Training Fail

I trained hard the first five months of 2009. I wanted to finish a marathon and place in my age group in a 5k. I did both. And then stopped training (you know, to get married and go honeymooning and move and take care of the hubs after surgery AND to save money on race fees). I only took two full weeks off (not consecutively either). I kept my mileage up, running at LEAST 15 miles a week, averaging probably 20 or 21. My long runs were not long...six mostly, with a few 8-10'ers in there every once in a while.

Then last week, Friday night I go spontaneous (extremely not like me) and drive down to the chaos that was the Suntrust Marathon Race Expo and register for the 8k the next morning. I run a 43:20. On a whim! and I had PLENTY of energy after the end, I was (and still am) sure I could have done better.

p.s. My name was in the paper, that's pretty cool. 39th in my age group (out of 362).

So this turns me cocky. And I enter this time into the Runner's World Smart Coach, which helped me train for the marathon (beat my goal) and the Autism 5k in June (beat my goal). During BOTH of those trainings, I think I had one major fail. I was supposed to run 6 800s at 7:31 or something loony like that. I only got through three or four. So I was feeling pretty confident about the prescribed tempo run for this morning...five miles with three at 8:21.

Wake up at 6:30 after eight hours of sleep. Get dressed for the 45 degree run. Eat one packet of oatmeal, one cup of coffee, forgot the water. Got distracted by schoolwork and laundry, didn't make it out the door until 8 when it was already up to 55 degrees (still in 45 degree gear). Easy peazy warm up mile around 9:50pace. Pick it up for mile two. Breathing just didn't fall into place. Kept going. 8:34 Mile 2 (FAAAAAAIL). Breathing all out of whack, can't catch it, what the crap, is that a SIDE STITCH? yeah, Mile 3 8:44 (FAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIL). and then? I walk. LAME LAME LAME. Yep, I walked about a quarter mile, got bored and started running (jogging?) again. Cut the entire run short by over a mile.

Now I have a decision to make.....the Frostbite 15K is in 10 weeks. The NC Half Marathon is in 18 weeks. Should I scrap this training and start training for the half the first week in January (12 weeks)?

Sigh.