Zomg there's a marathon coming.

This morning was my last speed workout.  For this training cycle, anyway.  And, of course, to commemorate this moment I took absolutely no pictures of myself running in goofy poses.  So instead all you get is this crappy above-the-head selfie and a random pic of my cat between my favorite speed work socks.

Just a post-workout selfie with an office chair
and a box of Kleenex. Classy.

Hyooman.  Stop dripping sweat on me.

The schedule called for a 6 x 400m, which I had no problem doing because apparently my brain is okie-dokie with 400s but anything longer and it's all NOPE.

But the fact I got to do short 400m repeats wasn't nearly as good as the fact that I finally got a nickel-free watch band with a magnet strong enough not to try and slip off my wrist every 200m.

Black metal mesh running bliss.

I mean, really - who doesn't enjoy a run where you're not swearing furiously at your watch as it tries to escape your wrist?

Anyway, there's this thing I have this Sunday called a "marathon."  Now, I knew my marathon was approaching, but this morning as I pulled up my training plan and saw NO MORE LINES OF WORKOUTS below that 6 x 400 workout it really smacked me in the face that I was going to have to put up or shut-up in just a few days.  It also made me realize I had better start getting down some marathon goals...because more than one makes the marathon much merrier:

My very own marathon goals (in order of hopefulness):

• Run any time under my marathon PR, which happens to be a 4:09:50 on this very same course.
• Run a time between 4:10 and 4:15 because hey-that'll be my fastest marathon in a while, anyway.
• Run any time between 4:15 and 4:30 and just be freaking happy about that because suck it up, buttercup.
• Run any time at all that gets measured by a clock.
• Run the whole thing, clock be damned.
• Just make it to the finish line for cryin' out loud with some teeny tiny morsel of dignity left.
• Screw dignity and make it to the finish even if I'm riding on someone else's back and ugly crying the entire way.

I'm thinking I can hit at least one of these goals for sure on Sunday.  After all, it's important to have levels of goals so you can at least say you accomplished something.  

And now let's accomplish some learnings, shall we?

• The speed work felt good this morning in only the way a workout designed to hurt you can.
• I love that Chicago Marathon shirt, even if it's not my favorite of marathons.  It's nice, but not my fave.
• My new watch band was seriously amazing.  A product that works like it should--a novel concept.
• Treadmill tip: when using the treadmill, it's always good to flush out any cats that have taken up residence underneath it.

Hyooman.  Scram.

Tomorrow's workout: Haven't decided yet...probably some yoga.  Stay tuned.