What, Like 13 Miles Is Far Or Something?

I have to admit I took my runner’s high from Monday’s 10 miler a little too far.  All it took was a friendly invitation from a reader and a few ahem, assertive replies on Twitter to push me over the edge…

 

So, I’ll be running 13.1 miles this Saturday.  Yes, as in <4 days away.  Chacha promised to wait at the finish line with a beer for me, how could I turn that down?  (I’d suggest bringing a book or something, you’ll be waiting a while)  ((Oh and maybe a defib machine))

 

If I can convince my “happy pace” from Monday’s run to come out and play this weekend, we might be in for a good time.  Let’s focus on that and NOT on this :

Does anybody see a problem here?  Namely, I haven’t run 13 miles in a WEEK, let alone at one time?  Or how about the 10% rule?  (Don’t increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%)  If I do a couple miles Thurs like I’m planning to, I’m damn well going to increase it by 150%.

Woops.

I’ve always said that anybody – ANYBODY – can run a half marathon if they train properly.  This?  This is not “training properly”.  This is actually not training at all.  This is called “I don’t have a race until May so YAY I <3 the elliptical!”  (If any of you dedicated readers are thinking back to my RnR Vegas “non-training“, please keep it to yourself)

Rather than get bent out of shape about how obviously unprepared I am, I’m going to look at this like a little experiment.

How much of a natural runner/athlete am I?

How much of a difference has all this speedwork made?

Would a shorter, but more aggressive training plan prevent future injuries?

How mentally tough am I?

How mentally unstable am I???

Hey, maybe this will be the new fad in running.  Bye bye, Vibrams, Hello Train-Free Racing!  I gotta go find where I hid all my racing stuff.  Surely there’s gotta be a spare Gu laying around here somewhere…

What do you think?  I am out of my mind bonkers?  A cocky asshole just asking for an injury?  A badass and you want to be best friends???

Sarah Soon-To-Be