Learning to roll with it

I admit it, this week was challenging. I never really got a honeymoon period with my new job and this week -- my SECOND -- was even more insane than the first. I worked late, worked through lunch, stress, stress, stress. I've got to learn how to compartmentalize work because I can't let it take over what personal time I have if I'm going to be successful in this training.

Even so, I got in a 4 mile run on Tuesday in Old Saybrook. I think I'm going to park my car near the water next time and start from there because I didn't really like running through the center of town and it doesn't get scenic until after the 2 mile mark where I turn around. It was hot, I was tired and stressed, but I got it in. I had big plans to do that on Wednesday but that was the day everything went nutso at work and I put in a 12-hour day. So it didn't happen. Thursday I was in Stamford so that was another 12-hour day. On Friday I did have the time to run but I made the decision not to squeeze it in just for the sake of having a 2nd weekday run if it meant not being as strong today for my long run. I made the right decision.

I got in 10.02 miles today -- 2 more than I had planned but as soon as I started out I felt good and I had done 8 miles 2 weeks in a row so I thought it would be good to shake it up. I'm still way ahead of where I should be for long runs, I don't think I hit 9 miles on the official schedule until the end of July. So as long as I can keep this up the stronger I'll be when the long runs really take off.

I messed up my GPS so it actually registered as 2 runs but here's the deets:

My splits are pretty consistent which is good. My pace was nice for a long run on the trail. It's come down by over a minute from a few months ago. My marathon goal pace is 11 minutes/mile overall so I'm headed in the right direction. Tomorrow I'll go for 4 or 5, depending on how I feel and it will still end up being a solid week of training.

As far as next week goes, I just have to put work in a little box and make my time my own. Wish me luck on that one!