clocking some hours!

The last three weeks, we have started to increase our mileage, and it only gets more intense from here on out.  Our first real long run was 12 miles, then we did 12 again, and then this last weekend we did 14.  This is the farthest that any of us on my running team have ever run so it was a great milestone to share.  And what's even more encouraging is that we ran the 14 miles in a faster time than I have run all three of my half marathons!  I think this means I am improving...........  and isn't that real runners do?  Improve.

Here are a few images of my watch after each of the runs.  I look forward to adding more images as the time and mileage continue to increase!

                                                                         12 miler

                                         12 miler (and we improved our time from last week!)

                 14 miler (however, I forgot to stop my watch for a 5 minute bathroom break!)

I Peeked at the Schedule

Up until now, I haven't been looking ahead at the schedule.  I have been doing a good job of just working on one run at a time while only looking at the schedule one week at a time.  This way I won't get too overwhelmed.  Too discouraged.  Too scared.

Well....  I was feeling curious and wanted to know just how fast our mileage increased.

 So........  I peeked.

I slowly unfolded my schedule to see next week's long run - 12.  Not too bad, I thought.

I unfolded another line - 14.  Okay, I can do that.

I started to feel a little confident so I just unfolded the whole thing at once.

Not good.

Our mileage goes from 14 to 15 to 18 to 22.

Holy Freaking Moly!

That looks like a schedule for someone who is training for a marathon!

Oh yeah,  I *am* training for a marathon.

Reality set in.

I am overwhelmed.

I am discouraged.

And mostly,  I am scared.

I knew there was a reason I wasn't looking ahead!