Week 16 DONE

Texas weather really didn't want me to run this week. Really. Texas weather made me WORK this week. 

Monday was 18 degrees. So cold. I was never so glad to have a rest day on Monday. I might have shared a banana split with my sweet baboo on an impromptu date during the nerdlet's Scout meeting. It was a good day to not be running. 

Tuesday was not quite as cold but still super chilly. It was actually about the most perfect weather for me, running wise. I cranked out four effortless miles after dinner. I felt great. 

And then Wednesday. No run on Wednesday. I was sick. Couldn't breathe. So congested. Hurt to swallow and my face ached. I hated to bail on a run so early in this training cycle but I remembered that whole balance thing. I also remembered I have a half-marathon on the schedule next weekend and didn't want to press. 

So I skipped Wednesday, heavily self-medicated & dragged myself to bed. Apparently I slept restlessly and woke up still stuffy. Thursday morning was foggy, misty & wet. Miserable. Almost as miserable as I felt. Allergies were still kicking my azz. But I had packed my running clothes and during lunch I got my Thursday miles in. They were slow & ugly but they were done. And I felt better afterward. Really better. I could breathe again. 

I could've made up Wednesday miles on Friday. But I chose dinner out with friends instead. It was a good choice. I'm not even going to pretend it wasn't. Saturday had us in Austin for the quickest trip ever. 

Sunday was windy. Okay it wasn't windy when I first got up. But it was by the time I headed out. And not just windy, but WINDY. Crazy windy. Soul-sucking windy.  Can't hear yourself think windy. And kind of hot. Hot enough that the water fountains being turned off (to avoid being frozen, thanks Texas weather) was a problem. It was a big problem. Big enough that after the third dry fountain I turned & headed home, calling it a day, with six of the scheduled 12 miles done. Honestly, that was about four miles more than I thought I'd get. 

But all afternoon, the missing six miles were on my mind. I couldn't shake them. I knew week 16 was too early to start making deals with myself. It's one thing to miss a run if I'm sick, something else entirely to bail because it's hard. DUH. Of course it's hard. It's marathon training. Nobody is making me do this. I chose this and I need to follow through. 

So after a long hot bath, lunch to celebrate my mom's birthday, and a nap, I put on my big-girl pants & went out for the last six miles. I chose a primarily east-west course so the wind would be minimized. I drank up throughout the afternoon, then just went out & got it done. Done. 

Week 16: 23 miles. Crazy weather. Done.