I was dog/house-sitting again at the end of last week.  Kristin's newest addition is the little squeaker to the left, Fiona.  She is precious!

After last week's big 20 miler, this week was a piece of cake.  I have now entered what is known as "the taper" in the running world - or at least, the training-for-a-marathon world.  Not the zoo kind of tapir (of which I have a tattoo), but taper as in less than before.  The distance that I will now run each week will be less than the week before in order to give my body time to recover before the marathon.

I had a 50 minute run to start the week and I'm not sure why, but I did run slower than normal.  Eh, what can you do?  Not every run is the same.  I biked for 30 minutes on Tuesday and sprinted on the treadmill on Wednesday - 7:30 per mile for 20 minutes.  That's the fastest I've run for the longest period of time in years.  It took some mental fortitude to push through it, but I did.  I had to go in on my day off to help clean the hippo pool (scuba time!) and I got up early to get a 10 mile run in before the heat got too hot.  ;o)  All in all, a good week, but I'm ready for the race to be here already!

This week ended with the "Big One" - 20 miles.  But, before that...

The week started with an "easy" 60 minute run.  I ran at 9:55 pace.  Honestly, the beginning of this week feels so long ago that I don't remember much of it.  I think I ran the loop behind my apartment, at night?  In any case, the Garmin says I did it, so I did it.  :)  After work on Tuesday, I did my normal gym circuit.  Despite skipping it last week, I'm almost to where I was pre-surgery with the push-up number.  I'm at 12 in 30 seconds for the first go round.  I started dog/house-sitting for a friend on Tuesday night, so on Wednesday, I ran around the local golf course.  I tried to push it because I know it helps for the longer runs.  I ran at a 9:27 pace.  I lifted weights on Friday and then did not prepare well enough for me 20 mile run (in my opinion and in retrospect). 11:48

I woke up at 6 am on Saturday and fed the doggies, then headed to the Upper Tampa Bay Trail for the run.  Fortunately, a handyman left his headlamp at my apartment last week, so I had something for the first few miles - it was still dark out (and 64 degrees - red flag #1).  I wasn't the only crazy - there was one other group of runners, and I did see the ranger on his Toro putting the water out and clearing the trail.  I did have a bit of bad luck early on - at mile 3, my low battery indicator for my Garmin came on (red flag #2) - I squeaked another 6 miles out of it though and was able to find mile markers and time everything just right so I could figure out (and keep track of) the distance I was running.  The first 10 miles were pleasant - I watched the sun rise at mile 6.5.  And despite the sun disappearing behind clouds at mile 13 and remaining "cool," it went a little downhill from there - the run, not the terrain.  I needed to re-fill my water bottles at mile 14 (they lasted me 18 miles two weeks prior) - red flag #3.  I also stopped to use the bathroom at mile 15.5 (I kind of needed to go and I was advised to try it since I'm probably going to have to go during the actual marathon).  Side note: I've run three half marathons and never used the bathroom once each run started.  After each time I stopped, however, it was harder to get back into the running.  I pushed myself mentally until mile 18 since I knew I had run that distance before and even though I tried really hard to keep going, it felt like once I hit 18 I lost all steam.  I started walking at about 18.2 (I'm guessing since no Garmin) and walked until the end.  Even with the walking, I calculated with the time I had on my iPod that it was an 11:48 pace.

I have several thoughts about this run.

One, I suppose it is good that I experienced all of these red flags now and not for the first time on race day, but it was still a little disheartening.  Two, I realize I should have concentrated more on fluids in the days leading up to the run.  I did feel I ate well the day before, the morning of, and during the run (energy gels).  I just think more water would have helped...because...  Three, it was 20 degrees warmer than my 18 mile run and that didn't help at all!  I didn't even consider this because 18 came easier than I thought it would.  Four, London will help a lot - the crowds, the sites and the fact that it's an actual race, with other people running with me, and it's for the rhinos.  Considering all that, I'm happy, but I would have liked to done unbelievably well to give me more confidence.  But, then again, like I said, maybe I got all of this out of the way now to help me on April 13th.

Well...a climactic end to Week 4 - I can honestly say that has never happened before.

It pretty much only snowed my first few days here.  On Wednesday, I ran 4 miles in 40 minutes on a snow-covered, slippery road.  Thursday was a rest day.  I took Riley for a long walk on Friday - it was a snow-slush mix, depending on which road I was walking.  And then, today.

I planned a 6 mile route - which happens to be most of my old school bus route - and headed out.  At 11:30 am, it was already 51 degrees - a December heat wave!  Most of the snow had melted and the roads were mostly bare.  Once I got into the back woods, in the shade, it was a little colder and the roads were still covered.  It was a pleasant, relaxed run until mile 3.5.

I first noticed the dog running through the snow, heading for the road - and right to where my legs were taking me.  I was in denial - every dog I've ever run past in Florida has been contained by a fence.  And then denial turned into run-for-my-life fear.

I am an animal person - I dog-sit pitbulls (and chihuahuas and dachshunds) all the time - I'm comfortable around dogs.  But...I was bit by a German Shepherd when I was 10, and I've had an unreasonable fear of German Shepherds since, and though this was not a German Shepherd and I understand the desire for dogs to chase things, it was inches away from biting my ass.  And I like my ass just how it is - I also like my legs - I kind of need them for this marathon.

So...it's lunging at me with both front paws, opening and snapping shut its mouth as its snout lunged at me - I am really not exaggerating.  I was scared, filled with adrenaline.  It was at least 80 pounds - I looked up dog breeds later and it was a Bull Mastiff.  I saw no owners in sight.  I was trying to run away and fend it off with my feet - I really had nothing else to defend myself.  I always make fun of the teen in horror movies that keeps looking at the killer over their shoulder while stumbling and trying to run away.  I get it now - I couldn't help but look back - it was instinct.

