"Snowmaggedon" 2011

I think I might be in denial about potentially how bad this weather situation might get. I at least had the foresight to fill my car with gas, get a few shelf-stable items that don't require cooking (cereal with vanilla rice milk anyone? No? How about a banana?) and pick up a couple of gallons of water, but beyond that the phrase "I might be screwed" comes to mind. Thoughts of the ice storm when I was around 8 or 9 and power was out for well over a week keep playing in my head and I'm really trying not to pay attention to them.

Alabama is just not equipped to deal with icy weather AT ALL. I was shopping at Old Navy this afternoon to kill some time when the freezing rain started. I thought I would head over to TJ Maxx to exchange a Jockey l/s tech pullover I scored for $12.99 (I needed a smaller size) but "due to winter weather" they were closed. I should have known it was going to be bad when I was headed southbound on the interstate (from ON to TJM) and saw a car traveling northbound hit a patch of ice and spin around on the interstate and crash into the guard rail. Reading FB status updates that seems to be the name of the game on the interstates around here and earlier when I stepped outside I could hear siren after siren en route (no doubt to more accidents)

My back patio is essentially a skating rink from the freezing rain/sleet that fell for 3+ hours and is now getting covered with snow. While they have closed about every single freaking business around here, my office has not yet made the determination of what is going on. Either way, unless there are major improvements I am planning on working from home. I have a MASSIVE and unforgiving deadline on 1/21 and I need every day in order to meet this. I can not afford to lose a day (or multiple days) to this crap right now. Too bad I can't even rejoice in a snow day :(

On the running front, I ran my longest run since the marathon...8 miles...yesterday and felt great. I ended up sleeping in a little later than intended and didn't get out the door until 8:40. That decision pretty much confined me to a combination of 2 very hilly routes but I am very happy to say that I conquered the hills! AND the last mile was my fastest (10:49...which is good for me on a long run) It's amazing how much more confidence and strength I have since the marathon. This was likely building during actual marathon training but looking back at my training logs I was absolutely exhausted (I didn't even realize it at the time) and towards the end almost ALL of my runs were at long run paces...it's all my legs could muster. The achilles tendonitis did not help matters but I did not have the mental fortitude for those hills (I would have automatically taken a walk break) when now I am determined to master them and realize that I actually have the ability to do so.

I am on track for the Mercedes Half Marathon over Valentines Day weekend, with a stop at the Village to Village 10K in 2 weeks. I actually have quite a year shaping up with races, goals and training my aunt to her 1st half marathon finish but I will detail this in an upcoming post. In regard to Village to Village, I know this will be part of a longer training run (much the way Vulcan was) and I'm pretty sure it's a tougher course than Vulcan (which everyone says was tough and I did not think so) so I am debating on whether this will be an official PR attempt. In this very short training cycle I am running 3-4 days a week (aiming for 4 but I need to be realistic given the 60 hour work weeks right now) with 2 days of cross training (1 day of cardio/weights, 1 day of yoga). Don't know if this is a recipe for a PR (I am hoping to shave 10 minutes off the current PR) but I am trying to be smart with my running (intervals, tempo and long runs, 4th day being easy paces on a trail) and not filling my schedule with "junk" miles just to have miles. (I know that any running is better than no running but more than ever I need to make the miles count)