{"id":3463,"date":"2015-10-08T15:46:06","date_gmt":"2015-10-08T20:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/?p=3463"},"modified":"2015-10-08T15:46:06","modified_gmt":"2015-10-08T20:46:06","slug":"marine-corps-marathon-and-one-paxton-pic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/?p=3463","title":{"rendered":"Marine Corps Marathon *and one Paxton pic"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m gradually shifting gears. \u00a0My mind has been so full from all the fun in Berlin that I’ve had a difficult time remembering I have another marathon to run in 16 days! \u00a0Time to quit reminiscing and start doing mental prep work for MCM (Marine Corps Marathon).<\/p>\n

Last night I received the email telling me my Bib number. \u00a0That finally made it real. \u00a0If I have my Bib number, that makes it official, doesn’t it???<\/p>\n

In preparation for Berlin, I knew the course was a flat as they come. \u00a0My training, therefore, had been as flat as I could make it. \u00a0Flat races are in some ways harder on your body than hilly ones. \u00a0On a flat course, you use the same muscles the entire race. \u00a0Those muscles get tired! \u00a0I trained so that those muscles were used to the fatigue.<\/p>\n

Now, MCM, the first three miles are uphill. \u00a0That’s going to be tough! \u00a0It takes me a good 5 miles to get warmed up. \u00a0Having to run up when I’m not really all that warmed up…not fun. \u00a0Yes, I know I could run around, stretch and all to get my body all warmed up and ready for the start but I’ll be honest, \u00a0I’m going to need every ounce of energy I have to complete this race and I don’t want to “waste” that energy by warming up a lot.<\/p>\n

Call me a sissy.<\/p>\n

So, aside from walking to the start, I will not be warmed up at the start of MCM.<\/p>\n

Three miles, uphill, to kick off the race. \u00a0After the first 3, I’ve heard that through mile 8 it’s some “gently rolling hills.” \u00a0Once you get through mile 8, it’s pretty flat for the rest of the race. \u00a0That’s a win! \u00a0Well…except for the last .20 of the race. \u00a0That is supposed to be straight uphill again.<\/p>\n

I’ve been dwelling on all of this and working on a race strategy for MCM.<\/p>\n

My marathon goal pace is supposed to be 10:45. \u00a0I’m going to be frank and tell you right now that I don’t think I’ll be able to do that. \u00a0I’d love to but I’m tired. \u00a0That’s it in a nutshell. \u00a0I’m beat.<\/p>\n

However:<\/p>\n

I know that to get that elusive 5 hour marathon, I need to have an average pace of 11:15-11:30. \u00a0THAT I think (hope!) I can do.<\/p>\n

So, while my goal for Berlin was a 4:45 marathon (which I missed by a very large margin) I’m thinking that my goal for MCM will be to get that 5 hr marathon. \u00a0Actually, 4:59:59 would be wonderful! \u00a0A sub 5 marathon!?! \u00a0Hahaha!!! \u00a0I’d be dancing in the streets of Washington DC!<\/p>\n

That brings us back to those hills. \u00a0I’m thinking that if I can hold a 12:30 pace on those first 3 miles, I’ll have a lot of time to gradually catch up the lost time. \u00a0I’ll have to really hustle but I think (think!) I might be able to pull it off.<\/p>\n

That’s what I’m thinking. \u00a0Any thoughts from y’all are most welcome!<\/p>\n

On a completely different note, Aiden got his Berlin package yesterday. \u00a0We mailed it Monday morning. \u00a0That was fast!!! \u00a0His mom took a pic of him with all of his loot and posted it to FB today: \u00a0 *He was sawing logs when his mom took the pic. \u00a0Funny, that!*<\/p>\n

\"12107785_10207764846669936_5925102423093240503_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What a sweetie!!! \u00a0I am a very lucky gal to get to run for him!<\/p>\n

Seeing as the weather is cooling off a little bit here in Mississippi, I haven’t been having to run at dark o’clock. \u00a0That has been so nice!!! \u00a0I’m still up early enough to see the pretty sunrises and snap a few pics. \u00a0This is from this morning:<\/p>\n

\"12074678_858193140967490_5999218084351349135_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Then, just for giggles, I saw this yesterday on FB. \u00a0A friend of mine had shared it and I swiped it from her. \u00a0Hit my funny bone. \u00a0And with this I’ll wrap this up:<\/p>\n

\"12143323_10206467892927864_127001361673301997_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Well, I’ll toss in a Paxton pic because I haven’t shared one of him for a few days. \u00a0Hahaha!!!<\/p>\n

\"10930140_858519570934847_8129263768236485366_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

That’s it! \u00a0Don’t know if I’ll blog over the weekend. \u00a0I usually take the weekends off. \u00a0Have a great weekend!!!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m gradually shifting gears. \u00a0My mind has been so full from all the fun in Berlin that I’ve had a difficult time remembering I have another marathon to run in 16 days! \u00a0Time to quit reminiscing and start doing mental prep work for MCM (Marine Corps Marathon). Last night I received the email telling me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[21,6,8,5,3,7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3463"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3463"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3468,"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3463\/revisions\/3468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/w0ep.us\/TM\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}