral infection that most of my students and the faculty at school have but I felt good enough today to attempt the distance. Plus, we go to Washington DC next weekend to run the Cherry Blossom 10 miler so I needed to get in the distance. I started ok. It was beautiful out (a little warmer than I am used to but still ok). Today was my first run in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, it was so nice out. There were tons of people outside at Washington Park and lots of college kids out playing football and volleyball and enjoying the sun. There was the woman and her 4 kids who were trying to cross the rode in the park and when they had the opportunity, the mom said go and all of the kids (probably all 4 between the ages of 3 and 7) sprinted across the road and went into the large field and just kept running like it was their first day outside after a really long winter (maybe it was, we are in Upstate NY). It was so funny to watch their little legs sprinting and the littest one was just trying to keep up but wasn't giving up. It was funny! It was a fantastic day for a run. About an hour in, I started getting my headache again. Then I got dizzy especially when I would turn my head to look for cars. The movement of the cars around me was making me dizzy. I really wanted the mileage though (only someone training for an Ironman would continue running when feeling like this because I have come to truely believe that we are a different breed and are completely crazy) so I kept running and made a deal with myself - If I finished the run, I could go to Starbucks and get a frapaccino (usually completely off my diet). I finished the run (Yippie!). Tried to stop feeling dizzy before I got into the car to drive to Starbucks. Found my new favorite drink at Starbucks - the Caramel Frapaccino!!! It was enough of a sugar/caffeine rush that I felt a little better within the next 20 minutes.

Tomorrow - Guilderland YMCA Indoor Triathlon. Next weekend, Cherry Blossom 10 miler in Washington DC! I hope I can shake the headache/dizzy/viral infection within the next two days to make sure I don't feel aweful when I workout this week. I really need a good quality week since the last two have sucked. I will think positive thoughts about this week and it will be good!!!

BTW - I will be sending out an e-mail about this too. If you know you are going to Ironman to watch Joe and me compete, let me know if you are staying at the camp or somewhere else and if you want a t-shirt. My mom wants our Ironspectators to have t-shirts to show support, so I will need to know who wants one and what size as well.