For Shame on Marathon Training

I'll just put this out there:  one of my biggest issues with training is consistency.  I'll do really, really well with running/yoga/swimming/cycling/diet for whatever period of time, and then I completely crash and burn for a couple weeks and don't do anything.  These past two weeks are a case in point.  I'm running a marathon a week from Sunday.  I think I might be an idiot because I haven't run.


The marathon is the longest thing I've ever trained for, particularly for running, both in distance and time commitment.  I put a lot of weeks into Olympic tri training last year, but that also varied with the swim/bike/run.  The issue of the last two weeks began with something simple: since starting marathon training, and putting in the longer distances, I've fought sore hamstrings.  At first, once I had a rest day, they bounced back with little issue, or I might have a couple slightly sore runs but the pain wasn't debilitating.  Then, on my long run two weeks ago, my right hamstring locked up and I was hobbling.  Stretched it out.  Walked it out.  Tried to run, to no avail.  The left hammy was sore as well, but nothing like the right.  With the marathon so close, I decided it was better to take a couple days off to let them heal, rather than keep pushing myself, causing potential problems on race day.  I've never had muscles cramp up like that before, and there is no way I could get through a marathon if that happened at the 10 mile mark like it did that Saturday.  A week later, and my hamstrings were still sore, but slowly getting better.  And somehow...it's almost two weeks and I haven't run.

I did get in a good yoga class, but that's not exactly a substitute for my weekly mileage.  Hence the lack of blogging and my all but disappearing from DailyMile.  I'm just kind of embarrassed and irritated with myself, so I have been hiding a bit.  So, I have faith I'll make it through the marathon, but have given up any hope of a decent time and expect to be in quite a lot of pain, probably during and after.  I'm getting really excited though.  :)

Fun things that have happened while I haven't been running:

- I finally got a new phone, the Droid 2 Global, which I've been lusting after for quite some time.

- We went to the outlet mall last weekend and I scored a couple of great summer running tops from Adidas.  They will go really well with my adorable new Puma running skirt!  Clearly, I've been on a gear kick.  Replacing the worn out, ill-fitting stuff with new, built-to-last pieces that should get me through a few seasons.  This picture isn't the best of my new skirt, but at least I know the reflective bits work!

- Outside of an incident involving chocolate chip cookies and ice cream cake, my diet has been ok. I've made the transition to unsweetened almond milk and low-sugar cereal.  Now it's time to quit chasing the sugar dragon and banish the afternoon/evening chocolate cravings.

- Anyone else sort of not impressed by Biggest Loser this season?  I feel like they're trying to create too much drama with the "unknowns" and the "ranch team."

- Very excited about Google finally coming out with a blogger app. I haven't posted it from it yet, but have long thought it would be easier to  have one.  Has anyone else tried it?

So here's to a better training weekend, a light training week ahead, and a marathon a little over a week from now!