I think I may have left my feet on the sidewalk somewhere...

I had to start teaching today. I also had to spend a few days in Chicago for work.

Running in Chicago along the Lake has got to be one of the best things to do. I could see people taking advantage of the beaches. In fact, there must have been a triathlon club training because there were several folks in tri-suits swimming laps in designated areas. The fact that Chicago has designated areas to do this is pretty impressive to me. The lakeshore in wonderful. Hey, Buffalo, wanna get it together?

I was debating as to whether I would run on Saturday after class or wait until Sunday. I don't know what made me choose Saturday, but I am glad I did. I started at about 4:30 p.m. so that I could beat some of the heat, but less humidity. I ran my usual 12 mile loop which takes me to my mom's and brother's. My brother was entertaining. I swooped in (as much as a slow runner can swoop), grabbed my Gatorade, waved to the company, apologized for being rude by not hanging out, and left. I saw my husband and gave him my route and an approximate arrival time. If he didn't hear from me by 9 p.m., come find me. I may have died.

Getting to 12 miles was easy and I don't know why. I was quite surprised. I thought I might get to my house to get my third Gatorade and might say, this is enough. But I was determined to run 18 miles after my last two attempts didn't get me to my goal.

And run 18 miles I did. After I finished, I was too damn tired to jump up and down. But I did I very happy dance in my mind. In my mind, I am quite adept at dancing.

I ran 18 miles. It is the most I have ever run. It is one of my proudest moments.

Of course, I cannot move from the couch. I need to have a pair of Depends and my bed on the first floor. I iced my feet and my calves. Damn, this running kinda hurts.

But I succeeded. I am back in the game.

Twelve miles seems like a break....

Sixteen miles killed me last week. I was quite nervous approaching this week. I have trained so hard for so long it seemed cruel justice that I might have to bow out due to injury now.

I ran as posted this week thinking about all the reasons I may have had trouble. I also worked at the Erie County Fair for a friend of mine. I had to find time afterward to run. It was also hot and humid again so I had to work around that.

Turns out running at night is pretty cool. I would start running just before sunset and end up running in the dark. I did take precautions. I ran with light colored clothing and ran on the sidewalk. It was quite peaceful.

The Saturday that I was to run 12 miles was hot and humid. Enough, egads! I was able to run about 8 miles and I had to stop. I was frustrated, but thought, hell, I ran 8 miles. My foot didn't bother me. Perhaps I will finish while running, perhaps I will also have to walk. I am quite cranky that this heat and humidity will not let up. WTF?

That said, I do have to remember why I am running this marathon and training so diligently....folks struggling with blood cancers don't have the option to stop in the heat and humidity as I did. They may complain as I do, but to what end? It doesn't change the course of their treatment. In fact, studies show that a pessimistic outlook may work against you. Mind over matter.

I need to remember that...mind over matter.

Unless an injury steps in. Or unless your body is telling you it might die. Listen to your body. It usually knows what is up.

16 miles was the end of me

I am quite excited to run 16 miles. I think I can do it with no problem.

4, 5, 4, 5 Monday through Thursday. I said I wouldn't modify it, but I had to. I was working for a friend at the Erie County Fair on Thursday. It was so humid when I got out, I thought I might dies, so I said I would run 5 on Friday morning. And I did.

Bad, bad idea.

Because I run so much more slowly than others, I try to get to the Amherst Bike Path earlier so the coaches and trainers don't have to spend their Saturday morning waiting for my slow ass to finish running. I am a considerate runner, I guess.

Why I like the Amherst Bike Path at that hour:

• Turkeys feed in one of the fields. This particular Saturday there were turkeys right next to the deer.
• Deer are all over. Deer are grazing and it is peaceful and beautiful and serene.
• Blue herons abound in the creek.
• Slugs and other crawlies as well as goose poop are all over the path (I don't really like this part). It keeps the run interesting.

By about 7:30, the path is getting busier and the animals have gone. Slugs, crawlies and poop remain. All seem to get stomped and squished, not by me.

It started out as a cool morning. Then I noticed that I was sweating enough to fill a small rain barrel. WTF? It had gotten humid. I was not ready for humid! But what can you do?

I was doing well. Running slowly. Drinking Gatorade and water. Listening to my IPod which is the best thing in the world. Mile 12 my foot started to hurt. I knew exactly what it was, thank God. That damn extra bone. I had to walk mile 13 to the coaches and hitch a ride home the other three miles. I was disappointed but knew if I continued, I would risk a worse injury and might jeopardize my marathon. I am not willing to do that.

I told my sister I was upset with myself for only running 12 and walking one. I told her I felt like a failure. She told me I was a moron. That made me feel better, oddly enough.

