Week 6 of project mileage ramp up and while my legs were heavy this week, they rebounded today and I feel very good.  I've been sleeping pretty well so so far so good.  I did another 30 miles this week, will do 30 the upcoming week and then do something more and then do the step back week as my Thanksgiving present to myself!  I'll have family staying with me so I might drink a bit too much wine and have too much fun.  I'm totally looking forward to it!

Well I did it - I went and signed up for the Eugene Marathon -- so it's official.  I've got my registration confirmation to prove it!  6 months or 25 weeks -- I'm both excited and scared.    I'm going to continue my weekly mileage ramp up through the end of the year like I've mentioned and then I'll have 18 weeks for the formal training.  I'm still reading a lot but am also thinking that now is maybe the time to get me some help on the training play by a more experienced person.  I know there are supposed to be no time goals for a first marathon but I know me -- I'll have a goal.  And it may go completely out the door (and I'm already prepared for that), I'll need the goal.  And it will be fairly aggressive (but achievable -- I know how to make SMART goals! ;)) because I just flat out don't want to be out there forever.

Anyhow -- we'll see where all this goes.

So last week's recap:

Monday -- Rest.  Love monday rest day.  Oh I did yoga but that almost doesn't count.

Tuesday -- 5.6 miles.  Was supposed to be 6 but silly me forgot my inhaler puffs and with the chillier weather I was just unable to breathe.  Combine that with fairly tired legs from the weekend before (hills!) and I just called it done a bit early.  This was also the day I had my first early morning scare.

Wednesday -- 5 miles.  Was supposed to be 4 but making up time from the day before. Legs felt a bit better and remembered inhaler so just a basic run.

Thursday -- 6.25miles Another slug fest.  My legs just weren't working.  Of course when I got home and could hardly walk I wondered if I was hydrated enough.  Two glasses of nuun later and I'm feeling perfect so I got my answer.  This week was a DUH week for sure.

Friday -- rest again.

Saturday -- 8 hilly miles at Rancho San Antonio park.  Was hydrated and puffed and body still working in slow mo.  The route we do is about a 700ft climb in 4 miles with the last mile climbing 350ft. so fairly intense hill.  We stopped at the switch back right before we headed up that last mile and I just shook my head at my friend and said I wasn't sure I had it in me.  She was having similar thoughts but we just started in and poof, the mile was done and we were at the top of the hill.  It seemed especially lovely up there that day and extra peaceful (not as many people).  Worth the run up definitely -- my friend and I just took it really easy on the way back down and just chatted.  We don't always do that so it was nice.  I finally got a second wind at 7 miles (actually it was my first wind -- ha ha -- I needed a 7 mile warm up apparently) and could have gone on a bit longer but we were almost back to the cars so just called it quits.

That same run did my quads in last week (because I hadn't done it in awhile) and while it was a harder run yesterday -- my body isn't fussing at me at all.  So that's good.

Sunday -- 5miles around the hood.  Easy peasy.  Would have been super speedy run as legs were fine fine fine FINALLY!  But, stomach was still not happy about the previous evenings wine consumption so I had to watch it.

And hey -- what about that NYC Marathon!  I actually watch it for several hours this morning before my run.  What fun!  That really might have to go on the bucket list.  47,000 people and all.  But first I suppose I should concentrate on figuring out how to run one of these things first.  THEN, we'll talk NYC.