Monster Week Over!

This week was what is called "Monster Week" for the marathon training program. It consists of two 5 mile runs during the week, one 10 mile run during the week, and to cap it off the 20 mile run on the weekend. The 20 mile run is the longest run prior to the race itself.
Exhausting is the only thing which can describe this week. Every ache and pain is exaggerated at this point and everyday I felt like i was going to crash. I was so tired I had to remind myself the importance of eating, because most nights all I wanted to do was go to bed. After the 10 mile run I actually felt sick to my stomach so I was not exactly wanting to eat anything. I did though, but probably less than I should have.
The 20 miler loomed over me all week long. It's such a daunting number and I was so worried about being bored doing the same course for that long. There's only so many times you can run a route up and back before you get bored with it. I decided I needed to mix it up and do something other than the Silver Comet.
I had options. It just so happened that one of the running groups I used to run with was doing a 20 miler that weekend. They were going to meet downtown at 7:15am. As exhausted as I was, I ended up deciding that I could use an extra hour or two of sleep. There was also a new running group which was having a run that day, at the Silver Comet. At least it would be a new set of people for me to chat with along the way. The only problem there was that they didn't say how many miles it would be. I thought about it and decided that if I ended up doing the first 5 or so with that group and then had to do the last 15 by myself I'd be bored and miserable.
So I decided to do it solo on my own little course. I reviewed the marathon course the other day so I could plan out stations for family and friends to be positioned throughout the race. It wasn't until then that I realized that Cardiac Hill (ranked the #8 hardest hill in Runner's World) is the last 3 miles of the marathon. Ouch! I decided it might not be a bad idea to do a little preview run of that so I could visualize myself completing it.
I planned a route from my house to the beginning and then looped back home. I had to cut through Peachtree Battle to get to the start so that was my first 5 miles. The elevation chart showed a long steady incline up to mile10.5 and then it was down hill. I decided this would be a good way to practice the course and try to get some negative splits in (faster last half than first half).
Everything was going well up until about mile 13. The hills were constant and rolling. I managed to stay at a 10:30-11:00min/mile pace despite the hills, so I was pleased because I knew that the actual course wouldn't be as hill as what I was doing. At mile 13 though the hills really started to take their toll on me. They were relentless, and I kept looking for that "down hill". My calves were burning and my ankles and knees felt like they were about to explode with every step. It was absolutely terrible.
By mile 15 I decided to walk the uphills and jog the downhills. That lasted for another mile before even that was too painful. I finally gave up and had to walk the last 3.5 back. I finished in 4 hours, in truly miserable shape. I called Emma after the run to let her know I was done and to tell her how it went. I was so defeated. If I go at that pace in the race itself I won't finish in the time limits so I was really disappointed. Not only that, I knew that getting home in as much pain as I was in was the threshold. I wouldn't be able to do another 6 in that kind of pain, so I was pretty bummed out.
I decided to review the route I had chosen on map my run. It said 600 foot ascent, which I started to think about, most of the hills were on Peachtree Battle, not on the actual course for the marathon. Not only that, I remembered the ascension for the marathon is really more like 100-150 feet over the entire 26.2. I felt a little bit better, but still defeated, because I figured "Well, certainly that is what the ING Atlanta Marathon is like. It's supposed to be nothing but hills so I guess I should rule that out for this spring." I checked their elevation chart this morning. 150-200 foot ascension. Okay, now I realize that I messed up and that if anything I took myself to the edge and beyond. It may be a good thing. Maybe I'll get out there the day of the race and I'll look back on how miserable I felt yesterday and use that as a reminder that I'm still feeling good and I can keep going. Here's hoping!
The good news is though that I am officially done with Monster Week and I'm officially tapering!! Yeah taper!!!