I'm pretty tired, yet getting excited

Coach Suzanne's group from last year's preview run.  All of our
goals have been met in 2016, and we are all still working
on 2017.

     Last year at this time, we had tackled the Marathon Course preview run.   It just so happened that is was also at this time last year where I had broken out into a really bad case of hives all over my legs.  I had to take two weeks off from running after that incident, but I still somehow managed to push through 22 miles that day.  Tomorrow, we are gearing up for the same run.   I do not have hives this go round (thankfully) but I am a little tired.   And yet, even so, I can't wait for tomorrow.

     The last few weeks, I've felt really good.  Heck, I've actually felt really great.   There were a few weeks where things just didn't seem to be going well.   My legs have felt really heavy, and it took everything in me to just keep running.   I never gave up, though.  I powered through everything and I just kept running.  I only stop when the job is done.  But, the last few weeks, something had changed.  I wasn't quite sure what, but after some thinking I may have finally figured out what works for me.

Liberty Avenue, brutal but it can be done.
Photo Credit Coach Suzanne

     One thing I've learned the last few years is that you always carb up before a long run.   I'll admit that I didn't always follow that as closely as I should have, and it probably showed.  This year I made sure to follow that regimen as much as possible and being Catholic no meat on Friday's during lent makes it a little easier.  I've made sure to have some nice spaghetti dinners at home, and even a late night bowl of cereal.  As full as I made myself (not overly stuffed, however) I still managed to not be able to sleep all that well.  I've gotten an average of 6 hours of sleep, but I usually wake up once or twice and still manage to wake up way too early before the start of a training run.   Since I couldn't sleep, I figured I might as well eat some breakfast.

     I'm really bad at breakfast before a training run.   I'll usually eat a banana and granola bar, or just a banana before a run, figuring I'd be fine.  I can tell now that I wasn't.  I needed that extra boost in the morning.  What I was doing wasn't really cutting it, nor was it helping me at all.  Now eating an egg sandwich and some potatoes, or something similar was what I've been missing.  I've felt energized.  I've actually felt awake.  It's definitely showed.

Photo Credit: Coach Suzanne

     This past weekend was no different.  Up earlier that I wanted to be, I made myself a nice breakfast and headed down to the Waterfront ready to tackle 19 miles throughout the city.  The run started along the trail, into the South Side, then Oakland, etc.   We tackled a a  ton of hills (despite all of our moans and groans) and even spotted a Bald Eagle up in the trees along the trail.  The sun was shining; the temperatures were perfect.  Everyone was smiling.  You just can't beat that for a training run.

Photo Credit: Coach Suzanne

     I feel like I keep repeating myself when I've said that the last few weeks just seemed to go really well.  But, it's so much more than that.  I didn't want to stop after I finished what I set out to do.  I've felt that I had it in me to keep on going, and if the marathon were on any one of those given days, I could have crossed the finish line.

     The Marathon is only a few weeks away.  Tomorrow is the course preview run.  I've logged in 468 miles of training so far, with 22 to be added tomorrow.  I'm starting to get really pumped about this race.  Sure I'm pretty tired, but it's totally worth it.

Until next time, keep on running Pittsburgh.

Sinceriously,

Chuck Hull,   The Running Jedi

Worst attempt at Jazz Hands ever.....

PS:  There is still time to donate to a good cause!

The Mario Lemieux Foundation for Chuck Hull:

https://www.crowdrise.com/MarioLemieuxPitt2017/fundraiser/chuckhull

Team Red White And Blue for Stephanie Haas:

https://www.crowdrise.com/TeamRWBPitt2017/fundraiser/stephaniehaas