Wednesday (CrossFit)
Bear crawl, duck walks, crab walks, banded shoulder stretch

CLEAN: 95lbs, lift from the ground, working on technique.

Assistance: 4×6 banded pull-ups with pause, side lunges (20lbs)

Metcon: 5 rounds, db swings (40 lbs), bear crawl, 2:46.

Thursday: 9.91 km, avg 6:54/km

Saturday (birthday run!): 10.38 km, avg 6:27/km

Sunday: 25.18 km, avg 6:04/km

As of today, we are 53 days away from el maratón!

In terms of training, I’m about half-way complete. Another 6 or 7 weeks to go and it’ll be October.

I’m feeling stronger and faster. My times are getting better and I feel more competent at CrossFit. In my mind, I’ve crossed the threshold of thinking/dreaming this could happen to tangibly envisioning crossing the finish line to making it a reality.

From what I’ve heard, this is the danger zone. In the marathon, the half-way mark is second hardest part to endure, after the Wall. The runner is settled in and now the initial excitement and energy has worn off. The finish line is off in the distance and right now, it’s the runner and the road. And that’s it.

It still requires faith to realize that the finish line will be there when you get there. For me, I think that it’s not running toward the finish line but the finish line running toward me. But that’s a long way off still. Now, it’s not a dream or a vision or a bet. It’s work. Hard work.

While each run is getting easier, training is getting harder. I can’t over-train because I need to conserve my energy and be mindful of injury. I can’t under-train because I need to be prepared. I can’t get too ambivalent but I can speed the process up. The days are going to come and go regardless of how fast or slow I’m running or training.

This requires patience and discipline, two things I’m not good at doing. But that is part of the training as well.

Another component is getting back up after a fall. I haven’t fallen while running yet, mercifully, but I took a nice pitfall during the birthday weekend with sugar. As I mentioned in my post about the #whole30, I’ve struggled with sugar for many years. I eat mindlessly and easy access to sugar hasn’t helped the cause.

So, there was the birthday sundae on Saturday and the beignets before that and the other chocolate cake the night before. Nothing too bad. But the pop tart from Ted’s Bulletin yesterday, that was the start of the end. By the end of last night, I pounded down a bunch of ice cream after a day of real struggle with sugar. YIKES.

It’s a new day and while I’m feeling the agony of my decisions (and another sign that the paleo diet does work), it’s time to get back on the saddle, each more fruits and veggies, and do the work.