I limped for the rest of the day and iced the hell out of the foot. Sunday came and I am typing this and able to walk. I am hoping that I can run tomorrow before working at the fair.

My husband reminded me that I ran on Friday instead of Thursday. That might have done it. No more running the day before long runs. I think that did it.

I will do yoga this afternoon. That should help loosen my body quite a bit. It should also help me feel less like a failure and more like a moron.

That's as it should be.

Only 12 miles this week for our long run...

I remember being told last year that when we get to this point in our training, the 12 mile long weekend run will be a blessing. I thought they were full of crap until this week. The idea that I just have to run 12 miles is a blessing. And my week runs smoothly (pun intended) as a result. 4, 5, 4, 5 is the Monday through Thursday run and I modify it.

I ran 14 miles on Monday, so I take Tuesday off. I run 4 miles on Wednesday and 5 on Thursday. Then I run 3 on Friday just to stick with it, worried that it might screw up the long run on Saturday.

The humidity is a bitch and I am about ready to kill small children because I am so cranky because of it, but I am able to figure out how to run.

And I run 12 on Saturday. I am tired, I think, because I didn't run each day as I should have. I am determined not to modify my run next week.

I do notice on Sunday that my right foot is bothering me. I have an extra bone in my foot that acts up if it is overused. I would say that running like this is overusing it. I am quite surprised that it hasn't acted up sooner, but I am thankful it hasn't. I better shut up before I make it worse. I ice it and pamper myself. I've earned it.

When am I going to squeeze this running thing into my schedule?

This week is incredibly hectic. I have a show this weekend in Brockport. It is the first time the Brockport Arts Festival is being held in the parking lot of the college campus. I am not going to be able to run 14 miles on Saturday, as usual, because I will be trying to sell my fabulous products (wildmountainorganics). I then think that I will have to run on Sunday after a day of selling products in the pounding heat. It is not a pleasing thought.

I run my usual run for the week - 4, 5, 4, 5 Monday through Thursday. I am getting used to this, I think. I then decide that I should run the 14 miles on Monday morning rather than try to kill myself on Sunday night.

As soon as I decide this, the tension leaves. I no longer feel this ridiculous pressure to run over the weekend.

And Monday looks as though it will be fairly nice with much less humidity. Woo hoo!

But that also means that I won't have a run scheduled from Friday through the weekend. Well, I can't take three days off. It might ruin everything I have worked toward. So I decide to try to run after the show on Saturday.

Of course, after the hectic show, the last thing I want to do is run. In fact, I think I would prefer root canal surgery.

Then I run. And I run quite rapidly - well, rapidly for me. I am on fire and feeling wonderful. Perhaps there is something to running when one is exhausted. I should consider this.

I return home and feel rejuvenated. I finally have the thought that I might be able to run 14 miles. This is a daunting figure since I've run 12 and that's been my personal best. Fourteen would take me over the top and make me a runner. Of course, 12 should do that, but I am a freaking overachiever. Good news.

I have a route mapped that will take me past my mother's house. This is good since I can drop some Gatorade at her house and pick it up on my way. I figure it will take me two Gatorade's to make this trip. I will swap my empty bottle for the full bottle and be on my way.

Monday is gorgeous! The sun is out, but it's cool, and not nearly so humid. I am off at 6:30 a.m. to beat any nasty heat! And I am plodding along doing quite well. There is one road on the route that is full of uphills that makes me nervous but I do it without a problem. In fact, I wake my mother up (8:30, mom? I should say it's time to get your ass out of bed.). She asks me to sit and rest for a minute. I tell her if I do that she will have to drive me home because I won't be going anywhere. She can't believe that I have run from my house to hers. Quite frankly, neither can I.

I take off with my new Gatorade and head the 5.5 miles home from her house. It is primarily downhill so I am excited about this.

I get to the top of this small hill that always kicks my ass at the end of a long, long bike ride and that's when it hits me. Shit, you are tired and might die. But with about two miles to go, I am sure not stopping.

The signal at Three Rod Road and Broadway changes several times before I get to it. If there are no cars on Three Rod, the signal may take a while to change. It may also take me a minute to get across Broadway. I am hoping for a long signal. And then a car drives up. I wanted to beat the trunk of this car! Can't you see that you are my reprieve! I can't stop and take a break on my own, but a forced break? That's okay! Bastard!

Broadway is tough. I get to 14 miles and stop. I can go no further, but I just ran 14 miles. I think I posted it on Facebook after I came in and drank a gallon of water and bathed. What an accomplishment. I think I might actually be able to run this bitch of a marathon!

Fourteen miles is longer than halfway. I am more than halfway there. I can't believe I can do this! I am pretty proud of me!