Giving 100% ... While It's 100%!!!

First of all this morning ... CONGRATS TO MY SUPER TRIATHLETE WIFE who had another great triathlon this weekend!  She is getting faster and stronger, and I'm sure it's just a matter of time before she sets some kind of world record or something.  You can read about it here at Slowly Tri-Ing!  Congrats baby, I'm so proud of all the hard work you're putting in and the great results you have to show for it!  You were "Great Today" (yesterday)!

Overall, it was a pretty good weekend of running.  But by the unrealistic standards I set for myself ... it was a failure!  Overall, I know I pretty much accomplished what I set out to do, but I had planned on running back-to-back days of 18-20 milers on Saturday & Sunday.  I actually ended up running 17 on each day ... that's why it was a "fail".  Yes, I know it wasn't literally a "fail" ... 17 miles on back-to-back days is not EMZ worthy or anything, but it's pretty good for me.  It's just that if I don't meet my predetermined goal, I don't consider it a success.

Foggy start ... in August???

So why the shortened runs?  Well, my legs actually felt great over the last two days - I can tell I'm getting stronger and stronger ... but the FRIGGIN' HUMIDITY got me!  My shorts were 100% soaked by mile 5 both days.  On Saturday, it was about 78 degrees, with 80% humidity, which wasn't horrible - though definitely not ideal.  But today, even though it started out at 66 degrees, it was friggin' 100% humidity and really foggy.  After the fog broke, it heated up pretty quick to about 85 degrees with 90% humidity.  Warm for a long run!  But it is August and I was happy that I pushed through and got the mileage in that I did.

All in all, I feel absolutely great from the results I'm getting from the additional mileage.  I feel like my plan is working and I'm getting better as a runner as I move toward my back-to-back marathon goal in October.  I'm putting in about 80-90 miles per week with double runs on two different days, PM leg workouts on two different days, speed runs and tempo runs mixed in, and two long runs on the weekend.  Quite a load, but I think it's accomplishing the goal.

As far as other races go, I have the Kansas City Royals 5K this weekend with Madi and her boyfriend Nate.  I really want to PR in this one and think I should be close ... but it will be tough.  Last  year I finished 8th overall out of about 800 people, which was one of my best races ever.  I also PR'd with a 6:03/mile pace and I really want to be under 6:00/mile this year.  If I can get my 5K PR under 6:00/mile, I'll probably call that good and quit trying to get faster for short races.  I mean, I'm not getting any younger!  We'll see I guess.

I also have a marathon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on 9/11/11 - about 3 weeks away.  I really want to run between 3:10 & 3:15, and think I should be able to ... but if I don't, I'm not gonna stress about it.  The big goal for the rest of this year is completing the back-to-backers.  Everything else is just a bonus.

Hopefully I'll get some good fast runs in mid-week. I'll be able to tell from those if I'm gonna PR in either of these races coming up.  Have a great week and stay healthy!!!
... be great today!