To those that say, "I only run when I'm being chased" - I say to you - if I had not been training all these months (with nothing chasing me), I would not have been able to outrun this dog.  To which, they would say, if you weren't running in the first place, you wouldn't have had to outrun the dog.  Touche!

In any case, I was not bit - and I completed my workouts for Week 4.

Yesterday, I finished out my work week - yay for Super Friday! - got a quick 5 mile run done in 46 minutes, showered, finished packing and headed to my friend's house...so she could drive me to the airport (thanks, Kristin!).  One three-hour flight later and I was in single digit weather.  Yippee!  It's always nice when my Dad remembers to bring my winter coat into the airport to warm it up, so I don't have to put on an I'm-an-icicle-from-sitting-in-the-car jacket, or lug one up from Florida.  Do I even have a jacket there that would keep me warm enough?  I can deal with the cold, because it's always nice to come home...to Ashburnham, Massachusetts, that is - where I've lived since I was one year old in a house my Dad built with his best friend.  It is a small town and we live kind of out in the middle of the woods - it borders a state forest.  I am a New Englander at heart, but I have the (thin) blood of a Floridian.  "Cold" in Florida is just not comparable to this.

I slept in a little this morning - both my parents had headed to work already - but I force-fed myself a glass of orange juice (woo hoo!) and fresh bagels from a little shop downtown were waiting for me.  One of my favorite things about  coming home - the local delicacies, i.e. bagels, AleHouse pizza, and the local grocer's frozen fruit punch concentrate.  I watched some TV, then headed out for my cross training for the day - walking our dog, Riley, in the snow - we saw a single turkey on our walk, wandering up the middle of the road.and   I also shoveled a path to the woodpile out back (and the walkway out front for good  measure) after the walk.

It kept snowing throughout the day, so after my parents got home, we made dinner and watched a few TV shows together, and then the snow finally stopped.  I got my second "workout" of the day by re-shoveling the pathways while my Dad snow-blowed the driveway.  I'm pretty sure we got at least 8 inches today.  Good to be home.  :)

The aforementioned "horny friends" are, of course, rhinoceros - the animals with which I spend most of my days.

I had a great first week.  I hit all my workout goals.  On day two, I biked at my work gym after my shift.  The next day I ran the World Trail at the USF campus and I ran with the pitbulls, Stella and Sherman, again on Thursday.  I hit the elliptical at the gym on Friday after work, and today, I ran 5.3 miles after taking care of my cats and Kristin's dogs.  Overall, a busy week - but it's only going to get busier.  I will post summaries of each week's workouts as I go - this week's is below.  The second row (in black) is the prescribed workout; the third row is what I actually did (in green); and the bottom row is the mileage (when applicable)

So, after work today I planned on driving home and walking the dogs - Stella (below left) and Sherman (below right), that is.  Well, I had made a large, print-out of my marathon training schedule at work today and figured I would write the dates to correspond with the workouts on it.  Luckily, I did...because I found out that TODAY was the first day of my marathon training!

I had been chugging along since my last race on Labor Day weekend, thinking 'December 1st...December 1st.'  To figure out when I needed to start training for my marathon, I had counted out 19 weeks back from April 13, 2014 - the day of the London Marathon - and got December 1st.  I miscalculated.  December 1st is in Week 1...but it is the last day!  A la Rick Perry...oops.

Like I said, I caught it before I headed out of the house, so a "walk" with the dogs became my latest step in my marathon quest, i.e. a 40 minute run.  I ran one of my usual routes near my friend's house - I am dog-sitting for her.  It is a 2 mile loop that I ran twice and to which I added an extra little doohickey (see above).  Technically, it was 4.09 miles and I ran it in 43 minutes, but that's including a pit stop for Stella to take care of some paperwork, which I dutifully picked up (I do not like dog owners that do not clean up after their dog!).  I did make her carry it back to the house on her collar.  I have my limits.

Hopefully, someone is reading this and if you are, welcome!  This is where I track my training progress for the 2014 London Marathon.  I am 16% of the way to my fundraising goal after only five donations.  Those people rock!  Please keep checking back here for updates and if you are feeling generous, donate to rhino conservation.  I will hopefully have t-shirts available here soon.

If not, it at least gives the illusion of being harder.  There is a small lake near his house and we run laps around it.  This is another refreshing aspect that reminds me of high school track - the laps, that is...not the small lake.  It does not look refreshing.

On Wednesday, I ran with my two friends with whom I ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February.  We ran-walked 8 miles, which involved Victoria keeping the pace - 1 minute running , 4 minutes walking.  It was a different workout for me - I usually just run - and it was pretty challenging in terms of my body not being used to that kind of movement.  Aerobically, I was in great shape.  My other running friend, Morgan,  is running a marathon in about a week, so this method is how she is tackling the second half.  She plans to run the first half.  At our pace, with this method, I would finish a marathon in 6 hours, which isn't bad considering my tertiary goal for London is under 5 hours - the first two goals being finish, and have fun.

Yesterday was my first day of dog-sitting for a friend and co-worker.  When I got to her house, I leashed up Sherman and Stella - her two pitbulls - and headed out.  This was my second run with Stella and Sherman.  She just adopted Stella from a rescue a few months ago, so I had taken her out for a test run by herself that month.  I run with a leash in each hand, with one dog on each side.  I ran past a school where kids were walking around a track and the dogs got lots of catcalls.  Sherman especially always gets the compliments.  Overall, a nice, diverse week of running.