Week 5 ~ I QUIT!

Oh wow what a training week.  This week was HARD.  I am really really REEEEAAAAALLLLLY struggling.  The constant battle of arranging schedules and balancing the three kids and nursing the baby and school projects, and babysitting and dance lessons, and play dates, and errands and house stuff and my husband and ME and it is all just too much!!! Not to mention the SNOW.  I can not take anymore!!!! Which is really too bad because as I am sitting here yet another storm has started which is predicted to drop some more feet, yes FEET of snow on us.  Which means we will have another snow day tomorrow and it will be hard to get out to get my first run of training week 6 in.

All of this has been too much and I can normally handled it all BUT with the added snow the juggling is just overwhelming.  I am so limited at when I can get out to run that not being able to SAFELY get out there is driving me nutty INSANE.  It is just too much, so I am quitting.  I am quitting my road running only.  The stress of making it out during the time of day where I can most likely be seen is really taking its toll.  My husband is so supportive but he can't be here to take over with the kids until late evenings, which by then means I will be running in the dark and the cold and the ice and the snow.  It ISN'T safe. The shoulders of the roads are gone.  Replaced by 8 feet snow banks.  Sidewalks are not being maintained because the snow is just coming on so quickly and the ice build up is hidden and tricky to maneuver.   As much as I hate to admit it, it's not safe at all and I am going to be continuing on for at least the next few weeks at a gym, trying to make friends with Treddy the treadmill.  So yeah, that bad ass mother runner is going to challenge the mental strength she has built to run like a hamster for a few weeks.

Marathon Training Week 5

The Miles:
Monday~ 3 miles
Wednesday~ 5 miles
Thursday~ 3 miles
Saturday~ 10 miles

The Weather:
Snow, snow and more snow.  Really that is all that has been happening.  And for the foreseeable future all that IS going to continue to happen.  I can't even complain about the wind chills or temps because all of this darn white has me seeing red.  Monday's run I literally did during a snow storm.  -16 degree wind chills and 3.5 inches on the ground with more coming down fast and furious.  It was NOT pleasant at all.  It wasn't a fluffy white winter land run of beauty.  My eyes were stinging and I was dodging plow trucks all over, sticking to as many untraveled routes as possible to not have to worry about being hit.

Gear:
Same old same old. I again revisited the Energybits before my long run on Saturday and I managed to choke down 15 bits.  I also brought along another GU and this time got it down without much trouble.  Even with all of my blinking lights I still felt invisible out there.  I am also LOVING my Nuun before and after.  I am finding it a perfect go to, to get me ready and I love having more when I come back.  ESPECIALLY on my long runs.

Routes:
Small and repetitive was the theme.  Even the 10 mile long run was done with small laps.  I met up with some great runners and together the four of us conquered the boredom of doing laps around the local high school until we hit 10 miles.  I was so thankful to have these ladies by my side yesterday for the 10 miler.  It was my longest run since November 10, 2013 and I would have probably lost my mind in the middle of all of the mountains of snow from the parking lot and most definitely would not have gotten 10 in by myself out there in white hell....

Lessons Learned:
This week I learned that even Maine girls can become violently hateful toward snow.  I am so over it.  Never before have I actually had any sort of seasonal mood effects before.  I am thinking that the PPD coupled with this extreme snow and cold and being shut in my house and being overwhelmed and not getting out easy for a run is what has caused this.  But if anyone even says the word snow I am instantly angry about it.  I hate snow, I hate THIS snow.  I probably say that a bazillion times a day.  I have also learned that meeting new running friends can lift the mood and make 10 miles fly by.  I learned to NEVER EVER EVER, under no circumstance do a nice relaxing foot soak the night before a long run.  My feet were soft and tender then I ran 10 miles.  Ummmm yeah all the soft spots were then extremely SORE spots as they were raw from not having the callas protection.  There is a reason runners have gross feet!  Also, I have learned that I can be as tough as ever and bad ass in just about anything but there comes a point when even I need to call it and go seek out a treadmill.  Safety is always ALWAYS trumps running outside.  The elements didn't get me, I can still handle a -20 degree run but the snowbanks have.  Also that coming home from a 10 mile run and seeing your door decorated with cheering signs from the kids and a sweet note from my husband about what a great job I am doing will move any mama to tears.  Especially one who is cold, hungry, sleep deprived and yet feeling like I just kicked major ass.